Hermione immediately recognized Theo's loopy scrawl. She went about her usual bedtime routine, not wanting to give Lavender or Parvati cause for suspicion, and planned how she would sneak through the castle corridors undetected. It wasn't a question that she would go to meet Theo — if it couldn't wait until tomorrow, whatever he needed to tell her was important.
At a quarter 'til twelve, Hermione quietly rose and slipped on a loose jumper over her pyjamas, stowing her wand in her pocket. She tucked the Marauder's map under her arm, grateful that she hadn't yet had the chance to return it to Harry, and crept silently out of the dormitory. Only once she was in the common room did she whisper the phrase to activate the map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Ink lines immediately spread across the map, the parchment itself coming to life. Hermione checked over the route she intended to take, then climbed cautiously through the portrait hole, careful to avoid waking the Fat Lady. Unfortunately, Hermione would eventually have to wake her to get back inside.
She moved through the corridors swiftly, keeping one eye on the map as she went. Only once did she have to jump behind a tapestry to avoid Filch, who was limping down the corridor, holding a rusty lantern that provided minimal light and muttering something about Peeves. Did the man ever sleep? Thankful that Mrs. Norris must have been otherwise occupied, Hermione released a silent exhale as Filch rounded the corner to the next corridor and continued on her way.
Hermione shivered as she descended the steps to the dungeons, the cold air seeping through her thin jumper and cotton pyjamas. She checked the map again, finding the Potions classroom.
Theo was already there, and — to her surprise — so was Malfoy. Snape wasn't in his quarters, but he didn't seem to be anywhere nearby either. Hermione paused outside of the classroom door, steeling herself to talk to Malfoy again for the first time since their... incident… the other night. Pushing open the door as slowly as she could manage, she cringed slightly when it still squeaked on its hinges.
Someone had cast Lumos and sent the ball of light overhead to illuminate the space. At a table at the very back of the room, Malfoy's head snapped up at her entrance. Theo jumped up immediately, relief evident on his features.
"Granger, glad you made it," he said, gesturing for her to join them.
Malfoy then stood as well, nodding to her once in greeting.
She studied him as she made her way back to their table. He was still meeting her eyes — a good sign. Perhaps he wasn't upset about her rather overenthusiastic reaction to being freed from the Imperius Curse.
Hermione sat, looking expectantly at Theo while he and Malfoy took their seats again. Malfoy's eyes followed the movement of her hand as she placed the Marauder's Map on the table, still open to show the Potions classroom and surrounding corridors.
"Assuming by your reaction at dinner that Potter made it back, then?" Theo asked first. Malfoy rolled his eyes.
Hermione nodded. "He did. He was really lucky to escape with only minor injuries."
She proceeded to tell them a highly summarised version of Harry's story, highlighting the fact that Voldemort had indeed returned. Neither Malfoy nor Theo seemed surprised by that confirmation.
"Also, when Harry was talking to Fudge this morning… he named both of your fathers as Death Eaters who were present."
Malfoy's mouth tightened into a thin line as he and Theo exchanged dark looks.
"Straight to it, then," Theo said, still looking grim. "Draco and I were questioned by Snape this afternoon. He wanted to know how we came to be involved in yesterday's events."
Hermione felt her stomach drop. "What did you tell him?"
Malfoy spoke for the first time in a low voice. "The truth. We told him that we simply noticed something odd going on with you, and were taking you to hospital. That it was all a coincidence that we ended up right in the thick of it."
"Did he believe you?"
"Yes," Theo said, "but here's the thing. Since Crouch escaped, Snape said it's only a matter of time before he's reunited with You-Know-Who. It's not going to look good for Draco, and by association, his father, that he was helping you fight another Death Eater."
"But you didn't know who Crouch was!" Hermione insisted, meeting Malfoy's eyes. "For all you knew, Moody had lost his senses and was trying to kill us."
