Chapter 6

Disclaimer: We're having a bit of fun with some of J.K.R.'s characters. No Galleons are being made. Just smiles...hopefully!

Thanks go to RobisonRocket for beta reading this!

Ron took the lead as they walked into the abandoned mill, not caring that Harry had intended to go first. He didn't want to have to watch Hermione walk in front of him and see the sway of her hips or the shake of her arse, which he was no longer allowed to touch. Ever since their argument, Hermione had been pointedly ignoring him and making certain to avoid being alone with him. He supposed he'd been pressuring her some, but hell, what did she expect? She was his girlfriend! Damn it! Wasn't he entitled to a little affection?

He had written to Lavender about the situation, and looking back, Ron admitted...if only to himself...that maybe Lavender was not the best person to confide in. However, he knew that at least she cared about how he felt and would listen. In her last letter, in fact, she'd admitted she wanted another chance, and part of him was feeling inclined to give her one.

It wasn't that he didn't love Hermione...Merlin knew he did...but it was somehow different with Lavender. She didn't question his needs, and she had needs that he didn't mind helping her with. He ultimately figured that if Hermione was putting him off and saying such things about their intimate times together, then she truly didn't love him. Not like he needed to be loved anyway. He sighed. If only she would give him some sort of sign... He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. He didn't want to get worked up over their situation again...not when they were about to find a Horcrux and might run into trouble.

It was bad enough that he had Percy on his mind. That bloody git waltzed into Sunday dinner at the Burrow announcing that his wife...no one had known that he'd married Penelope...was expecting a child. Since then, their mum had been owling constantly, making plans for a party in their honor and requesting strange things. What did he care about Percy anymore? The prat only came around if he needed something, and now he was trying to get back in the family? Ron smirked to himself. He probably sees he's wrong about things now that Dad's higher up than him at the Ministry. That's right. All that arse kissing didn't exactly pay off. Not when it was to the wrong blokes. Suddenly, something rammed into him and hit the ground.

Ron opened his eyes in surprise and looked down at Draco Malfoy, who was sprawled at his feet. He snarled, "Well, what have we here? Harry? Look who else has decided to drop by! What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron was just itching to punch his pointy little face, enabling him to release some pent up frustration.

Draco was very torn. He had to get away from Wormtail before he woke up, else he wanted to be his playmate, but he didn't want to beg Potter and his groupies for help either. Part of him knew, though, that if anyone could help him, it would be the three imbeciles before him. Looking at the three shocked faces, he decided to direct his words to the Prick Who Lived, who seemed to have the least hatred in his expression. "Potter, we have to go. Now! Before he awakens!" He hooked a thumb behind him towards the body.

"Oh, I don't think so!" Weasley said angrily, pulling him up by the front of his robes. "Why are you here? On a mission for your Lord?"

"Hush, Ron!" Granger said, elbowing him roughly. "Don't go blabbing just because you're angry with me!"

Weasley glared at her, clenching the fist of his free hand. His wand never left Draco's face. The scene, however, gave Draco a little hope. If he could pit one against the other, someone would help him. He once again looked at each face. What were they doing here at the same time Wormtail and I were ordered to come? Did they know something? Fighting his fear of the rat waking and his curiosity to find out what the golden trio was up to, he gave in and said, "I suppose we are here for the same reason." They didn't have to know that he had no idea what he was supposed to be retrieving.

"So, you know then?" Potter asked, face paling slightly for a moment before he took a step forward. "It would only make sense that Voldemort would send you here."

Raising a self-important eyebrow, Draco lied, "Of course I know. How did you find out?" He hated the way Potter simply said the Dark Lord's name without worry... hated it and reluctantly admired it. No other person, even his own father, dared to say the name in such a manner.

"Now is not the time to be discussing all of this, Harry!" Granger said, suddenly flicking her wand to disarm Draco of Wormtail's wand.

"Oi!" Draco yelled, trying to snatch it back...to no avail.

Weasley dug his wand into Draco's face, saying through clenched teeth, "I dare you to take another step towards her, mate."

