Ours to Catch Chapter 7

Hermione was going out of her mind. She had read all the books she had with her, twice. She had reorganized her room and personal books no less than five times thus far, much to her parent’s confusion. Her parents, she was really lucky to have the parents that she had, they were so willing to ignore Hermione’s oddities. They were very willing to let Hermione do practically whatever she wanted, including spending most of her summer with friends. The only expectation placed on her was to go home and spend some time with her parents before she went off to live her other life that her parents weren’t a part of.

Hermione had to spend a few weeks with her parents before going to Luna’s. She didn’t understand why she had to spend so much time with them when they were still spending a good amount of the day at the office. They may as well not be home, so why should she be home?

Because it was expected of her, of course. What else would the Golden Girl be expected to be if not the perfect daughter and student?

With a huff, Hermione looked at her scrolls for what felt like the millionth time. She had been thinking about just owling Luna to ask to go over early, she doubted the blonde would mind. If felt as if the more time she spent with her parents, the more she was starting to resent them for being so removed from her life. She was starting to feel as if her parents weren’t even trying to understand the magical side of her, the side she really liked. If she went to spend time with Luna, she would have more access to what she loved. She would be able to read more books and learn more and figure out the strangeness that was the Black sisters. There was something going on there, she was sure of it.

That thought in mind, Hermione’s mind was made up. Her parents would likely be upset but there wouldn’t be anything they could do about it. She had no doubt Luna would let her go over just as soon as Hermione could arrange for transportation.

Hermione was halfway through her letter, she wanted to make sure she gave Luna a good explanation on why she wanted to go over early in case the blonde’s father needed to know, when she heard the unmistakable sound of apparition.

Hermione bolted from her chair, making it collapse onto the floor and inadvertently giving away where she was in the house, and grabbed her wand she always had near her in fear of one of Voldemort’s goons getting her.

She sent a silent thanks to whoever needed it that her parents were so obsessed with their work and were not home. She inched her way closer to the door, intent on trying to get the drop on the intruder before they barged into her room. She gave a side glance to her kneazle who seemed none too concerned about what was happening downstairs. Some guard cat he was.

Hermione slowly stalked towards the door to start heading downstairs. For a bunch of Death Eaters, she would have thought they would be a lot louder in their search for her. From her brief experience with them, the Death Eaters weren’t ones to be quiet or subtle, at least most of them weren’t.

Hermione reached for the door knob, mentally sending a sarcastic remark to her dad for always teasing her for keeping the door closed as it turned out the closed door actually helped her for once, intent to face the danger head on like any Gryffindor would.

Before she could grab the handle, the door flung open and a body fell through the doorway.

Hermione sighed in annoyance and dropped her wand. She shook her head as she watched the person on the floor get themselves to their feet. While she wasn’t expecting the witch to show up, she would have thought the woman would have greeted her at some point to at least avoid being hexed.

“Hey Tonks.” Hermione said, both happy and annoyed by her unexpected visitor. She was happy because since Tonks was there that night, perhaps she would be able and willing to share more information about it with her. She was annoyed because not only was she not expecting visitors but she also didn’t think Tonks would try to visit her after seeing the woman with the enemy. “Are you okay?” She asked more than aware of Tonks clumsiness and inevitable bruises she ended up with could be painful; how the woman managed to be a good auror, Hermione would never know.

“Wotcher Hermione.” Tonks said as she climbed to her feet, wiping off dust that didn’t exist from her robes. “Sorry to just barge in on you, but I figured you wouldn’t mind once you know why.” She said with a smile. When she was tasked with the ‘mission’, more like demand because her aunt lacked manners most of the time, she knew she couldn’t just show up to Hermione and demand she come with her. That would be the best way to piss off the Golden Girl and if there was one thing her aunts didn’t want, it was to piss her off. They didn’t want their ‘previous lion’, or muddy in the case of her aunt Bellatrix, to be mad at them and delay whatever prophecy they wanted to fulfill. If her mother and aunts want her help with this prophecy, it would be nice if they actually shared information with her.