"According to Snape, nuances like that don't exactly matter to the Dark Lord," Malfoy growled. "Especially when you're seen to be helping one of Potter's closest friends, and a Mud— Muggle-born, at that." Malfoy winced slightly at his slip.
"In any case—" Theo jumped back in, eyeing Malfoy sideways, "—that isn't the whole reason we needed to meet right away. I guess Snape won't be around in the evenings for the rest of term, so he is pulling Draco and I out of electives until after exams at the end of next week. He said it is imperative that we learn Occlumency. At least the basics. You-Know-Who is beginning to rally his followers, and deciding where to establish a base for his operations. Snape seems to think one or both of us might be in frequent-enough contact with him to necessitate it." Theo's mouth twisted distastefully at the end.
Hermione released a slow exhale. "That's... wow. I don't know what to say."
"Granger, there's one more thing," Theo said, suddenly looking hesitant. Malfoy looked down at the table, jaw clenched. "I don't know if Snape let it slip accidentally or on purpose… but with Crouch knowing so much about you, Potter, and Weasley, you're more likely to be under You-Know-Who's scrutiny."
"Alright…" Hermione said slowly, trying to understand where this was going.
"In fact," Theo continued, "Snape heavily implied that you in particular would come to his attention."
Hermione just stared at him.
Theo gave a small cough. "Granger, I don't know how to say this… or, I do, I guess… I just don't really want to… It isn't exactly something that's going to be—"
Malfoy cut him off with a frustrated growl. "It means your family is in danger. Anyone that could be connected with you. The Dark Lord will take any opportunity to get to Potter, and with Crouch by his side, he'll know exactly who and what you are. He'll know exactly how close you are to Potter. He will use it. You aren't safe at home anymore."
Hermione felt her chest constrict as he finished. Was there suddenly less air in the room?
"But I have to… my house… my parents…" she choked out, trying to draw breath into lungs that wouldn't seem to open. Her stomach was twisting something fierce. Hermione gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white, trying to force down her panic. Trying not to see Malfoy and Theo watching her. A warm hand covered her own trembling fingertips.
"I'm sorry, Granger. I'm so sorry," Theo said, leaving his hand on top of Hermione's as he spoke. "But we want to help. Crouch only escaped this afternoon, and there is time. That was the last thing Snape mentioned… You-Know-Who is very angry that his return didn't go off as planned, and wants to stay in the shadows for now. Having to move in secret will slow him down, as well."
Malfoy shifted, looking away quickly when she glanced up towards his face. Theo removed his hand suddenly, not looking at Malfoy.
"We've come up with a few ideas," Theo said quickly, "but only one would completely guarantee their safety. Problem is, it's supposed to be ridiculously difficult to cast."
Hermione drew in a shaky breath, blessedly finding little resistance from her lungs now. "And what's that?" she asked.
Malfoy answered. "Fidelius Charm."
Hermione drew her lower lip between her teeth as she mulled that over. If she remembered correctly — and she almost always did — ridiculously difficult might be an understatement for the Fidelius Charm. Then there was the small matter of explaining to her parents what was going on, and why they had to quit their jobs and stay confined to their home for an indefinite length of time. They certainly wouldn't want her to go back to Hogwarts after that. But if it kept them safe?
Malfoy and Theo sat silently, watching her internal debate with neutral expressions.
Hermione realised she still had a tense grip on the table and loosened her fingers one by one, carefully flexing them to relieve the soreness. Then she sighed.
"It's a good idea, thank you. I just need more time to think. I… may have given this a little bit of thought last summer, knowing that this… predicament… was a real possibility—" Theo's eyebrows shot up and Malfoy's drew together, perplexed, "—but it would be nice not to have to place a Memory Charm on my own parents. That way they'd have new identities, you see, and could move somewhere safe. Somewhere where they've never heard of Hermione Granger, and wouldn't worry about a daughter they didn't know they had."
Malfoy and Theo seemed stunned.
"Granger, that's…" Theo began, pausing uncertainly.
