Like Honey (Draco x Hermione x Theo)

Chapter 1

Hermione checked her wristwatch.

9:42 p.m

She bit her thumbnail. Where were they?

9:43 p.m

They were due back by now, weren't they? This was to be a quick mission to Malfoy Manor to scope out the wards. No more than a few hours, they said. Back before 10.

9:46 p.m

Teddy screeched noisily from his cot. Hermione laid a soothing hand over his tummy, rubbing her thumb in soft circles over his naval. She cooed gently, willing him to fall back to sleep. He was hungry, she could tell by the way he opened and closed his mouth silently, blindly looking for a breast to latch onto.

"It's alright, sweet boy, mummy will be back soon."

9:53 p.m

Hermione sighed in frustration. She should be out there alongside them. She was the best trained at healing spells. But Tonks was a close relation to the Malfoy bloodline through Narcissa and Draco, meaning she would be able to surpass any blood curses or traps along the property. Meaning Hermione was to stay behind with Teddy.

She grumbled, smoothing the baby's dark hair from his face.

9:56 p.m

Sudden explosions of loud popping sounds came from outside. Hermione counted each one: Harry, Ron, Tonks, Lupin, Kingsley, Moody, Arthur, and another she couldn't quite place. Pressing herself against the window of the Lupin family's room that overlooked the garden of the Burrow, Hermione watched the familiar figures scramble around a hunched figure.

Hermione pressed herself closer, trying to distinguish who it could be.

Had other members of the Order met them there?

The figures were guided through the door and Hermione scrambled down the stairs. Tonks was already halfway up when they passed each other.

Her vibrant pink hair was limp and sweaty, clinging to the dirt around her temple.

"Teddy?"

"Sleeping," Tonk's shoulders sagged. Hermione couldn't imagine the terror of being a mother in this world, in these circumstances. Not knowing if you would ever return home to your child. "But he's hungry. I forgot to ask you to leave milk."

Tonks nodded, going to speak but was interrupted by more shouting from below.

"What happened? Who's here?"

Tonks sighed, rubbing a dirty hand across her forehead and looking up longingly at the closed door to her baby. "Long story that I'll explain later, I promise. But they'll be needing you downstairs I'm sure."

"Who--"

She was already gone, a piercing scream of Teddy being woken from his slumber coming from the now open door.

Hermione followed the voices downstairs into the kitchen, where everyone's backs were turned to her and prevented her from seeing the table they were surrounding.

"You have to let him go so we can help him." Harry's familiar, concerned voice.

"Fuck off." A less obvious, venomous voice answered back.

It descended into chaos again, voices shouting back and forth at each other. Hermione pressed her shoulders between Ron and Harry and pushed her way into the circle.

"What--" she gasped at the sight before her.

Blood, lots of it. Too much of it. Soaking into the rough wood of the table and dripping onto the plush tops of the seats. The body that lay on top was almost unrecognizable between the bruising of its face and the slashes across its chest.