The time had finally come for the group to leave Grimmauld Place and head into the Ministry.
They were currently standing in the middle of the Ministry. Harry, Ron, and Hermione fully polyjuiced. Esme was right by Harry's side, under the cloak.
They were standing in front of a horrific statue that showed Muggles struggling under stone, about to be crushed to death.
"Telling you, I'm starting to freak out a bit." Ron muttered to his friends.
"How long will the batch of polyjuice last..?" Harry asked, looking a bit uncomfortable.
"No clue." Esme whispered from under the cloak. "Me and Granger didn't have much to make it last longer."
"Shit." Harry sighed.
Next thing they knew they were headed into an elevator. Ron was accosted by a ministry official, something about it raining in his office. Then the man began to threaten the safety of Cattermole's wife, on account of her blood status. Esme's blood began to boil.
The man left, the elevator closing. "Lousy son of a... that's not how you threaten someone!" Esme grumbled. "Wands and knives are more efficient."
The elevator began to move, each of them grabbing something to hold on to. "Oh my god. What am I gonna do? My wife's all alone downstairs!"
Esme quietly sniggered at the look that came upon Hermione's face.
"Ron, you don't have a wife."
"Oh, right. But how do I stop it raining?"
"Try Finite Incantatem." Hermione answered as the elevator came to a stop, Ron nervously stepping out.
The door closed behind him, leaving the poor Weasel alone. The rest made it to level one.
"I reckon we give ourselves one hour to find Umbridge. If we can't locate her, we go back and find Ron and come back another day. Deal?" He looked to the two girls, one invisible.
"Yes." Hermione said just as the door snapped open, revealing the horrid pink woman.
Esme covered her mouth, casting a wordless muffliato on herself to cover small laughs.
"Ah, Mafalda. Travers sent you did he? Good. We'll go straight down." Umbridge walked in, waiting. "Albert, aren't you getting out?"
Harry wordlessly walked out, Esme stayed behind with Hermione. Harry could take care of himself.
Hermione played the part well, mainly staying silent as Umbridge yapped on about blood purity. They'd made it down to the courtrooms where wizards and witches were tried about their blood status.
Esme stayed close to Hermione's side. They weren't exactly friends, but knowing Esme was there comforted her.
"Mary Elizabeth Cattermole, of 27 Chislehurst Gardens, Great Tolling, Evesham?" Umbridge spoke in her ever so high voice.
"Yes." Mary muttered.
"Mother to Maisie, Ellie, and Alfred? Wife to Reginald?"
Mary's head turned ever so slightly, seeing what she thought was her husband and Runcorn. "Reg?"
Harry pushed Ron forward, the two entering the courtroom.
"Thank you, Albert." Umbridge said. "Mary Elizabeth Cattermole. A wand was taken from you upon your arrival at The Ministry today, Mrs Cattermole, is this that wand?" She held up a wand.
Mary nodded shakily.
Esme stared down the necklace upon Umbridge's neck. "Think I can strangle her with it and then take it?" She invaded Harry's mind, causing him to glare in the direction she knew he was in.
"Would you please tell the court from which witch or wizard you took this wand?" Umbridge accused.
"I didn't take it.." Mary mumbled. "I got it in Diagon Alley. At Olivanders, when I was eleven." She worriedly looked around. "It chose me."
"You're lying." Umbridge stared her down. "Wands only choose witches. And you are not a witch."
"But I am..! Tell them, Reg. Tell them what I am." She looked at her husband, her voice trembling. "Reg.. tell them..!"
Harry stared at the locket, then coming to stand next to Mary and Ron, his wand entering his hand.
"What on earth are you doing Albert?" Umbridge asked.
"Your lying, Dolores." Harry said as his face began to contort. "And one musn't tell lies."
Esme grinned.
"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, his spell knocking her unconscious.
"Hell yeah!" Esme whipped the cloak off, using her wand to tie it around her neck so she wouldn't lose it.
Ron and Harry began to shoot spells at other officials as Harry became himself. Esme tossed Harry his glasses, jumping down off the podium and running out.
Hermione had snatched the locket, her and Harry following quickly behind.
"I-Its Harry Potter!" Mary said as she was unlocked, running out of the room.
"It is, innit. That'll be a story to tell the kids." Ron commented, running out of the room as they were accosted by Dementors.
They hurried into the elevators, everyone huddled against the back wall as the dementors stuck their hands between the bars.
The creatures began to suck their souls until Esme held out her wand shouting, "Expecto Patronum!" A bloody Doe appeared out of her wand, chasing the Dementors down the hall as the elevator doors finally shut.
Harry's head snapped to her with wide eyes. A Doe.
"Any of you say a word, and I'll kill you." Esme muttered, fixing the cloak around her neck.
When they'd made it out of the elevator, Hermione had transformed back too. Mary was still clinging to an uncomfortable looking Ron. Esme had put the cloak back over herself, Harry and Hermione keeping their heads ducked as they walked through the crowds.