"I know," she finished for him. "It's extreme. But I was rather hoping it was just a back-up plan, and I'd never actually have to use it."
Hermione hurriedly wiped at a traitorous tear that had escaped down her cheek, hoping they hadn't noticed. On the other side of the table, Malfoy's finger twitched before he clasped his hands together.
"But where would you go?" Theo asked, looking at her with such pity in his eyes that Hermione had to look away before she lost herself completely.
She looked at Malfoy instead, which was decidedly the wrong move. His eyes were burning with some unknown emotion, and that was somehow even worse. It reminded her of the animosity he conjured whenever he saw Harry or Ron. And her, before this year. She studied the table.
"I'll be alright," she said thickly, still not daring to look up. "I thought I had more time, but… I know what I'm going to do." And it wasn't completely a lie. There were some finer details to work out, but Hermione knew where her decision would ultimately lead.
It seemed nobody had anything to say after that. The silence stretched while Hermione pondered her choice for keeping her family safe. Her parents wouldn't thank her for keeping them out of this decision, but there were some things they would never be able to understand about the magical world. Her world. If this damaged their relationship beyond repair, well, they'd still be alive at the end of it.
But Hermione was counting on their unconditional love for her to pull through. In the end, that knowledge was the only thing that would allow her to go through with this. Apart from her friends, they were all she had. Her family had always been small, a result of being an only child with no aunts, uncles, or cousins. Hermione had never particularly cared one way or another about being an only child, but it at least made the situation now slightly less complicated.
After a time, Theo cleared his throat, and she looked up to meet his dark eyes. He glanced pointedly at the Marauder's Map still lying open on the table.
"So, maybe not the best time, but do you think Potter would mind if I borrowed that map sometime? I've been itching to study it. See if I can replicate the effects. I've already got a few theories, but having the real thing…"
Hermione managed a laugh, grateful for the change of subject. She slid the Map across the table to him.
"Here. I can't speak for Harry, but take it for the remainder of the term, if you want. Harry probably won't think to ask about it for a while, but I'll find out if he minds. Just keep it on you during classes in case he needs it back."
She gave Theo a quick demonstration on using the Map, showing him how to activate it and wipe it clear again with the required phrasing.
Theo lit up. "Thanks, Granger. I promise to be careful with it." He looked at Malfoy then, who had been silent for the entirety of the discussion since mentioning the Fidelius Charm. "Well," Theo began, "I guess we'd better—"
"Theo," Malfoy cut in. "Could I have a moment with Granger? Alone?"
Theo looked between the pair of them with confusion, but nodded. "Yeah, sure, Draco. I'll just… wait for you back in the common room?"
Malfoy nodded, swallowing heavily. Theo quickly gathered the Map and his wand. He gave them one last glance over his shoulder as he exited the room, and then she and Malfoy were alone.
Malfoy, still looking after Theo, visibly steeled himself before turning back to face her. He sat stiffly, almost formal-looking in his black jumper and black joggers. If he didn't want Theo to hear this, it was guaranteed to be about the kiss. Her pulse ratcheted, apprehension curling in her belly.
She couldn't imagine how uncomfortable she'd made him, carrying on as she did. The old Malfoy would have been outright disgusted. Or perhaps unbearably smug and contemptuous, if he'd had any inkling that the moment had been hands-down one of the most memorable of her life thus far. Now, though, she could only see regret. Would he end their friendship over it? Hermione bit her lip, heart still pounding furiously.
He took a deep breath. "Granger, I wanted to apologise for my behaviour yesterday evening. I should not have taken advantage of your… compromised state. I got caught up in the moment, I suppose. It is no excuse for my actions, but you should know that I would never have attempted such a drastic measure under normal circumstances. At the time, I couldn't think of any other options to bring you out of the curse quickly. Whatever your opinion of me now, I hope that you can forgive me, but I'll understand if you decide otherwise. Good night." And with that he snatched his wand off the table, moving swiftly past her for the door.