Nervously, Draco had the urge to look around. He felt as if he were being watched, and he could only hope that Wormtail wasn't watching, pretending to still be out. "Back off, Weasley," he gritted out finally, holding up his hands in surrender. Let him think he's won, he thought to himself.

Granger pointed to a set of old cabinets to their right. "Look," she said, voice a near whisper. "It should be just there... in that cabinet. Let's just get it and go."

"What of Malfoy?" Weasley asked furiously. "We can't let him go now! He knows that we know! He'll run off and tell You-Know-Who!"

When she started to argue, Potter held up a hand firmly. "He's right, Hermione. We can't just leave him here now."

"I know that! Do you boys think I am stupid?" Sighing with frustration, she said, "I was going to suggest that we bind Malfoy, get what we came for, and take him back with us. He can answer all of our questions at headquarters."

Weasley rolled his eyes. "Bloody brilliant, Hermione," he said sarcastically. "And give him access to a Secret-Kept place? I don't trust the ferret and don't want him there!"

Draco did not like being spoken of as if he was not here, but he really needed to get away from Wormtail. Besides, he'd be safe with the stupid Gryffindors until he could figure out a means to get his mother away from Snape. However, not wanting to be too suspicious, he knew that it would not do to appear to be too eager. They would suspect something, especially Granger. "I think not. It seems we were all after the same thing, so what makes you pinheads think I would willingly go with you? I can just leave and never say that I saw you."

"Umm, maybe because you have no choice? Mione's got your wand, you git!" Ron bit out, hate showing in his voice. "Hang on... You said we had to go before he awakens."

Potter turned from his other friend to look at Draco. "That's right. You did say that. Who are you talking about? Who's here?"

Before he could answer, Granger, who had started towards the cabinet, gasped and pointed. "Harry, Ron, it's Pettigrew! Just there!"

Suddenly without any warning, Weasley pointed his wand at Draco and shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!"

When Draco stiffened and fell, Harry turned to Ron. "RON! What are you doing?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing? Are you daft? He is here with that rat bastard! We have to get back before they notice we've gone, and I for one don't feel like talking to this Death Eater scum. Did you forget about all that he's done this past year, Harry?"

Obviously fighting his temper, which was no easy feat lately, Harry told Ron, "No, I haven't forgotten anything. But I watched him more closely than either of you, and I say he was wavering on his decision to follow Voldemort's orders! I know he faltered when he tried to kill Dumbledore. If Snape hadn't been there..." Shaking his head as if to clear that image, he said, "I suppose it doesn't matter right now. He has to come with us."

Hermione, who had walked over to the cabinet to fetch the hairclip, said, "I don't like it, but I suppose there is nothing for it now. I think we should go before Pettigrew wakes up."

"Before he wakes up?" Ron asked incredulously.

"We're going to bind him, too," Harry said.

"No, we mustn't!" Hermione said urgently. "The way I see it," she said, lowering her voice, "is that they had no idea we'd be here. Wormtail will have to go back without Malfoy and, more importantly, without the clip, which is likely what they were after. Maybe Vo-Voldemort won't know that we were the ones to take it."

"He betrayed my parents," Harry said grimly, gazing at the fat lump on the floor. "But... you're right. I can and will deal with him later."

"She's always right," Ron said bitterly. "Even in this, I guess."

Hermione gave him a small smile. "How are we going to explain Malfoy being at headquarters to the others when they come around for our meetings?"

"Well, they all know that we are doing the job Dumbledore assigned us before he... Well, before. We will just be honest and say that we ran into him and for safety reasons, brought him back with us," Harry explained, shrugging.

"Oh, yeah! Moody will love that," Ron said sarcastically. "Constant vigilance and all that rot."

"This is being vigilant, Ronald! Besides, we can't just leave him here. He has hexed him," she pointed at Wormtail, "for some reason. What if he was trying to hurt Malfoy? We need to find out what was going on and what they know. I think... I think that Malfoy is keeping something from us. This is the only way to find out what." She looked around nervously. "Now, let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps!"

