Hermione was sitting alone in her room when Harry and Ron apparated onto the step. She jumped to her feet at the sound of the front door slamming.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice echoed up to the third floor, ricocheting off the narrow banister.
"I'm up here, one second." Hermione, who had been studying a book on Wizarding Laws of 1700s to 1900s, gently lay the book back on her bed. Then she exited the room and strode down the stairs.
"They're back?" Draco was standing on the second-floor landing. As he said this, he took in her outfit. Hermione felt horror as she too glanced down, she had forgotten, for once, her present company, she wore a set of striped pyjama pants and a tightly fitted spaghetti strap top. Too late to cover herself, Hermione chose to feign confidence and ignore her discomfort.
"Yes, seems so. Hopefully, with information." She sped past him. After last night, she was definitely unsure how to talk to Draco. They had never been on speaking terms before. He had been a complete ass at Hogwarts and though she knew he had changed, she could see it in his eyes and posture, she wasn't sure she could forgive and forget so quickly, and after the other night, she felt a strange surge of emotion toward him... one she wasn't exactly sure how to deal with.
"Potter's back?" Astoria stepped out of the room and joined her husband, Hermione nodded at her, feeling even more guilty now. Astoria had her hair down, it fell in a sleek dark brown sheet to just below her shoulder blades. She was dressed much more appropriately, in a soft grey-blue robe, which was cinched with a silver sash. In pureblood manner, she rarely wore muggle clothing. She too glanced at Hermione's clothing, her look was slightly less appreciate and filled with a lot less amusement, however. Hermione sped past down to the front hall, trying to hide her embarrassment. How had she allowed herself to get so comfortable!
Ron and Harry waited for her, both looking unrested and worried. Ron too gave her a looking over. She shot him a withering look, and he immediately looked away.
"We found something," Harry said. "How have things been here? No sign of Death Eaters yet?"
"Not that I've seen," Hermione said, guiding them to the kitchen. "Tea?"
"Yes, thank you," Harry said. Ron nodded. "Please."
"What's Luna doing out front?" Hermione asked, "As far as I've heard she's still with the Quibbler and not an Auror."
Ron looked slightly paler and glanced at Harry, waiting for his response.
"We couldn't find anyone at such short notice. We thought she would work in a pinch and she agreed." Harry said with a shrug. "She doesn't know why she's on the lookout. Just that we needed her to watch Grimmauld Place."
"I guess that's good," Hermione said, pausing. "Why don't you invite her in? Seems only fair that you let her in on what's happening."
"It's probably best if we keep her out of it. I mean she isn't an Auror." Ron said hastily.
"Neither am I. We were both in the DA, Ron. Give Luna some credit. She can keep a secret." Hermione said.
"I agree with Hermione, Luna should know what's going on, no matter how much I hate the idea of getting her involved any further. She's already involved and it would be better if she knew the facts. We'll have to tell Gawain that she's been let in on this matter though." Harry said.
Hermione put the teakettle on and came to join Harry and Ron.
"Should I call the Malfoy's?" Hermione asked, edging toward the door.
"Better wait, we can fill them and Luna in after we talk," Harry said, gesturing for Hermione to sit at the table. She obliged.
"So what did you find at the manor?" She asked.
"This." Harry passed her the bit of parchment with the prophecy. There was silence for a moment as Hermione scanned the lines and then reread them twice more.
"Do you suppose this is real?" Hermione asked. "Where was it?"
"I think it's very possible that it is. It was upstairs, in the parlour." Harry paused, "It was pinned to the table with this," looking disgusted Harry fished out the dead snake and the knife.
Hermione recoiled and then tentatively leaned in for a better look. She glanced away from the snake seconds later. She knew an adder when she saw one. The dagger was thin, almost more of a letter opener. She took it from Harry, turning it over in her palm.
"Do you think it's goblin-made?" Ron asked.
"It's hard to say... If I had access to my office, I could ask Gulink. His family once worked in crafting..." Hermione's voice tapered off as she gave the knife a closer look. Gulink was the goblin liaison in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
"He'd probably try to commandeer it," Ron said. Hermione knew that he was thinking back to Griphook.
"Yes, well... Other than discovering what it is and where it came from, we have no use for it." Hermione said. She gave Ron a particularly cold look. Ron had always been quick to judge other races, it was a side effect of being pure blood. He had a tendency to disregard other's needs and rights... or at least not acknowledge them. Ron didn't notice this look, he was glancing at the kitchen doorway. While they had been talking, Astoria and Draco had approached the kitchen.
"Can we join you?" Astoria asked, flashing a straight-toothed smile at Ron and Harry. Ron turned slightly pink and nodded.
"Of course!" Ron said, gesturing at the empty chairs by the table, "sit where you like."