"Malfoy, wait—" Hermione stood and caught the sleeve of his jumper. His cashmere jumper (because of course). He froze, cool grey eyes locked on her own.
"Malfoy, I'm not… I'm not angry with you for what happened," she said, failing to contain the incredulous note in her voice. "I'm grateful. If we hadn't been there to confront Crouch, I don't know what would have happened to Harry."
He scoffed, turning to face her as she released his sleeve. "Yeah, well a lot of good that did. He's gone and escaped less than a day after being caught."
"Yes," she allowed softly, "but if we hadn't been there to delay him, Crouch wouldn't have been caught until it was too late. Dumbledore was able to use his information to help save Harry. And even so, you realised that there was something wrong with me when no one else did. You and Theo both. And you figured how to free me. So, thank you. If anything, I should be the one apologising to you."
He raised his eyebrows at that. She pressed on. "Really. I suppose I… got caught up in the moment, too. In my disoriented state, you know…" she said, wincing slightly at her meagre excuse.
Malfoy rubbed the back of his neck with a hand. "Well, alright then. I don't accept your apology, as it is wholly unnecessary, but I'm glad you don't think me the absolute arse that I feel."
Hermione's lips quirked up in a smile. "Whoever said I don't think you're an arse?"
Malfoy snorted softly and moved his hand up to run through his hair. "Made that too easy for you," he muttered. Then he spoke at a normal volume.
"So, about what happened the other night, should we…" Malfoy trailed off, watching her face. Their eyes met, and for an instant, the air felt a little thicker. Hermione drew her lower lip between her teeth, heart in her throat. It took all of her willpower to stay rooted to the spot, but she couldn't help leaning ever so slightly forward.
"... just forget about it?" he finished.
Her heart sank from her throat to somewhere in her middle. She drew back. "As in… forget it ever happened?" she asked in a small voice.
"If that's what you want," he replied evenly, taking a small step forward to close the space between them again. His expression gave away nothing.
"I don't think…" Hermione swallowed harshly, her arms folding across her chest to hug herself. "Um… well, I guess that would probably be best," she said softly, courage failing her in the face of uncertainty.
At her own words, an inexplicable sadness laced through her. Malfoy dropped his eyes to the floor. The air around them deflated, leaving a stale taste behind.
When Malfoy didn't say anything else, Hermione drew in a deep breath, suddenly eager to be away. "I should get back."
"Can you make it back to your dormitory alright without the Map?"
"I can. I'll just have to be extra cautious of Filch and any of the other teachers patrolling. And Peeves. And Mrs. Norris…" Hermione frowned, suddenly thinking she ought to have waited to let Theo have the Map.
"Slytherin common room is just around the corner, I can get the Map back from Theo if you'd like," Malfoy offered quietly, palms open at his sides.
She smiled faintly. "No need. If I get caught, well… it won't be the first time. As you well know," she threw in after a beat, thinking back to first year when she and Harry had helped Hagrid with Norbert.
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Yes. Believe it or not, I was actually interested to see that dragon hatching. I know you thought I only wanted to get you in trouble," —Hermione raised her eyebrows and he smirked at her— "which I did, but I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to see a real one either. My namesake, you know." He shrugged.
"Of course," she said, smiling in earnest, now. "Didn't stop you from trying to intercept us taking it up to the Astronomy Tower, though." Hermione laughed once before cutting off, breath catching at the mention of the Astronomy Tower in connection to Malfoy. Her chest tightened at the reminder of what might be to come. Possibly even because of this… friendship… she'd developed with Malfoy.
"How did you…" Malfoy started, tilting his head in thought as he looked to the ceiling. "Ah, of course. You and Potter were under that cloak of his. Which, as I said before, is absolutely… alright, Granger?" He had just looked back at her and caught sight of her face.
Hermione blinked a few times, trying to reign in her expression. "Yes. Yes, of course. I just… it's been a long couple of days."
She offered him a weak smile. Malfoy frowned.
Hermione turned to gesture towards the exit. "Shall we?"