"Why are you defending Malfoy now, Hermione? A couple years ago, you slapped him in the face, and now you're acting as his champion?"

"For heaven's sake! I am only being reasonable! Surely you see that..."

"I'll tell you what I see! I see you defending this rotten excuse for a person!"

"ENOUGH!" Harry yelled. "Stop this right now! It's annoying and distracting. He is going, and that is final!" When he got nods of agreement from both of his friends, he turned to Draco, flicking his wand to levitate him.

Once they were all outside, he stopped to whisper to Draco. "Finite Incantatem. All right?"

Draco nodded, eyes blinking as he took in the bright sunlight.

Harry kept his voice low and said, "The place we are going to is Secret-Kept. The address is number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

"Sounds familiar," Draco muttered.

Just as Harry put his arm through Draco's, he heard a twig snap. He whirled around, but he didn't see anything out of place. He could tell that Hermione had heard it as well; their eyes meeting momentarily. "Let's go," he said. Once both Ron and Hermione had Disapparated, he closed his eyes and Disapparated himself and Malfoy, praying they wouldn't Splinch.

"Cissy, what's wrong?" Bellatrix asked as her sister ran into her room and collapsed onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.

When her sister didn't reply, she sat next to her, patting her shoulder affectionately. If Snape had harmed her sister, she would see to it that he saw the end of her wand. He should know better than to treat a pregnant woman so abominably. While she admired a man who could look at and treat a mother-to-be the same way he did before she became pregnant...unlike Rodolphus who felt the need to treat her as if she were a fragile doll...it wouldn't do to allow him to treat her sister in such a manner.

Pregnancy and motherhood obviously did something different to her sister than it did to her. Why, she couldn't imagine disobeying the Dark Lord just to bail her pampered child out of a predicament that he should be proud to be in. When she noticed her sister's tears waning, she asked, "What's the bastard done this time?"

Looking up and seeming to not care about her tear-streaked cheeks, Narcissa shook her head, saying, "Lucius," she choked back a sob, "has returned, and he..." Her sobs returned, snatching the ability to speak coherently.

Bellatrix frowned. "But that can't be right. I was told that I would be able to go along on the mission. They were meeting and making plans when we spoke earlier, but the actual breakout isn't scheduled until thirty minutes from now. I was just getting ready."

Narcissa wiped her eyes and face, taking a deep breath and trying to compose herself. In a steadier voice, she said, "No, Rodolphus didn't want you to go. He feared that you or the baby would be hurt. The Dark Lord agreed."

"WHAT?" Bellatrix screeched. "How dare he think to go behind my back to my Master and request that I be left behind!"

"I don't care about that just now," Narcissa snapped. "Lucius, he looked at me with such contempt, and he talked to me like I was nothing more than Mudblood scum! And Draco... oh, dear God, my boy..."

Focusing on her sister and pushing her anger aside for a moment, she asked, "What happened? Tell me everything. Leave nothing out."

"I was only back at the cottage that I'm sharing with Severus for a little while when he came in to tell me that the Dark Lord wished for me to return here with him and that Lucius and the others had been freed." She smiled sadly. "I was happy to hear it and frightened at the same time. He told me that all would be well and that Lucius knew everything."

"And?" Bella prompted when she seemed lost in thought.

"We returned not long after. I started to go to Lucius' side, but Severus pulled me back, forcing me to remain with him for some reason, and told me to be still. I..."

"How dare he think to treat you in such a way!" Bella interjected vehemently. "He's lucky to have even been allowed to touch you!"

"I know," Narcissa agreed, "but he was right in this instance. He must have known that the Dark Lord would have reprimanded me and that Lucius is quite angry with me."

"But still," Bella disagreed, "he's no right to command anything of you."

"Anyway, Lucius looked at me for a long moment...God, his eyes were so cold...and he eyed my stomach as if trying to see if I truly were pregnant." She stood and began pacing. "There was such loathing in his eyes...not only for me, but for Severus as well!"