Harry and Hermione shared a look behind Ron's back, part amusement, part annoyance.
"Thank you," Astoria said. Draco smirked over at Hermione.
Hermione wrapped her arms tightly across her chest, keeping her expression professional, a slight flush was creeping upper her neck. Draco raised an eyebrow and seated himself next to his wife. She grasped his hand in her own and nodded at Ron, "please continue, no need to stop your discussion for our benefit."
Ron spluttered, starting to speak, but Harry beat him to the punch.
"We were just discussing the findings of our investigation at your Manor." he was speaking directly to Draco. Now that Draco was less fearful, his usual cocky, assured nature was beginning to seep back in. He lounged in his chair.
"What did you find?" He asked. Hermione watched him closely. He was a shadow of his old self, a lingering arrogance mixed with contempt. The difference was that now Hermione could see it for what it was, a facade. Beneath it was self-doubt, fear, confusion, and a need to be the best. She was familiar with it. She had, in fact, spent her first six years hiding behind good grades and the need to perfect herself.
She knew better now, but back then she had thought of it as the only way to gain acceptance within the wizarding world. It had helped, but she had still been teased, just like in the Muggle world, and she had been further ridiculed by Draco and Pansy Parkinson. She would never in a thousand years have considered the possibility that she would only three years later be standing across from Draco Malfoy on the same side.
"This knife, along with a dead snake, and this note." Hermione crossed and placed it on the table, carefully avoiding touching Draco's hand. He grasped the knife, turning it over as she had, squinting at the small markings along the blade.
"This looks familiar..." Draco said, "I would ask my father about it. He had a rather large collection of silver knives. If I'm correct, this was one of his favourites." Draco placed it back on the table, picking up the snake next. "An adder. The fangs have been removed..." Draco frowned but stayed silent.
Hermione sat across from him. Waiting for him to continue. She too leaned in to look at the adder closer. It was indeed missing its fangs. Adder venom was poisonous but not deadly as far as Hermione could remember. It could be that the defanging had been done as a precaution or in a need for the venom. Perhaps for a potion?
Draco put the snake down again, unable to glean new information from it.
"and this..." he picked up the note. "is a... prophecy?" he sounded surprised by this.
Astoria leaned in, reading it over his shoulder.
"What does this mean..." Draco asked,
"Night Falls and Truth is Found.
Sun Rises and with it Lies the Truth.
Beware the one with who Strays the Path.
Beware the one who Treads the Path."
He glanced up at Hermione. She met his gaze. Astoria looked slightly uncomfortable. She took the note from Draco and reread it.
"What path...?" Astoria asked.
"No idea," Hermione said, "That's the issue with prophecies. They're always vague..." Hermione was not a fan of divination, she had made the decision to forget the subject in her third year and had not looked back. Now though, having experienced aspects of Harry's prophecy, she couldn't completely disregard this prophecy.
"Where is Lucius?" Hermione asked, turning to face Draco. If she had to figure this out, she would start with concrete details. The knife was solid and there was at least a lead there.
"I believe he is upstairs in the foyer. Would you like me to go get him?"
"If you would," Hermione said, Draco nodded and rose to his feet. Hermione's gaze followed him as he left the room. He'd gotten taller over the years, it appeared that he was now taller than both Harry and Ron, but just slightly. She had to admit that he had become quite... handsome...
"Should I get Luna?" Ron asked Hermione's eyes whipped toward him, her guilty thoughts. Harry responded first, "Yes, we'd better let her in on this."
Then Ron too left the room. This left Harry, Astoria, and Hermione herself. Astoria was quietly staring around the room as if memorizing the small details of the cobwebbed interior. Harry, who had noticed her staring at a particularly large spider in the upper right corner of the room spoke, "I'll have to get Kreacher in here to do a clean. I do apologize for the mess, Ginny and I rarely come here anymore."
"Oh! It's no worry at all. We just appreciate you letting us stay here." Astoria said Hermione didn't understand why, but a small prickle of annoyance was growing at the sound of the other woman's voice.
"I expect it is a lot shabbier than what you're used to?" Hermione asked.
Astoria gave her a cool but pleasant smile.
"A little. But not compared to the houses we've been staying in." Her eyes suddenly became cold, but only for a few seconds, then they lit up, looking cheerful once more. "But that's in the past. Potter, you seem to have done a great deal for us. Hopefully, in not too long, our names will be clear and we will be free to go about our lives."
Hermione secretly doubted that the Malfoy's would ever be truly free after the events of the war, especially Lucius, but outwardly she gave Astoria a tight-lipped smile.
As if he had heard her thoughts, Lucius appeared in the doorway, closely followed by his son.
