Now that she had a fully functional wand, Hermione apparated away from the entrance hall and straight into Ron's room. There was a good chance her last remaining best friend would be there. And even if he was not, Hermione would try locating him magically. She could've done that in the entrance hall but didn't want to linger there as she was uncertain how regularly Greengrass servants visited it. Also, the idea of sharing the room with Harry Potter sickened her, even if he was tied up and unconscious.
In any case, it seemed luck was for once on her side as Hermione spotted her friend as soon as she materialized inside the room. Ron was sitting in a chair and his eyes widened when he saw her appear out of thin air with a loud crack. It was hard to say whether it was her sudden appearance or the fact she was using magic again for the first time in months that startled him more. "Ron... we're getting out of here...," she began to say with an encouraging smile. Hermione was so happy to be finally escaping this hellish place and there was no doubt in her mind Ron would feel the same. It was therefore strange to see her smile and high spirits weren't mirrored on the boy's face at all. Ron was clearly surprised, which was understandable, but her words and presence also seemed to have caused him panic for some reason as he jumped up from his chair in alarm.
Hermione soon understood why as her eyes moved to the table in front of Ron's chair and she saw tea cups there along with some biscuits. The refreshments were set up for two. Hermione's eyes automatically shifted to the second chair on the side of the table closer to her. The chair was facing the other way, making it impossible for her to see the identity of the person sitting there. A moment later, she watched with trepidation as Ron's mysterious guest stood up and turned around to face her. Hermione's heart nearly stopped when she saw the blonde hair and was only marginally relieved to realize it wasn't Daphne.
'Damn it... no. No! NO! She shouldn't be here!' Hermione yelled out in her mind with frustration.
"Hermione!" Astoria Greengrass exclaimed in surprise. "What are y-" she was about to ask before noticing the wand in Hermione's hand. Their eyes met and in that moment Astoria knew exactly what was happening. Predictably, she immediately screamed for guards as well as for one of her family's elves. But Hermione had anticipated both of these actions. In fact, she had cast an area-wide spell to prevent something like that the moment she noticed there were two tea cups on the table, suggesting Ron wasn't alone. It was apparently very difficult to magically prevent bonded house elves from being able to apparate to their owners. Making them unable to hear the call in the first place was however far easier. It was yet another thing Hermione had learned in the Greengrass manor library under the guise of researching the house elves in general.
Seeing her call for help was having no effect, Astoria did the next predictable thing and unholstered her wand. To her credit she did it quite fast, her occasional training with the household guards obviously having an effect. But Hermione was far more experienced and even faster. "Expelliarmus!" she cried, sending the wand flying away from the younger girl before she could even fully slip it out from the wrist holster and into her hand. "Don't move!" she added in case Astoria would decide to run next, the Elder wand pointed squarely at the pureblood girl's chest. Hermione didn't wish to hurt her but she would if she had to.
The younger blonde put her hands up in universal gesture for surrender, fear written all over her face. Hermione thought she was going to feel bad about that and was surprised she didn't... at all. Apart from the incident where Astoria broke her nose in revenge for Draco, the younger Greengrass sister had always been nice to her. As unlikely as it sounded, the two of them even became friends since then. She also knew Ron thought highly of Astoria, having apparently forgiven her for her earlier mistreatment of him as well.
Hermione took in the girl's appearance and noticed Astoria was still dressed up for the outing with her future mother-in-law. She was supposed to be gone for the rest of the day! Not only must have Astoria come back early, she also went straight to Ron's room for some reason. And just when Hermione thought her so far rotten luck was finally turning around!
"NO!" Ron cried in surprise when the younger girl was disarmed and threatened. "Hermione... what's happening?" he asked in confusion. His wand was now out as well, no doubt ready to take down Astoria too should she decide to do something foolish. Hermione failed to notice her friend's wand wasn't actually pointed at Astoria...
"No, Hermione... what have you done!" Astoria lamented sadly while shaking her head in denial. She still had her hands up but the fearful look was being replaced with one of pity. It infuriated Hermione more than she cared to admit.
"What does it look like?!" she said and sneered at the pureblood girl she held at wandpoint before her eyes shifted to Ron and she added more kindly, "We're escaping... finally leaving this horrible place!"
She expected Ron's face would brighten up with happiness at the prospect of freedom but if anything his expression was near exact copy of Astoria's pitying look. "You can't do this... even if you somehow managed to escape, my sister would never stop hunting you," Astoria spoke in seemingly kind voice. Hermione was about to give her a snarky reply about how Daphne wouldn't be able to stop her. But the honest tone of worry in the girl's voice stopped her. There was a chance Astoria was genuinely concerned about her well-being. Hermione would never have bought such an act from her monster of a sister but she knew the younger girl was different. If nothing else, Astoria wasn't that good of an actress, being far too emotional compared to her coldblooded sister.
"It doesn't matter. I've gone too far now," Hermione tried explaining the severity of situation to her, feeling she owed her at least that much. "If I don't escape, I'm as good as dead!"