"I can't blame him there," Bellatrix said with a snort. "About loathing Snape, that is."

"Hush, Bella," Narcissa scolded. "The Dark Lord was berating him so badly for being caught in the first place and saying how many Galleons we owe him for being lenient with me and Draco and for the cost of finally breaking them out." She stopped pacing and faced her sister. "As if we haven't given him enough already!"

"That's traitorous talk, Cissy," Bella said, quickly looking around. "Don't say such things."

"Lucius asked if I may be returned to him after I finish birthing Snape's child, and our Lord agreed that I could be, self-satisfied of course that we all seemed so miserable with the situation." She resumed her pacing. "Nothing seemed to faze Severus. He just stood by, seemingly bored, while my life was being decided for me, while my husband glared daggers at us."

"Well, it doesn't sound as bad as all of that," Bella said soothingly. "Your husband obviously still wants you."

"He acted as if I were property, Bella. It wasn't that he seemed to be eager to have me back, just to show that I was his, and he wanted to make sure Severus didn't get to keep me." She sighed. "And to think that I love him so deeply. I mean, yes, I have been engaging in fantasies of having sex with Severus again, but I was only lonely. Really."

"Do you fear for your life?" she asked her sister, noticing that Cissy's hands were shaking.

"I didn't... until Wormtail came in," she admitted.

"Wormtail? He's only just now returning? I would have thought that he'd have returned earlier. What of Draco?" she asked, not liking the pained expression on her sister's face.

"He said that Draco tricked him, took his wand, Stunned him before taking something that belonged to the Dark Lord, and took off, apparently to go into hiding." She moved to sit back next to Bella. "I was happy to hear that my son had escaped." She held up her hand when Bella tried to speak. "I know it's wrong, but I am certain you will understand one day when your child is born."

"I can't believe he just up and left!" Bella said incredulously. "He was being given a second chance. Our Lord will surely..." Her eyes narrowed. "Perhaps I should have a talk with Wormtail."

Narcissa shook her head. "Severus is seeing to it as we speak."

"Well, go on then. What happened next?"

"Lucius was so angry. He struck Wormtail repeatedly, obviously taking out anger...to the Dark Lord's approval of course." She gulped. "And then he turned on me..."

"Did he hit you?" Bella interrupted.

"No, he advanced on me, fists clenched at his sides, saying I had been a bad influence on our son and that our Lord was right about me being weak. He was going to hit me. I could see it in his eyes...oh, the malice there!"

"What stopped him?"

"Severus stepped in front of me," she said, eyes shining with new tears. "Told him that if he ever found out that I'd been touched in a harmful way, he would see to it that it never happened again."

"Well, it's about time Snape does something right," Bella said approvingly. "And your husband?"

"Oh, he didn't like it at all, even asking the Dark Lord for permission to deal with Severus' blatant interference." She chuckled mirthlessly. "He was immediately struck with the Cruciatus. I suppose he learned the hard way that Severus is not to be opposed and is the Dark Lord's favorite man these days, what with all he does for him."

Bella nodded. She knew only too well that she couldn't push Snape too far, especially not in front of the Dark Lord. "He'll think twice about doing it again."

"When that was done, I could nearly feel his humiliation and anger. It was just coming off of him in waves! It hurt me to see him so humiliated." She toyed with her wedding set, turning it around and around her finger. "He's been warned to never lay a hand to me, for I am only doing my reparation as directed and should not be viewed as if I'd outright betrayed him."

"See there? All will be well."

Narcissa shivered. "I suppose, but he looked at me and coldly said, 'I'll not lay a hand on her... or a wand.' I think that means he's going to find other ways to seek vengeance on me. I mean, what? He would have done the same thing, saved his own life when presented with the option to do so."

"You will be fine, my sister," Bella said, hugging her affectionately. "What of Draco? Have they not found him? What's his fate to be?"

"I th-think he's to be brought back for the Dark Lord to deal with personally when found," she said, voice cracking.