Malfoy studied her for a moment before giving a sharp nod of agreement. He raised his wand and muttered a soft Nox, leaving the room in near-complete darkness; a handful of scattered jars shelved around the room emitted a faint bioluminescence.
As they began to move, Hermione gave a small start when Malfoy's hand came to rest lightly above the small of her back. He either didn't say anything or didn't notice her reaction, but he didn't pull away.
Pulse quickening in spite of herself, Hermione poured her concentration into forcing her breathing to remain even. She also took care with her footing — Merlin forbid she trip over her own feet right now.
Malfoy guided her gently through rows of tables and chairs towards the front of the room, reaching out to open the door ahead of her. Only once they were in the corridor did he drop his hand, and Hermione was able to breathe normally again.
She turned to face him, tucking a loose strand of hair behind one ear. "Good night, Malfoy."
He dipped his head once, his expression guarded. "Granger."
Malfoy made no attempt to move, standing casually with his thumbs tucked into the waistband of his joggers. She gave him a small smile and turned to walk down the corridor, trying her best not to feel his eyes boring into her back.
Hermione woke the next morning, groggy and emotionally spent. She hadn't made it back to her dormitory until almost two o'clock in the morning, in part due to the extra care she had taken to slip back into Gryffindor Tower undetected.
Her mind felt in a fog — it seemed like a month had passed in the span of a weekend with everything that had happened, not to mention the emotional pendulum swinging her along between extremes of fear, passion, and anguish. She stretched in her four-poster, yawning widely, considering for the first time ever that maybe she could afford to miss Herbology just this once.
Harry caught up with her and Ron at breakfast. Madam Pomfrey had finally released him this morning with strict instructions to return if anything felt off. Harry ate his breakfast slowly, still seeming somewhat in a daze. Ginny had to say his name three times before he looked around at her. He also jumped every time a fork clattered to a plate or a burst of laughter echoed through the Hall, and seemed strangely reluctant to pick up his goblet of pumpkin juice. Hermione's heart went out to him. She made a show of picking up several different dishes in front of her to offer Harry, and he smiled gratefully at her.
True to their word, Malfoy and Theo were absent from Arithmancy that afternoon, and all subsequent lessons for the next two weeks. Arithmancy and Ancient Runes classes were strangely lonely without their presence, now.
She wondered how their Occlumency lessons with Snape were going. She would be interested to learn, but she shuddered at the thought of having Snape rifling through her memories. Perhaps Malfoy and Theo would be willing to pass on what they learned? She was resolved never to be caught unawares by another Imperius Curse.
Despite the tumultuous weekend, Hermione dutifully resumed her study schedule for upcoming exams. Ron grumbled endlessly about being required to take exams after everything, but Harry was still exempt due to his participation in the Triwizard Tournament.
With so much free time on his hands lately, Harry seemed to be drawing inward on himself, joining conversations less frequently and showing none of his usual good-humour. He also became increasingly agitated with each passing day, waiting for Dumbledore to announce Voldemort's return to the school. There hadn't been a single mention of it in the Daily Prophet, nor Witch Weekly, and not even the ever-ludicrous Quibbler. Not a single publication Hermione managed to get her hands on mentioned anything strange or disturbing since the night of Voldemort's return. That lined up perfectly with what Theo had said about Voldemort wanting to keep a low profile for now, but it was unsettling to have life carrying on as normal anyway.
When she wasn't studying for exams, Hermione reluctantly worked out the details for how she was to keep her family safe. She had considered approaching Dumbledore to ask about the Fidelius Charm, but she was strangely hesitant to call on him. That method, while effective, also didn't sit right with her. If she were to be able to help Harry the way he needed, her parents would almost certainly require some sort of magical manipulation to keep them both oblivious and confined to their home. Hermione couldn't do it. She wouldn't make them prisoners in their own home and in their own minds — it wasn't any different than what Crouch had done to her.
