Ours to Catch Chapter 22

Hermione was mentally taking stock of all the different tales Harry was spinning about Draco and his family. While Hermione was sure some of them were true on Luscious’s part, she knew Harry was exaggerating most of what he was telling her and Ron. Ron was eating up everything Harry was spewing and didn’t seem to doubt what he was saying in the slightest. Hermione wished Ginny had been allowed to follow them into the boy’s room so she could help her call Harry on some of his tales; but she wasn’t allowed. So, Hermione was stuck with the boys, biting her tongue and listening to everything Harry had to say.

Apparently, there was a last transgression between the boys on the train that Hermione hadn’t been privy to as she was handling prefect duties. Hermione couldn’t even follow what Harry was saying as he explained it, something about them arguing and Harry calling Draco out but Draco being a git and showing off his so-called superiority. Harry had been trying to get answers, information on what he was planning, but Draco didn’t say a thing. Harry wanted her help in figuring a plan to try and get the answers he so desperately wanted.

“I’m not sure Harry, it’s not like we can just waltz into his house and ask what he’s planning.” Hermione said with a sigh. She didn’t really want to help; she didn’t see a reason to. She didn’t think Draco, even if he was really planning something, was the brains behind the plan. She was sure he was just a regular foot soldier, he was just following orders. If Harry wanted to get answers, he needed to try and get them from someone else. Probably from an adult that wasn’t stuck in school twenty-four seven.

“That’s where we’re stuck at too.” Ron said, both boys completely oblivious to her near zero desire to be having this conversation with them. Hermione almost preferred to be playing quidditch instead of talking with the boys.

Hermione could honestly say she had never felt that way before; especially since she wasn’t a fan of flying. She would really need to evaluate her life if she was doing things she clearly didn’t like. But that would be a problem for when she wasn’t stuck in a house filled with people she was finding harder and harder to enjoy their company.

“There’s got to be a way to catch him out of Hogwarts to see what he’s up to.” Harry said as he looked towards Hermione, looking desperate for an answer.

Hermione talked without thinking and she regretted her Gryffindor impulsiveness for the first time in a while, “The only way we could follow him without any teachers or other Slytherin’s getting suspicious would be at Hogsmeade. But we won’t be going there for another month or so after the holidays.” Hermione said, easily dismissing the idea. What would they figure out from following him in Hogsmeade. If he was planning something there, there wouldn’t be anything they could do about it. Even Harry wouldn’t be able to because Dumbledore was still ignoring him and Harry refused to go to anyone else for help.

“’Mione, you’re brilliant.” Ron said with a wide smile as Harry cheered.

“Way to go ‘Mione!” Harry said with a giant smile, something Hermione was sad to admit she hadn’t seen in a while. “The first trip to Hogsmeade, that’s what we’ll do.” Harry said, clearly happy they now had a plan in place.

Hermione mentally cursed herself. That was the last thing she wanted. She was using the Hogsmeade trips, something her two male friends couldn’t not miss, to read more of the books she shouldn’t be reading. The common room was always empty during those trips, it was the perfect chance for her to read the books the sisters gave her.

The boys spent the rest of time before dinner going over how and when they would be following Draco. Hermione was loathe to admit that Harry was pretty good at coming up with plans; at least once he had an end goal. Hermione pitched in every so often when prompted but no more. Hermione didn’t feel right following someone; especially when that someone was the son of Narcissa Malfoy nee Black. Hermione hadn’t forgotten her time spent around the sisters, no matter how little time she had actually spent with them.

Dinner was a noisy affair. The twins were over, even after moving out they still spent most dinners with their family. Everyone was talking over each other, everyone rushing to get the food before Ron ate it all. It was actually like things were back to normal; if only for a moment. It was nice to be back to laughing at all the teasing the twins did, at all the snide comments Ginny made and even hearing Arthur talk about the newest muggle device he got his hands on.