Bellatrix watched her sister fight more tears and admired the attempt. She supposed Narcissa was entitled to them, for it sounded as if Draco's days were numbered. When one turned his back on his Lord and was sought out for it, their lives were as good as forfeit. Why, the same thing had happened to her favorite cousin, Regulus, the misguided fool.

"Bella," Cissy began some time later, "I am going to try to save this child. I don't want to just hand her over to Severus. He won't know how to properly care for her."

"His decision has been made. You've no choice."

"I wonder... If something happened to Severus, surely the child would have to remain with me."

Shrugging, Bellatrix said, "I am not certain." She took in her sister's determined expression and added, "Don't think that you can go up against him and win, Cissy. He hoodwinked Dumbledore all these years. That should speak for something." Nodding, she said, "Just do as bidden. Things will work themselves out."

"Sometimes, Bellatrix, we have to do what we must for those we love."

Hermione glanced across the room to Draco and watched while he read from a book. His hair had grown out longer since he'd fled Hogwarts with Snape, but it lacked the sheen it once had. She supposed he hadn't been living the high life and part of her wondered how he was handling that. What the bloody hell am I doing feeling sorry for Malfoy? she wondered.

They'd found him nearly a week before, and they hadn't gotten him to say very much about what he'd been doing or where Snape was hiding. Harry had told her that Malfoy had been taught Occlumency by Bellatrix...something he'd overheard with Snape and Malfoy the previous Christmas. She supposed it didn't pay to try Legilimency on him, not that she could do it, mind, because she'd tried it on Ron once, whispering it quietly and gazing into his eyes. Nothing had happened. She'd decided to study up on it and had done just that, but she still felt that it would do her no good.

"Like what you're staring at?" Malfoy asked.

"O-oh..." she stammered. "Sorry."

He closed his book, tossed it aside, and moved to stand next to her chair. "What I don't get," he said, looking around in distaste, "is why you three are keeping me here. Every time someone comes over, you make certain I'm warded into my room so that they don't know." He swallowed and paused. "Aren't you going to alert the Aurors?"

"For what?" she asked, thinking she could try to be his friend. Maybe then he'd confide in her... the way he'd been confiding in Moaning Myrtle. Surely by now he felt the need to have a confidant.

"For... You know bloody well what for!" he said, yelling suddenly, white face turning red.

Hermione closed her own book and placed it next to her. She gazed up at him and calmly said, "Draco, Harry told us right after Snape killed Dumbledore that you wouldn't have done it, that you'd lowered your wand." She jutted her chin up and firmly said, "It's Snape who's the bad guy here. Not you. You're a prat, yes, but you're no murderer. All you did was run."

"But the Ministry, Wormtail says they're looking for me, will take me into custody or hex me on sight," he said nervously, as if thinking an Auror would pop into the room at any moment. "Isn't that true? He saw it in the Prophet he said."

"They would take you in, but what would they charge you for?" She could see the gleam in his eyes, which was a positive change from the bleak stare he'd had since they'd caught him. It looked to her as if hope had been brought to someone desolate, and it made her feel good that she had been the one to give him hope. However, in the next instant, that was shattered as Ron spoke from behind them.

"They'll arrest your arse, toss you into Azkaban, and forget the ward they use to lock you in, they will," Ron said hatefully. "That's right. Did the same thing to Stan Shunpike just because he was running his mouth and trying to impress some girls." Ron brushed past Draco roughly. "Just imagine what they'll do with a true Death Eater...one who is at fault for Dumbledore's death and my brother's getting injured at Hogwarts."

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione admonished.

Draco had paled and walked silently back over to his chair, where he sat and just gazed at the fire. Hermione felt that her progress was ruined, thanks to Ron and his big mouth. He was slowly but surely diminishing all that'd she'd felt for him...in that way.

"You have to spoil everything!" she said, suddenly springing up from her chair. "We were getting on just fine before you came in!"

"Getting cozy with the ferret, are you?" he said, turning his cold gaze on her. "That's bloody it!" The words were spoken like a threat.