"Granger," He acknowledged her and then Astoria and Harry, "What can I do for you?"
Hermione gestured to the knife on the table.
"You can let me know if you've seen this before."
Lucius stepped forward, leaning over the table and carefully picking up the knife. He turned it over and after a few minutes of silence said, "Yes. This is one of mine. It sat on the mantel in the dining room. It was never taken down, however, it's very powerful." He gave Hermione a quick look, "I got it at Borgin and Burkes. This particular blade has imbued venom."
As he said this, Hermione noticed that he only touched the handle.
"It's a wonder Potter and Weasley got it out without feeling its effects." He gave Harry a wary look.
"We know not to touch unknown objects. Especially ones found in your house." Harry said, not unkindly, but with clear implications behind his words.
"I see," Lucius said Draco glared at Harry. So there was still some lingering dislike.
"I would suggest you wrap this up." Lucius continued, placing the blade on the table. "I'm not sure what use this blade has been put to, but if the user knew its powers, then I suspect it was rather unpleasant." Lucius finished speaking, and as he did, there was a small shout from the doorway, Luna had tripped on the slight step leading down into the kitchen, Draco turned just in time to catch her. He steadied her by the shoulders, giving her an amused look.
"Oh, it's you. Ron, I see why you never mentioned who we were guarding." Luna said she was looking at Draco with surprise but not dislike. Unbeknownst to the others, she and Draco had shared several conversations throughout their school years.
"Yes... It was confidential. Sorry, Luna." Ron had entered the room, he guided Luna away from Draco, Hermione recognized the look on his face, he felt threatened by Draco. Luna smiled.
"That's fair enough." She hopped onto the counter, crossing one leg up over the other. "Well then, why don't you fill me in?" She smiled. Hermione had forgotten how charming her smile was. All teeth, but relaxed and natural. Luna always looked natural. She had her distinct style still, hair loose with randomly placed braids, a set of sparkly purple globular earrings that were bewitched to swirl with constellations. Her clothing was loose and flowy and mismatched. She wore a pink pastel blouse with loose flowing yellow floral pants and a pair of loose blue trainers. Ron leaned against the counter beside her, leaving a few feet between himself and Luna. Harry turned to Luna. As he did Narcissa appeared at the door, silently watching the others.
"As you've noticed, we are currently housing the Malfoy's, and Hermione," Harry said, "They have come into conflict with some rather unpleasant people. Pansy Parkinson included. It appears, and this is strictly between us, that there is a Death Eater style group on the rise. Hermione here found the Malfoy's in their own basement being held, hostage."
Luna gave the Malfoy's a look of fascination.
"When we arrived at the manor we found this," Harry handed her the prophecy. Luna looked it over while he continued to speak. "also this knife and a snake," He added, pointing to the table. There was a pause, Luna gave the prophecy another glance before handing it back to Harry.
"Alright. What are we to do about it then?" She asked. As usual, it sounded as if she was not in the least surprised by this turn of events, rather she sounded genuinely curious.
"Well..." Said Harry, glancing at Ron, "We're going to be discussing this with the ministry and proceeding with their guidance. We were hoping that you would continue to keep a lookout here until we get back."
Luna sighed, she was, of course, going to do it, but she couldn't care less about the ministry. They had never done anything right, and even now everything came down to steps and procedures.
"And where pray tell are all your actual Aurors?" Luna asked she couldn't help pointing out that they were relying on a civilian journalist rather than their companions.
It was Ron who responded, "We're a little, ahem... understaffed at the moment. The war made being an Auror less than desirable, most of the skilled ones either died or retired, and the new ones are so fresh that they are not prepared to enter the field. Gawain has them doing smaller tasks. Blackwood and Barnes are both abroad, and Grimes is undercover at the present moment. This is too big for any of our new people. Also, I found you first... and we trust you to keep this under wraps." Ron looked embarrassed as he said this. Admitting that the Auror department was flawed was not something he did often.
"I see." Luna sat in silence for a few minutes, gazing around at the odd group of people. Hermione, in her pyjamas, Draco and Astoria both sitting straight-backed with confident facades, she saw through both, Narcissa and Lucius, huddled by the fire in their chairs, both looking worn, broken, and trying to take up as little space as humanly possible, and then Harry and Ron, standing casually near the door, both looking serious but also confident.
"I'll do it. I'll keep watch, but at the end of all this I want the full scoop for the Quibbler," Luna said, making up her mind. Ron grinned and Harry stuck out his hand.
"Agreed! I'd expect nothing less of a journalist."
After this, the room descended into chaotic chit-chat, and the four Malfoy's, feeling slightly out of place, melted back to their rooms. All four mulling over the prophecy, two contemplating the meaning of it, one fearing the meaning of it, and one wondering how to stop it.