She also refused to give up her place in the magical world to go into hiding with them. It would be entirely too convenient for those who thought along the same lines as Voldemort, insisting that Muggle-born witches and wizards were somehow tainted and lesser. She had to complete her education in order to fully integrate with the magical world.
Exams passed without incident, and Hermione was confident that she had scored full marks in at least three of them. She would have counted on four, but the Defence Against the Dark Arts exam had been suspended for obvious reasons. It was Friday evening after her final exam that Hermione found herself in the library to return the last set of books she had checked out for the term. She had just finished up with Madam Pince when she heard it.
"Granger… Granger!" came a harsh whisper.
Hermione turned to see Theo peeking out from the last row of books. He motioned her over with a swift gesture, then disappeared behind the stacks. Looking around once, she followed.
Theo and Malfoy were standing beside the usual table, a copy of the Evening Prophet unfurled over top of it. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over her.
"What's going on?" she asked as she came level with them. Malfoy drew out a chair and she took the seat he offered with a small murmur of thanks. Malfoy and Theo took chairs on either side of her.
"This just arrived not ten minutes ago…" Theo began, but Hermione had no need of an explanation, having just caught sight of the headline on the front page. Her jaw dropped.
Triwizard Tournament Cancelled - Harry Potter to Blame
By Rita Skeeter
Hermione scanned the article quickly, hardly believing her eyes.
A hedge maze dismantled, dangerous creatures exported, and enchantments lifted. The third task of the Triwizard Tournament, set to take place tomorrow at dusk, will no longer take place at all. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, made this stunning announcement Sunday before last, after it was discovered that the tournament set to promote inter-school unity was, in fact, a farce.
From the very beginning, doubts swirled surrounding the legitimacy of the tournament. Not more than a single day after the candidates from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrived at Hogwarts, the strict rules set forth by the Department of International Magical Cooperation were turned on their head. Allegedly, each school was allowed to submit any number of candidates who were of age, but only one would be chosen to represent their esteemed institution as champion. Instead, Hogwarts alone would claim two champions, and one of those champions was underage.
Despite immediate backlash from our International guests and Ministry officials alike, Harry Potter would go on to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. He performed so well, in fact, that questions were raised about what kind of help Potter might be receiving under-the-table. As the points stood after the second task, Potter was set to enter the third task with a considerable head start, placing him in prime position to claim victory over the entire tournament, as well as the thousand-Galleon prize money.
It seems fame and fortune aren't enough for our once-revered hero. Your Daily Prophet reporter previously brought to light that Potter regularly collapses at school complaining of pain in his scar. This author can again exclusively report that Harry Potter, saviour-turned-storyteller, has yet another ploy to gain the attentions of his well-meaning admirers.
Amidst steadfast claims that he did not enter himself into the Triwizard Tournament, Potter has now declared several members of well-known, upstanding pureblood families to be Death Eaters, or followers of You-Know-Who. Those families implicated include the Crabbes, Goyles, Averys, Macnairs, Notts, and the Malfoys. Potter has even gone so far as to claim that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself has returned. It should be noted that the aforementioned families were all cleared of suspected wrongdoing after You-Know-Who's downfall, corroborated by proceedings documented in the public record.
In addition to alleged tampering by a Hogwarts staff member, the Triwizard Tournament was almost certainly cancelled due in large part to Harry Potter's tales of Death Eaters roaming free and a resurrected Dark wizard. Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether or not a boy such as this can be deemed trustworthy enough to influence such important decisions in the future.
Hermione finished the article, barely even aware that somewhere in the middle she had begun chanting a steady string of 'oh no's under her breath. She bit her lip to stem the flow. Feeling sick, Hermione pressed her hands to her middle and looked up slowly to meet Malfoy's eyes.
"How could she have—" she whispered, cutting off when Malfoy's eyes widened at something over her shoulder. Theo looked around, too, his expression quickly altering to match Malfoy's. She turned to see Ron storming down the aisle towards their table, a copy of the newspaper in his hand, and Harry trailing silently behind, his face a grim mask.
