Be Careful
84: Whom You Discuss
By Anne B. Walsh
Harry sat beside Hermione, watching her sleep. His hair was damp from his first real shower in months, and he could smell faint hints of whatever Ginny was fixing in the kitchen. The sound of running water from upstairs told him Ron was making use of the shower now, and he’d seen Tonks and Lupin lying side by side on their bed, fast asleep, with Teddy on Tonks’ chest, his hair rippling from brown to blond as he rose and fell with her breathing.
This is all I want. All I’ve ever wanted. Friends, a family, whatever you want to call them, but people to share my life with. But I can’t have it, or not for long. Not without the damned war getting in the way...
A faint noise from the door made him look around, drawing his wand. Andromeda stepped inside, nodding in approval when she saw him ready to defend. "My daughter is a Metamorphmagus who wed a werewolf and named their son for my husband," she said softly, hanging up her cloak as Luna followed her in. "Are you satisfied?"
"Yeah, you’re you," Harry said, lowering his wand. "Did you finish your—Luna, what’s that?"
Ginny, who had come out of the kitchen at the noise of the door opening, made a soft sound of wonder at the furry gray tube hanging around Luna’s shoulders. "You found your friend from the Forest again!"
"No, he found me." Luna stroked one end of the tube, and it lifted up, revealing a predator’s head with two small, intelligent eyes. "His name is Luke. He’s a mongoose, Harry," she added in his direction. "A snake killer."
"I like him already." Harry got up and went over to Luna, offering his hand to the little creature. Luke sniffed Harry’s fingers, then sneezed and shook his head.
"Bless you," Harry said. "What was this about the Forest?"
"That’s where Luke and I first met, back in the fall." Luna hung up her own cloak as Ginny scratched between Luke’s ears in greeting. "When we had our week of detention with Hagrid, Luke was there the very first night."
"It sounds silly, but I felt like it was a sign," Ginny said, letting Luke rub his nose against her thumb. "I wanted to give up, to stop fighting You-Know-Who and the Slytherins, and here comes an animal that’s famous for going after snakes. How could I ignore that?"
"You couldn’t." Harry squeezed her hand. "And I’m glad you didn’t. But where were you, that he could find you again?" he asked Luna.
"My errand had several parts, the first of which was in Hogsmeade," Andromeda answered. "And do I smell something burning?"
"Oh no, my scones!" Ginny ran for the kitchen, her hand going towards her wand pocket before sheering off with a quiver of frustration. Harry quickly followed; he might not be able to return her wand before the Fidelius went up and made her impossible to Trace, but he could do whatever magic she needed done.
So Luna’s friend is a snake killer. He cleared the few traces of smoke from the kitchen air with a quick Freshening Charm as Ginny yanked the oven open. Wonder if I should ask him for tips?
"These don’t look too bad," Ginny said, setting down the baking trays on the stove. "Just a little scorched, and I can scrape those bits off. Thank you for noticing," she said to Andromeda, who had come into the kitchen with them.
"You’re welcome." Andromeda held out her hand with a sly smile. "I do charge a fee, though."
Ginny laughed and pointed at one of the prettiest scones, and Harry blew cool air across it with his wand, then picked it up and handed it to Andromeda. "Did you get your errand done?" he asked.
Andromeda tore the scone in half with one brisk motion. "Yes indeed," she said, sniffing the steam which rose from the inside. "My sister—my remaining sister—is thoroughly cautioned against reducing our family any further than it has already been."
"That sounds ominous," said Ginny, turning off the oven. "Can you tell us what you did, or shouldn’t I ask?"
"You may ask."
"What did you do?" Harry said when the silence seemed likely to stretch into minutes.
"I laid a simple spell of congruence over my daughter and her uncles." Andromeda transferred the half-scone in her right hand to her left, in order to draw her wand and conjure a pot of jam onto the table. "If Nymphadora dies in this war, or her son, or his father, so will Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange."