Ron stopped Mary. "Mary, go home. Get the kids. I'll meet you there, we have to get out of the country, understand?" He looked worriedly to his friends, then back to his 'wife'. "Mary, do as i say—" He was cut off by the woman kissing him.
Esme choked back another round of laughter watching Ron get snogged by another man's wife as he slowly turned back into himself. "Priceless!" She whispered, Hermione pinched Esme. "Oi!"
Mary finally let go of Ron. Not seeing the face of her husband, but some teenage boy. She quickly backed up.
The real Cattermole, in a tanktop and his boxers, finally entered the room. "Mary? Whose that?" He asked as he stepped closer.
"Long story... Nice meeting you!" Ron quickly said, running back over to his friends.
People began to notice Harry quickly as they ran off. Knowing they'd been compromised, Esme took the cloak back off, again tying it around her neck. "Bloody run!" She yelled as Aurors ran their way.
Spells began to get shot their way, missing and hitting that horrid statue. As they ran, Harry cast a curse at a stack of papers, making them fly around the room to distract them.
The Floo systems began to shut just as Ron had cast an Expelliarmus at the man accosting them. "Oh fuck!" Esme stared at the shutting of their only exit.
They all ran into the last one open, unfortunately, the man following right behind as they contorted and flew.
The next thing Esme knew, she was on a forest floor, panting as she stared up at the trees. She got to her feet as quickly as she could, the sounds of Ron's cries filling her ears. "Oh shit." She ran over to the crumbling Weasley, his shoulder and arm a bloody mess.
Esme helped Hermione hold him down as Harry hurriedly grabbed her back, fishing for dittany, ending up having to accio it.
He walked over, unstoppering the vial as Ron cried out. Hermione tried to whisper to Ron to calm him down as he tossed about. Once the dittany was in hand, she poured a few drops over his wounds. Esme kept a hold of his other arm.
"What happened?! I thought we were going back to Grimmauld Place!" Harry said, dropping to his knees beside Esme.
"We were. We were there but.. Yaxley had a hold of me and I knew once he'd seen where we were we couldn't stay so.." Hermione said in between quickened panicking breaths as Ron's wounds began to seal. "I brought us here but.. Ron got splinched."
Ron stopped squirming around once his wounds were sealed. Esme let go, slowly getting to her feet. "Merlin.." She muttered as she turned away from them, not even noticing Rons blood on her hands.
Hermione quickly walked off, beginning to cast protection charms in the surrounding area. "Someone get going on the tent."
"Tent?!" Esme exclaimed. She turned, seeing Harry stare at Hermione's bag. "No fucking way."
~~
By the time night had fallen, they had what looked to be a small tent set up. But because they were magical, it was a large tent on the inside. It had a main room, small kitchen, and two separate bedrooms.
Though Esme didn't particularly like the Weasley, she helped Harry carry him inside and set him on one of the beds in the bedrooms. With a few cleansing charms and a sling, Ron was sleeping peacefully.
Everyone else had washed themselves of blood and changed out of their clothes into cleaner ones.
When Harry had left the bedroom Ron was placed in, which Hermione had also fallen asleep in; He found Esme sitting on a bench, just staring at the locket sitting on the table. Her knees were pulled up onto the bench, her head resting on top of them.
The only thing Harry had noticed, was that she was wearing his quidditch jumper. He joined her on the opposite bench.
"How can.. how can they sleep so soundly every time something bad happens?" Esme mumbled.
Harry sighed, resting his elbows on the table. "No clue. They didn't grow up in fear like we did."
"Every time I sleep... I just see Fenrir. On top of me. Biting me.." Her eyes looked dead, void of any emotion.
"When i sleep, You-Know-Who gets into my mind. Or I think I'm back in the cupboard and start to panic." Harry told her.
"Only time I actually sleep well... is when I'm in bed with you." She forced herself to admit. It was the plain truth.
A small smile cracked onto his lips. He stood, rounding the table until he was next to her. She turned her head, looking up to him to see an extended hand. "C'mon." He whispered to her.
"What about keeping watch..?" She quietly asked, taking his hand and letting him pull her up onto her feet and lead her to the empty bedroom.
"We'll be alright for one night. We really won't be able to escape Ron and Hermione the next while. Might as well take advantage of tonight." He shut the tent flap behind them. With a wave of his wand, the two twin beds merged in the middle of the room into one big bed.
The two climbed in, covering them with the quilt like blankets. Harry grabbed her waist, bringing her back to his chest as he buried his head into the back of her neck.
They fit together like the perfect puzzle. Their legs intertwined as Esme brought her hand up to hold his that was crossed over her.
"...Goodnight, Harry." Esme whispered, her eyes closing.
"Goodnight Esme." He whispered back as they slowly fell asleep, the sound of each other's heartbeats as their own personal lullaby.
~~
Esme woke up before Harry, quietly leaving the bed and replacing her empty spot with a pillow. The sun had only just risen, she knew at least one of them would wake up and she didn't want to explain why she was cuddled up with Harry Potter.
She left the small bedroom, closing the flap behind her.
"Morning." Hermione said from her spot on the couch, a book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
Esme stilled. "Granger..."