It was as dinner was winding down that Hermione looked out the window and saw something she hadn’t thought she would. A large crow was sitting on the sill, keeping complete focus on Hermione. She truly hadn’t thought she would see her new friend while at the Burrow. Hermione carefully looked around the table to see if anyone had noticed the avian in the window. Luckily Fred and George had started a pseudo fight with Ginny and Ron, and Molly and Arthur were trying to calm things down before food started to be flung around, so no one noticed.

“I think I’m going to get some air; it seems like a very nice night and I would like to enjoy it before it gets too cold.” Hermione said, more towards Harry since he was just sitting back and watching, likely wishing he was there at the dinner table for every holiday including Summer.

“Sure ‘Mione.” Harry said, paying no real heed to what she said as he was so lost in his own thoughts.

Hermione didn’t care that no one really seemed concerned she was leaving before desert. In fact, she knew if it was Harry leaving, she knew they would all let him go but would be being giving him worried looks and Molly would be demanding what Hermione and Ron knew that upset him. On one side, Hermione was thankful no one was questioning her leaving; well, Ginny might tomorrow morning or before they went to sleep but only because she was a gossip. On the other side though, she was kind of hurt no one said anything. In fact, she wasn’t even sure Harry heard her at all, not that she was surprised.

Hermione walked outside and just stood there for a moment, actually enjoying the crisp air like she had claimed she wanted to do. A gentle caw quickly brought her attention back towards the reason why she was outside in the first place.

“Hello there, you’re very far from home.” Hermione said in greeting as she started to walk towards her new friend. She smiled as the crow took off and slowly circled her. The crow dipped and pecked her in an effort to get her to follow her, it made Hermione giggle, feeling much more relaxed as tried to shoo the bird away from ‘attacking’ her. “Alright, alright, I get it. But just so you know, we can’t go too far.” Hermione said with a smile, finally giving in to the crow’s demands.

Hermione knew she shouldn’t go too far from the Burrow, especially at night. But it wasn’t her that was in the biggest danger from being outside; Harry was the target, not her. She was still wanted by the death eaters but only as a way to get to Harry. So, as long as she was very careful and didn’t go past the wards, she would be fine.

She followed the crow as it urging her forward with gentle hits of its’ wing and gentle caws. Hermione had a smile on her face the entire time she was being led. It was such a silly thing to enjoy but Hermione felt carefree for once in a very long time; it was such a freeing feeling. At least, it was until the crow urged her to cross the wards.

“We can’t go this far.” Hermione whispered, for some reason afraid to talk too loud as if someone was listening to her just past the wards. The crow let out the first angry caw Hermione had heard and started to painfully peck Hermione to move beyond the wards. “I can’t, the wards end there. I can’t go any farther.” Hermione urged, confused on why her new friend was urging her so much.

The crow angrily cawed before sharply flying into the tall, overgrown grass.

“That can’t be good.” Hermione said, all the warnings she had been ignoring going through her head.

Hermione froze as she heard rustling in the grass. She mentally cursed herself for allowing herself to being tricked by a crow to following it straight to danger. It would seem Ron and Harry were finally right when she was wrong for the first time, and likely last time, ever.

“Well, if it isn’t my little, wittle, muddy.” A voice Hermione could recognize under any circumstance said before cackling and walking through the grass with her wand in hand, and the crow sitting on her shoulder.

“Bellatrix.” Hermione whispered, not knowing in what capacity Bellatrix was there as. Was she there as a death eater, or as Bellatrix?

“We’ve got a lot to talk about don’t we, pet?” Bellatrix asked as she twirled her wand through her fingers, very much aware of how the conversation was going to go and how upset Hermione was about to get. But there wasn’t anything she could do to change it. Things were already set in stone before Bellatrix had any say in the matter. At least it was her Hermione was running into and not one of the others that would have already attacked already. Good thing Hermione had made fast friends with the ‘crow’.

Hermione gulped, her nerves on edge. For the life of her, she couldn’t get herself to runaway from Bellatrix, to call for help or to do anything really. It was like she was under a spell without Bellatrix having to utter a single word.

This was going to be a long night.