Harry stared at his hostess, who was nonchalantly spreading jam across her scone. He had never been quite so aware that Andromeda had been born on the other side of the battle lines as they were currently drawn.
Would I do that? Could I? Even to Bellatrix or Snape or Voldemort, could I do something as drastic as that? And to people who weren’t even involved?
But let’s be honest, they’re Death Eaters, and some of the worst around. They’re the reason Neville’s parents don’t know him, they’ve probably killed more Muggles than there are people in this house, they deserve this if anyone does.
And it isn’t my decision anyway.
Footsteps thumped on the stairs in time with someone whistling "Weasley Is Our King," which tune cut off abruptly with a gasp. "Hermione!"
At the tone in Ron’s voice, Harry shot out the kitchen door, just in time to see his two best friends hugging each other so tightly their robes seemed in danger of meshing. Luna stood a few paces away, smiling to herself and stroking the head of Luke the mongoose, who was rubbing his cheek against her fingers on each pass. Behind him, Ginny sighed in relief, and Harry felt her arms go around his waist. He put his hand over hers and drew her up beside him, and together they joined the group by the fireplace.
"Room for a couple more?" Ginny inquired.
"Of course." Hermione’s voice was hoarse but clear, and her smile as Ron let her go was nearly dazzling. "Harry, I’m so glad you’re all right—I guess you were able to keep him from doing anything too insane, Ginny—"
"Actually she had to talk me into doing something insane," Harry said, sitting down and hugging Hermione in his turn. "Or at least weird. I killed a wall so we could get to you." He glanced at Hermione’s right arm, the sleeve hanging over where her hand had been so that she looked almost normal. "I’m only sorry I wasn’t quicker."
"What, this?" Hermione pulled her own sleeve up. "Harry, you couldn’t have been quick enough for this. It would have had to happen anyway."
"Would have had to—" Harry couldn’t finish the sentence. "Why?"
"She cut it on the sword, tossing it over to you," said Ron. "And what’s the sword got in?"
Harry hammered the heel of his left hand into his forehead, just over his scar. "Basilisk venom. Stupid me." But that just makes it my fault another way, because she never would have had to throw it if I hadn’t started saying that name and made Ginny do magic—
"Stop it," Hermione snapped, pointing at him. "Stop it now."
"Stop what? I’m not doing anything."
"Oh yes you are. I’ve seen that look on your face before. It’s your ‘I am responsible for everything that goes wrong’ look, and you are not responsible for this, do you understand me?" Hermione glared at him. "You might as well say that I’m responsible for you getting hurt on Christmas Eve because I was the one who said we should go to Godric’s Hollow. It was an accident, Harry. No one’s fault, not really. Or mine if it is. And I’m not going to let it stop me, so neither are you, understand?"
Harry saluted her. "Yes ma’am."
"Look who’s awake," said Lupin’s voice from the stairs. He was carrying Teddy, and Hermione gasped in delight at the sight of the baby. "Glad to see you up, Hermione. And you two safely home," he said to Andromeda and Luna. "I’ll work the Fidelius, then, shall I?"
"Please do." Andromeda had a slight smile on her face as she gazed at Luna. Harry wondered for a moment what was so funny, but watching Hermione coo over Teddy as Lupin laid the baby in her arms took precedence.
"Would any of you care to watch?" Lupin added. "It’s an intricate charm, but it doesn’t take very long, and it might be useful to you down the line."
"I would," said Harry. He’d been curious about the exact mechanics of a Fidelius Charm ever since he’d learned of its existence, and its significance to him, in his third year at Hogwarts. "Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione looked up from Teddy. "Oh, the Fidelius, yes, I’d love to watch—" She broke off, frowning. "But I’ll ask you about it later," she finished. "Right now I don’t want to think too much."
Harry exchanged puzzled glances with Ginny. He’d never seen Hermione unwilling to think.
But I’ve never seen Hermione after she’s been tortured, either. That might account for it.