"There's still a way," Astoria insisted and briefly lowered her hands before Hermione jabbed her wand forward warningly, reminding her to keep them up. "You can surrender to me right now..." the girl suddenly suggested and Hermione tensed so hard she nearly stumbled. "As long as you're my prisoner, Daphne won't be able to touch you. I can protect you!"
"You- " Hermione gaped at the audacity of the girl's suggestion. To think Astoria would have her throw away her last chance for freedom and willingly become a helpless prisoner again. How dare she! Hermione would rather have left the country as that bastard Harry had tried to make her do. Not to mention Astoria was completely naive if she really thought she could protect her from Daphne's ire. Hermione was about to laugh into her face and then tell her to go to hell. But then something happened that made both reactions die in her throat.
"Hermione..." Ron addressed her quietly but with conviction. "Perhaps you should listen to her."
"WHAT?!" she snapped and looked at her friend sharply. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Have you completely lost your mind?!"
But before Ron could answer, Astoria took over again. "Please, Hermione... this is not the way," she said and took a step forward. She made no threatening move but was now standing closer than before. "STAY BACK!" Hermione yelled at her angrily and the girl seemingly obeyed only to plead with her again, "Please... I wish to help you," Astoria said and Ron echoed her words. This time they both took a step forward and Hermione was rapidly losing control of her emotions from the way they were ganging up on her.
"You just don't understand! I hate this place. I'm nothing here! I want to leave," she cried in anguish as tears fell down her face, "I must leave! I have to!"
"Not like this... I beg you..." Astoria whispered again and Hermione realized they were now standing right in front of her. The pureblood witch raised her hand with her palm turned upwards. "Give that to me, Hermione," she instructed while nodding towards the Elder wand.
"NO!" Hermione cried, clutching her weapon tightly. She had a spell ready on her lips but then Ron touched her wrist, stopping her. "You can trust her, Hermione," he said with certainty before gently but inescapably pulling her wrist toward Astoria's waiting hand. "Just give it to her."
Something broke inside Hermione. Both Ron and Astoria thought it was best she just gives up. Why couldn't they understand she wanted to be free? To be treated as something more than a dirt and inferior being. Was she truly wrong for wanting that? Astoria's fingers closed around the tip of her wand even as Ron steadied her shaking wrist. Her eyes met with Astoria's and the pureblood girl sensed her struggle... as well as her defeat as Hermione's will eroded under their combined onslaught. Triumph gleamed in Astoria's grey eyes, reminding her that this was Daphne's sister standing in front of her. In that moment, as the Elder wand was about to leave her hand forever, Hermione saw the truth of Astoria Greengrass.
The younger girl claimed she didn't view muggleborns as inferior beings. But how many of them did she actually save? Did she help any of the muggleborns escape before her damnable family could turn them into brainwashed slaves? No! Astoria would frown with disapproval and perhaps make one or two petulant comments on the matter but that was it. She took no direct action to stop the muggleborn enslavement from happening in the first place. And in the end, Astoria Greengrass would make use of their muggleborn servants... just like her older sister.
Astoria's actions towards Hermione, while seemingly kind and friendly, were ultimately quite insidious. Astoria claimed she wished to help her but her advice was always the same – don't challenge Daphne or attract her attention. In other words, do not actively resist and meekly go along with whatever is happening. Since her last meeting with Daphne, Hermione had followed that advice to the letter, seeing no other options. But what exactly did it bring her? In that time, Hermione had reached a point where she was too afraid to even look Daphne in the eyes! She went from a confident person who saw herself as equal, to a traumatized and beaten down husk, incapable of challenging her oppressor even if she wanted to.
Astoria's intention to help her might very well be earnest, but the younger girl failed to realize that Daphne Greengrass had to be challenged. Bigotry was always wrong and unacceptable no matter what. Being sheltered from it wasn't enough as bigotry had to be resisted by any means necessary!
Astoria promised to stand up for Hermione and she actually did on many occasions. However, by offering her protection instead of the true freedom she rightfully deserved, the younger girl had been leading her into muggleborn servitude just as surely as her bitch sister. The only difference was in the methods. Where Daphne would break her with torment, Astoria did so with kindness and friendship. By relying on Astoria for protection instead of standing up for herself, Hermione had been giving up her agency life. In essence, she was exchanging one pureblood mistress for another...
And Ron, her sweet naive friend fell for Astoria's insidious manipulations too, believing he was protecting Hermione by making her surrender. She couldn't let this happen. The silent stunner that left her wand and hit Astoria in the chest was almost instinctual.
"NO!" Ron screamed in horror as he somehow managed to catch the girl before she would fall down to the ground. "What did you do?!" he raged even as he scooped Astoria up in his arms. He then turned the girl's former chair around with his foot and deposited her on it.
"I had no choice," Hermione explained and was about to tell him they needed to go when she noticed what Ron was about to do. "Ron... NO!" she cried when she saw him point his wand at Astoria.
"Rennervate!" Ron incanted the revival spell. But before it could connect with the girl's body, it was deflected by Hermione.
"Don't! We need to go... now!" she insisted but Ron completely ignored her as he once again attempted to revive Astoria and once again Hermione stopped him from doing so. At last the boy looked at her crossly. "How dare you!" he practically hissed before crying with anguish, "You've ruined everything!"