Hermione rolled her eyes, setting the cup down. "I've known, Esme. The way you two look at each other, it's obvious. Plus he's the only one that can touch you, willingly. Plus the Doe. Plus out of all the other clothes, you chose Harry's jumper." Her face looked rather smug.
Esme sighed, walking over to the small kitchenette and grabbing a mug. "I said not to speak of the doe."
"How long has it been your patronus?" Hermione continued on, ignoring Esme's request.
Esme rolled her eyes, pouring herself some coffee. "Always has. Father taught me to cast one third year with all the dementors flying around." She walked back over to the middle space, choosing a small chair to sit on. "It means nothing."
"It means everything. To Harry, at least." Hermione looked at the other girl, a small smile on her face. "He's been smitten since first year. Even when we had our suspicions of you being a deatheater last year, he still fought for you. Always ranted on how it wasn't your choice."
Esme sipped her drink. "Well... he was right. It wasn't my choice. If I didn't join, he'd have killed the only three people I cared about." She pulled her legs up to her chest for a bit of comfort.
"If it were Harry or Ron's life on the line... I would have done it too." Hermione admitted, her words being the complete truth.
~~
Two days passed. Ron remained unconscious the entire time, still healing from the splinch. Since Hermione knew, Harry and Esme slept in the same bed for those two nights. The three took turns keeping watch. Esme spent the most time on watch, being used to not sleeping for long periods of time. Either way, the darkness was a comfort to her.
Once Ron had woken up and everyone had eaten, they took the locket outside and set it on a log. "Harry, you first." Hermione said, all of them except Ron holding their wands tight in hand.
Harry nodded, raising his wand. "Dissendum." A spark shot at the locket, merely knocking it off the log and onto the ground behind it. They all took steps to it, the locket seeming to stutter with the lingering effects of the curse. Otherwise, undamaged.
"Incendio." Hermione tried next. The locket burst into flames. But before they could get to hopeful, the fire disappeared, the locket again being undamaged.
"The hell?" Esme mumbled, her dark mark once again starting to itch and burn.
That was when Harry started to get angry. "Expulso!" Nothing. "Diffindo!" Nothing. "Reducto!" Nothing. Harry started to shoot random hexes at it, doing nothing but creating explosions of leaves around the locket.
Another fire was left behind, again disappearing to reveal the locket. They all watched disappointedly as Harry picked up the locket, putting it around his neck.
"What are you doing?" Esme asked.
"We have to keep it safe. Until we find out how to destroy it." Harry stated.
Ron spoke for the first time, "Seems strange, mate. Dumbledore sends you off to find all these Horcruxes... but doesn't tell you how to destroy them. Doesn't that bother you?"
Harry just looked at Ron for a few moments before turning on his heel and walking off into the woods.
Esme pocketed her wand. "Dumbledore never explained a lot of things." Esme muttered as she followed after Harry, leaving Hermione and Ron by themselves.
When she found Harry, he was standing by a lake, running the locket between his fingers.
"Potter?" Esme said softly, not wanting to startle him as she approached. She didn't startle him. In fact, he startled her when he abruptly turned around, marching at her and taking her by her waist, smashing his lips against hers.
She wasted no time reciprocating, wrapping her arms around him as he walked them backwards until her back hit a tree. This wasn't like the usual passionate and gentle Potter she knew. This was fire. This was force.
As Harry practically assaulted her mouth, their kiss being nothing but teeth and tongue, he reached down and hooked his hands under her thighs, pulling her up and pinning her back against the tree.
"Mmf!" She said, still muffled by Harry's mouth on her own.
When he finally relented to the need to breathe, breaking away from her lips but still pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered. "Bloody just call me Harry..."
She let out the quietest of laughs, her arms still wound tight around his shoulders as he pressed her against the tree to keep her upright. "If it gets you to kiss me like that... I'll call you whatever you want."
He ran his tongue over his lower lip. "I'm... sorry. I don't know what came over me.. i'm just..." He mumbled out.
She moved one of her hands to his cheek, pulling his face away just enough for them to look each other in the face. "You're angry. Its stress relief. How do you think I got through my years of being a deatheater?"
Harry's eyes turned dark for the smallest second. He knew she was talking about Draco. And he hated it. "This isn't.. you aren't just stress relief to me."
She quietly bit down on her lower lip. "Harry," She used his first name as requested. She slipped out of his grasp, her feet landing back on the floor. Her hands slid down to rest on the front of his shirt. "We have a mission. This cannot get in the way of that. Especially when I can't... feel for you like that yet."
Harry's hands stayed tight on her hips. "But you could. You just have to put away your silly notion that you aren't good enough."
She reached down, grabbing his wrists and pulling them off of her. She pushed him back until he was far enough away that she could get off of the tree. "I won't put it away because it's true. This—Harry... for now, until it's over, we need to focus. Get the Horcruxes. Get rid of them. Kill the bastard that damned us. That's it." She crossed her arms over herself and turned to walk back to the tent. "I'm going to research with Granger."
Harry watched silently as she walked away. Why won't she just let him into her heart like she's so invaded his?
~~