He got to his feet and followed Lupin into a small back room, and shut the door behind him.
It was time he learned how to make sure his family and friends were protected.
"All right, what was that for?" Hermione demanded of Ron. "I’ve wanted to see a Fidelius being worked forever! Why did you flick me?"
"We need to talk." Ron waved a hand around the group. "Us four. It’s important."
"More important than the charm that’s going to keep us all safe?" The last word rose sharply, and Teddy startled awake in Hermione’s arms and began to cry.
"Here, let me have him," said Andromeda, coming forward to take her grandson from an apologetic-looking Hermione. "I doubt I am wanted here at the moment anyway."
"We’re not trying to chase you out," Ron began.
"No, but what you plan to discuss will do better without me." Andromeda started up the stairs, patting Teddy’s back as she went. "I will be within call if I am needed."
"So what’s so important that we talk about?" Ginny asked, drawing her knees up to her chin. "And without Harry?"
"Draco Malfoy."
Silence reigned for a few seconds. Luna sat down and lifted Luke down into her lap, where he curled up with a soft, amused-sounding chitter.
"Somebody has to start," Ron added. "Luna, how about you? Care to explain what I saw you doing with him?"
"You make it sound so dirty." Luna stroked between Luke’s ears. "We’re allowed, you know. It goes with being engaged."
"Engaged?" Ginny blurted. "But I thought you and Reflection—"
"Reflection is Draco Malfoy," Hermione cut in. "I’ve known that since January. You remember, Ginny, the day you joined us, when I said I’d been delayed? He delayed me." She glanced once at Luke. "But not to hurt me or scare me. To ask me for a favor."
"What favor?" Ginny asked.
"I..." Hermione flushed. "I copied a few of your memories. Not personal ones!" she added quickly as Ginny sat up straighter. "Only what happened with you and Zabini, and then how you got out of the castle and Harry rescued you! It was only so no one would think you’d been kidnapped by someone else trying to do the same as Zabini, it couldn’t tell anyone anything they didn’t already know!"
"You gave Draco Malfoy my sister’s memories?" Ron said in shock. "Why the hell did you think you could trust him?"
"Two reasons." Hermione started to hold up her right arm, then switched to her left. "First was what he did to you when he’d caught you. You said yourself, he almost seemed concerned for you. And why should he turn you into me? It made no sense. Unless..."
Ginny exhaled in understanding. "Unless he didn’t want to ruin your story," she said to her brother. "Unless he wanted everyone to keep thinking you were dying at home."
Ron nodded half-reluctantly. "Go on," he said to Hermione. "What’s the other reason?"
"He gave me his word," Hermione said simply. "He promised me that he wouldn’t let them be used against us."
"And you trust that?" Ron sounded deeply skeptical.
"To the purebloods who live by the old rules, a promise has magic of its own," Luna said, tracing patterns in Luke’s fur with her fingers. "They’ll lie and cheat to get ahead in a second, but once they give their word, they never break it. Not even to a Muggleborn."
"Honor among thieves," Ron muttered. "Great."
"What about you?" Luna looked up at Ron. "You told him what was wrong with Hermione. You trusted him with her life."
"Yeah, well, I didn’t have much choice. Somebody had to stop that venom from spreading before..." Ron’s voice seized up, and he grasped Hermione’s hand tightly. "I’m sorry," he whispered. "I wish it could have been me instead."
"I know." Hermione stroked the back of Ron’s hand with her fingers. "It will be all right in the end, Ron. I promise." A smile flitted across her lips. "Even though I’m not a pureblood."
Author Notes:
For those of you keeping score at home, there is a reason Hermione is so apparently unruffled by the loss of her wand hand. It shall be revealed later. In the meantime, let me know what you think about the rest of it! Next time: more conversation (maybe), Draco sees Snape’s Patronus (probably), and our favorite good guys have themselves a par-tay (definitely)—so stick around!