Ron was breathing heavily and his face was red. "Hermione. Hermione, what is this?" he said through gritted teeth. He and Harry came to a stop in front of her.
"Ron. Harry. What are you doing here?" she said in a tiny voice, looking between them.
Ron answered, not bothering to keep his voice down. "What are we doing here? What are you doing here, Hermione! With them. You know what they are, now!" He took turns glaring at Malfoy and Theo, who watched him with near-identical flat expressions. Harry just raised an eyebrow at her, waiting.
Her mind went blank. "I… I don't…" she spluttered, quickly trying to determine how best to de-escalate the situation, to make Harry and Ron understand.
"Let's go." Ron started to reach for her arm, but stopped short when Malfoy made a sound low in his throat.
Harry cleared his throat quietly. "You've seen the article, then," he said to her, gesturing to the newspaper still lying open on the table. "We were looking for you to show you. Rita's outdone herself this time."
"That's for sure," Theo put in. "Likes to stir the pot, that one. Absolute trollop…" he muttered under his breath. Harry raised both eyebrows this time, eyeing Theo with a sort of incredulous curiosity.
"Yeah, well, can we go somewhere else to talk, Hermione?" Ron asked brusquely.
"Yes, of course," Hermione answered, shouldering her bag and beginning to stand.
Ron made to grab for her arm again, but Malfoy moved faster, jumping out of his chair and smacking Ron's hand away.
"Hands to yourself, Weasel," Malfoy snarled. "Before I remove them entirely—"
"Don't touch me, Death Eater scum—" Ron's hands balled into fists at his sides. Malfoy's eyes flashed with fury and his lip curled as he opened his mouth.
Hermione had to intervene before curses started to fly. She moved between them, facing Ron with her back to Malfoy. "Ron, please! Please, let's go."
"C'mon, mate," Harry added softly. "We don't need any more trouble right now."
Ron and Malfoy stood locked in a staring match over her head until, with a snarl, Ron tore his gaze away and turned to stomp back down the aisle. He stopped at the end of the row to wait for her and Harry, arms folded tightly over his chest and visibly fuming. Hermione released a shaky exhale.
Harry's gaze swept over Malfoy and Theo before landing on Hermione. He opened his mouth and she met his eyes anxiously, but after a small pause, he only shook his head and sighed. With one last expressionless glance around, Harry left to stand with Ron.
Hermione looked over her shoulder at Malfoy. His posture was rigid, eyes still fixed unblinkingly on Ron. She glanced at Theo next, who had the corners of his mouth turned down, watching Harry retreat. He gave a small shrug.
Hermione licked her lips. "I…" Malfoy's eyes snapped to her own, grey storm clouds colliding with rich brown earth. "I'll see you later," she managed to squeak out, and turned on her heel to join Harry and Ron. Harry studied his shoes while Ron pointedly looked in the other direction as she approached.
With exams finished for the year, the library was sparse of students, but it still managed to feel as if hundreds of eyes followed Hermione, Harry, and Ron as they traversed the main aisle towards the exit. They were silent all the way back to Gryffindor Tower, giving Hermione time to think. Time to reach a decision.
Before they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Hermione darted into a nearby broom closet, beckoning Harry and Ron to follow her inside. There were too many eyes and ears in the common room, especially now after Rita's latest pile of rubbish.
Harry and Ron filed in after her, the latter somewhat reluctantly. Hermione took a last look around to make sure the corridor was empty and carefully shut the door.
The dusty room was small, but not overly cramped; buckets, brooms, and a jumble of other various items littered the space. A filmy, round window set high into the far wall gave plenty of light despite the hour.
Hermione turned around slowly. Ron stood stiffly with his arms still crossed, and Harry was replacing his glasses on his nose after a hasty cleaning with his robes. Both now watched her expectantly.
She took a deep, shuddering breath, unable to prevent the beginnings of tears welling in her eyes. "I have to tell you something."
