Run away

3

November 1998

Harry and Ron sat outside the tent chatting and laughing. Laughing. Why were they laughing? What could possibly be so funny at this very moment that would make them laugh?

There was nothing funny about this moment. They had gone through all of Italy searching for a marries couple that haven't seen the Malfoy's in over a decade.

After that, they'd been crossing through Denmark for yet again a disappointment since the people that lived there had told them that whoever they were searching for, had long time ago passed.

Hermione had her notebook in front of her and scratched the address from the family in Denmark off her list.

Harry was the first to walk in. His face seemed serious when he sat himself in front of her. He had summoned the little chair from the other side of the tent and leaned his elbows on his knees. ''Where to next?'' he asked.

Hermione knew that that wasn't the real question he wanted answered, but Harry was never good in rushing through. Harry was one to ask around it for as long as he could, before throwing wood in the fire.

''France. Relatives to the Nott family but close friends to the Malfoy's. Have had their fair share of gold trading and mutual events during Voldemort's second uprising.'' A sigh exited from between Hermione's lips. Hermione thought back to the war, where she had seen Theo at last.

Theodore Nott with his wand raised at her, eyes filled with fear and confusion rather than the hatred he'd need to cast the Unforgivable.

It was the last time Hermione had seen or heard from him. He's been awal since their encounter. There was no sign of him in the Daily Prophet, there was no sight of him walking through Diagon Alley and the Ministry had only found his parents.

Never him.

''D- do you think that they'll put Theodore Nott in Azkaban, once he's found?''

Harry seemed rather confused by her sudden question about their former classmate. ''Theodore Nott? Wasn't he in our year at Hogwarts? He – was a Slytherin, right?'' Hermione nodded. ''I honestly don't know, Hermione. I have no idea of his actions involving Voldemort or the Dark Arts.''

Hermione nodded again.

''But he's one of the runners, Hermione. If he wasn't bearing anything that could have given him a lifelong sentence in Azkaban... Or worse... I wouldn't understand why he'd run in the first place.'' Harry steadied his glasses, ''Every caught running has gotten a doubled sentence.''

''I suppose you're right. But this isn't all you wanted to ask, is it Harry?''

Harry let out a satisfied sigh, his head bumped down, and he let both his hands slide through his hair. ''You always know.''

''I'm your best friend, Harry! Of course, I know.''

Harry's head lifted back up to her. ''It's just – You're different. And I expected that you'd tell me eventually, but it's been half a year now. I really don't... I don't want to force you but – I need to ask, what's going on with you?''

That was the million-Galleon question, wasn't it?

What is wrong with Hermione Granger?

''I think it's this hunt for Malfoy that's... hard.'' She didn't entirely lie. ''I just want to find him and get justice. I want them all to pay for their actions. He – him especially.'' Hermione thought back about all the years he had bullied her, but in this moment – this sentence, wasn't implying any of that.

And for her relief, Harry was aware of it as well.

''It's hard because he's been our classmate, Harry. Even though we had the worst relationship with one another, he was still a peer just like us. We shared every first Hogwarts experience at the same time as him. He was there on the train, in the boats, at our first flying lesson...''