“It’s okay Tonks, I don’t mind having visitors.” Hermione truthfully answered as she sat back down on her chair. She needed to come up with a way to get information from Tonks without being too obvious. “But why are you here? I didn’t think I was going to Grimmauld until later in the summer.” She asked, coming up with several different questions to follow up with depending on Tonks answer to get more information. If they were pulling the trio in sooner because they thought they were all in danger, she could easily bring up the danger she had been while being in the same room with Bellatrix and Narcissa. If Tonks said she was just visiting, she could bring a round about way about never visiting her and ask why the change and if it had something to do with seeing her aunts. There were more choices, but Hermione felt those were the most plausible reason for Tonks to be in her home.

“Oh, you know, was in the neighborhood and all that.” Tonks said with a smile, making Hermione roll her eyes. “I know, lame, but I couldn’t resist. My mum actually told me to come over and make sure you were doing okay after what happened at the Ministry, she was worried something more had happened and without having a lot of access to the magical world, she wanted to make sure you were okay and not suffering in silence or something.” Tonks explained, more like lied but she was okay with it if it didn’t get either Hermione or her mum and aunts mad with her, with a careless shrug.

“While, it was a few weeks ago, I believe I’m completely over it.” Hermione lied, well, mostly lied. She was over the ‘traumatizing events’ that happened at the ministry, something she was sure her boys were still struggling over. What she wasn’t over was what happened at the manor. She wanted her answers and not being able to get them was killing her.

“Yeah, well, mum wanted to make sure.” Tonks said as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head, not all liking the way the conversation was going. “So um, how’s your summer vacation going?” She asked, not knowing what else to ask without getting into the heavy topic that she was there to kidnap her.

Hermione rolled her eyes, Tonks would be a horrible interrogator, hopefully she was only in charge of finding the bad guys not questioning them.

“Why are you here Tonks?” Hermione asked, then held up her hand to stop Tonks from spewing out what would likely be another lie. “For reals, Tonks.”

With a heavy sigh, Tonks slouched over in defeat, there went trying to ease Hermione into what she was there for.

“Well, my mum and aunts want me to bring you over to the manor.” She admitted, knowing telling the truth was safer than trying to come up with lies now that the gig was up.

“To Black Manor?” Hermione asked, she could feel her heart beat speed up in anticipation of getting the answers literally placed in her lap. She was hopeful her luck would continue with the blood supremacists not wanting to kill her, especially if Andromeda was going to be there.

“Yeah, aunt Bellatrix made it clear I shouldn’t go home unless you’re there.” Tonks said with a helpless shrug, like there really was no other option outside of taking Hermione straight to the enemy.

“So, you’re going to take me to a known Death Eater that will likely want me tortured and killed?” Hermione asked. While she wasn’t hurt the last time, there was no way of knowing if that would happen again. She was technically still underaged, at least according to Dumbledore even if Hermione thought her use of the time turner pushed her into being an adult already, she couldn’t defend herself with magic without risk of getting in trouble.

“They won’t hurt you Hermione.” Tonks swore, that was something she knew she could promise. She may not know exactly what the prophecy had in store for everyone but she knew the three Black sisters weren’t going to hurt Hermione, quite the opposite actually if anything her mum goes on about was to be believed. “If you come with me, both me and my mum will be there, do you really think my mum would let anything happen?”

Hermione had to admit Tonks had a point. Andromeda had always jumped to her defense when Ron, even sometimes Harry, jumped to conclusions about something and got upset with her. Andromeda was always quick to remind the boys it was her that usually got them out of trouble, not Harry. Her quick defense likely didn’t help with the boys anger when they were mad at her, but it at least got them off her back for a little bit.

“You’re positive nothing will happen to me?” Hermione asked, knowing she could read if Tonks was lying because, unfortunately for her, her inner Hufflepuff would never let Tonks et away with lying, she had too many tells.

“Yes,” Tonks said with a firm nod of her head, if her aunts tried to do anything they were known for when it came to muggleborns, Tonks would take Hermione home immediately. “I swear, if they try anything, which I don’t think they will, I’ll get you out of there if my mum doesn’t do it first.”

Hermione may be known as the bright witch of her age, but there was also a reason she was put in Gryffindor, she liked to make brash decisions when it came to knowledge. And knowledge about what had happened that night in the manor was her current venture.

“Yes, I’ll go with you.” Hermione said with a firm tone, her mind coming up with a long list of questions she would have for at least Andromeda, if she could avoid seeing the other two for a little while, she would be okay.

“I promise, you won’t regret it.” Tonks said, happy she could complete her so called mission and not earn her aunts, or her mum’s, wrath.