"What do you mean?" she asked in confusion.

"You'd better decide on things, Hermione, and you'd better decide on them quickly, else I might not be around for you to fall back on when you finally think you have time for me," he said firmly.

"Everything doesn't have to be about us, Ron! You are completely missing the..."

"What's it got to be about? Can't be about you always trying to be five feet away from this git," he said angrily, hooking his thumb in Draco's direction. "If I didn't know any better, I might think that..."

"Bugger off, Weasel," Draco spat from his chair. "I expect she knows who's the better company out of the two of us then, even if she is a Mu..."

His words were cut short, but Hermione knew he'd been about to call her a Mudblood. She hoped the hurt didn't show in her expression, but one look at Ron's thunderous face told her that he knew it, and though he might be mad at her, he wouldn't let anyone hurt her. No, that was a job he reserved for himself.

When Ron physically charged Draco, starting a round of grunting, hitting, and rolling about on the floor, she said nothing, simply backing out of the room to yell for Harry.

"What is it?" he asked, running forward with his wand drawn.

"Sort them out," she said quietly before making her way up to her bedroom, greatly disappointed. Once inside, she locked the door and threw herself on top of the mattress. "Some things will never change," she whispered aloud before tears of hurt washed over her.

She was uncertain if she was upset with Ron's words, with herself for treating him terribly, with the situation, or with Draco for still being the prat he'd always been when she'd hoped that maybe he could change. So much for getting him to confide in me, she thought bitterly. Harry's likely going to be the one to gain his confidence. She snorted at the thought of Ron and Draco becoming friendly. "That would be a cold day in hell."

Deciding to stop feeling sorry for herself, she got up and made her way to the desk in the corner, taking out a hidden piece of paper. An owl had delivered a letter to her the day before, and since the others' names weren't on the parchment, she'd kept it from them. Looking down at the paper, handwriting still oddly familiar, she read the message once again.

Hermione Granger,

A friend.

She knew that she should show Harry and Ron the note. She'd wanted to locate the hidden drawer and retrieve the book first, but she hadn't been able to find anything, no matter how many ward detectors she'd tried. In wanting to save Harry added stress, she'd made things worse for herself. Now she'd have to explain why she'd kept the note a secret. Partly she knew it was because she didn't want to hear their misgivings. How did this person know so much about headquarters? About the task Dumbledore gave them? Was it an Order member who just didn't want to be involved? Something told her that it might be Remus Lupin, and that would make sense. He did work for Dumbledore doing God knows what, and he likely wouldn't want to be involved because of his Auror girlfriend. Hadn't he looked at her knowingly just the day before when he'd stopped by? She shoved the parchment into her pocket and decided to go down to show Harry.

From the shadows of the trees in the backyard, Severus watched the light appear in her window. If any of the dunderheads could figure out where to go next with limited instruction, it would be her. He only hoped that she didn't put the clues together as to who he actually was. Satisfied that all was well, he slowly backed away, making certain not to trip any of the substandard warding that they had in place, which were done in hopes of detecting him if he neared. They should know better than to think that they could keep him out if he wanted in.

He'd been watching them when they'd gone for the Horcrux, but he was surprised to see Draco and Wormtail there. That was something that his Master hadn't confided in him...not until after Wormtail had failed. Severus' plans to aid them could have been thwarted, but luckily, Draco was able to get the upper hand on Wormtail quickly. Severus had nearly been forced to hex the little bastard himself, the dirty little rat. Arrogant idiot that Potter may be, the boy had enough sense to not turn Draco over to the Ministry. Maybe some things could change. Was it that he was finally learning things now that he was on his own in the wake of Dumbledore's death? Had the old man's plans finally come to fruition? That remained to be seen.

Southern's Notes: And I swear this time. There will be real interaction with Hermione and Snape. Things move forward again somewhat, and it's time to have something happen. I believe we've got the background down enough to get on with things. Muahahaha!

Christy's Notes: Things are moving right along. Seems like everyone has some sort of agenda!