Signum Vitalis (a dramione story)

In which there are unwelcome visitors

Even with sunset about an hour away, the sunlight barely leaked through the branches overhead. Hogwarts had been surrounded by dense trees like this, but only the forbidden forest had held the same malice that Hermione felt here. Was it her imagination, residual effects from the Dementors, or a result of something still here?

Draco had not let go of her hand since they had apparated in, and she pressed closer against him, drawing comfort from his firm back and shoulder. He also had been scanning the trees, and tilted his head to look down at her. She could see his understanding in the line of his mouth. Perhaps he was remembering her reactions to the forest around the cabin where they had been brewing their potion. He bent down to kiss her forehead, squeezing her hand as he straightened up. Neither of them said anything and he turned his attention back to Harry.

Harry swept back his messy hair and surveyed the group with solemn eyes. "These people are just adolescents and that might make you inclined to underestimate them. Don't. It just makes them more rash and less cautious which could result in casualties on either side. Lets all get out of this one, okay?"

Hermione remembered the Auror Harry had already lost. The group nodded and murmured their assent.

With the group listening, Harry reviewed their plan. The tracking devices had again indicated that their Snakehead was traveling around the island. The plan was to create a pincer-like attack when the boat traveled close to another island. The American Aurors would be on that island and Harry's team would be on the main island. Rolf, Luna, and a few less experienced Aurors were standing on the outskirts of the would-be-battle-field, maintaining a temporary anti-apparition ward.

Hermione, Draco, Ginny, and some additional Aurors were to provide back-up net to catch any of those snakeheads that escaped the first skirmish. The net of people would be distanced about every five or six meters so they could still maintain a visual on each other. Hermione couldn't help but wishing that they would have gone in teams instead. She wasn't sure what she would do without Draco's reassuring body temperature pressed against her.

As they tramped or flew over the snow towards the place where they would be waiting, Hermione kept a death-grip on Draco's hand. Maybe she could absorb enough comfort that it would last her the next few hours during the true skirmish.

"Relax," Draco muttered in a voice that barely carried. "We've got Saint Potter on our team, what could go wrong?"

That brought out of her fear-induced haze long enough that she sent him an incredulous stare. "You've never actually had to do something with Harry before," she said dryly.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Everything goes wrong. It might miraculously work itself out in the end, but only after everything goes pear-shaped." She let go of his hand to jab Draco in the chest. "And you might have just made it worse. 'What could go wrong?'" she mocked.

He flexed the hand she had been holding. "Well, he is an Auror now. Shouldn't that count for something?"

She hugged herself as she watched Harry's figure ahead of them, talking with Ginny. "Seeing how this has gone so far? I wouldn't be placing any serious bets on it."

They walked on in silence until it was almost time to split off. Draco caught her gloved hand in his. She stopped and turned towards him, not really able to see his face now that the forest had swallowed the rest of the daylight.

"It will be okay," he whispered. He tapped her ring. "Two quick messages mean everything is fine." There was a pause and then her ring flared warm, eased and then warmed again. "Like that."