"Ron... what's gotten into you?" Hermione replied, confounded by his reaction. It's not like she seriously hurt the girl, she was only stunned! She knew Ron and Astoria had become friends but surely he hadn't lost sight of the big picture? Astoria was still a Greengrass. She was even going to be the future Mrs. Malfoy! What did it say about her personality when she was willing to marry, even love, someone as evil and bigoted as Draco Malfoy? The sad truth was, friendship or no, there was a very good chance Hermione would have to one day deal with Astoria Malfoy, née Greengrass. The same way she was going to deal with her older sister.
"She'll be perfectly fine... it's we who are in danger. We need to go! Before it's too late!" Hermione insisted before doubt crept into her mind and voice as her last best friend continued to stare at her accusingly. "Ron... you- you do want to come with me, don't you?"
For a second there, Ron looked like he might actually tell her to go to hell. He was looking at her with hatred she never saw in his eyes, at least not directed at her. All the while he nervously rubbed his wrist. Hermione frowned at the entire situation. She felt she was missing something but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Eventually Ron sighed in resignation. He picked Astoria up from the chair and carried her over to his bed. He then laid her down on the covers in a recovery position before checking her over carefully. After a moment of seemingly great internal struggle during which he fidgeted and mumbled incomprehensibly, Ron picked up a small pillow from the bed and placed it gently under Astoria's head.
"For heaven's sake, she'll be fine! She's just stunned!" Hermione cried in frustration, seeing how Ron fussed over the younger girl like a mother hen. She knew Ron was a good person and as such, he always took care of his friends. Normally, Hermione would even feel proud of him, but they didn't have time for this right now. "RON!"
"Alright!" her friend finally spoke and turned around to face. "What about Harry? Is he coming too?" he suddenly asked the naive and completely pointless question. That pathetic traitor wouldn't be coming with them even if he wasn't tied up and stunned. Daphne had him on a short leash and it didn't extend very far.
"He's not coming, obviously," Hermione said and shrugged while waving the Elder wand around so Ron would notice it. "How do you think I have this?" she asked and Ron's face became deathly pale. Hermione realized he was probably getting the wrong impression and quickly told him about her encounter with Harry and how she had obtained the Elder wand from him. Throughout her explanation, there was a plethora of emotions playing on Ron's face but in the end, he looked completely unreadable as he stared at her silently for what felt like eternity.
Finally, he spoke. "They'll kill you for this for sure. We need to get you out of here..." he whispered in contemplation and Hermione felt like crying out Hallelujah. "Alright... what do we do?" he then asked with determination.
Hermione smiled and raised her left hand towards him. "Take my hand... I'll side-apparate us. You won't be breaking your oath not to leave if somebody else makes you leave," she told him and Ron fidgeted nervously at that before nodding. Hermione's plan was to make several jumps to throw off any pursuers. After that, she'd perform a thorough check on both of them for any tracking spells and other harmful magic. She had already done a brief scan on Ron while he was fussing over Astoria but it was possible some of the magic could be detected only after leaving the manor.
Afterwards, they'd link up with their remaining allies to warn them about Harry's betrayal and Daphne's evil plans. Whatever the pureblood girl was planning, Hermione was going to make sure it wouldn't succeed, even if she had to leak the information to you-know-who. Ron took her hand and Hermione willed her magic to apparate them... only to immediately feel something slapping her down in response. Cold fear enveloped her, both because of the oppressive magic preventing her from apparating, but also because of its implications.
"Hermione?" her friend asked uncertainly even as she made another attempt, this time trying to apparate them back into the entrance hall to see if that would fail as well. And unfortunately, it did. "It's not working..." Hermione said and swallowed nervously. The only thing that could be stopping her from apparating was the Manor's wards becoming activate. And as far as she knew, there was only one person who could do that.
"Let's just go to the front gate," she suggested nervously and Ron nodded with equal trepidation. Hermione was busy casting Disillusionment on the both of them, completely missing the last look of desperate longing her friend threw at Astoria.
Under the guise of the invisibility spell, the two of them exited the room. Hermione sighed in relief when she found it empty. Her relief lasted for about three seconds. That's how it took for them to become surrounded by armed guards. Some of them were coming out from under the disillusionment charm while even more came out of various alcoves and other hiding places. In a few moments, the two of them were surrounded and pinned down near the doors into Ron's room. After that, Hermione felt a wave of magic hit them before she could react, bringing their invisibility charms down. Hermione took that precious moment of time before they would become visible to surround themselves with protective magic and get ready for battle. She was relieved to see Ron was doing the same.
But there was no battle... at least yet.
The two of them and the guards had their wands trained on each other but nobody was taking the first shot. Then she came inside and Hermione's breath hitched as she at last stood face to face with the girl who did her best to utterly destroy her life. Surrounded by her guards, Daphne Greengrass had murder in her eyes as she stared on Hermione with utter loathing. "Granger," she began and the name sounded like the vilest poison coming from her ruby lips. "I'm going to ask you a question and you better answer me as if your life depends on it... because it does," she declared before taking a deep breath and uttering the next words with murderous intensity.
"WHERE IS HARRY?!"