𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒫𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒾𝓈ℯ𝒹 𝒪𝓃ℯ | 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 |

#7 Hospitality

176 days before

On the next morning, we packed up the tent and or stuff to prepare for the long and probably excruciating walk we had ahead.

I had prepared at least enough Polyjuice Potion for the next couple of weeks - if I'm taking just a sip every hour straight. It was strange being another person, looking like the girl whoever my mother got the hair from. Sometimes my friends didn't recognize me, when I called them, they rather watched out for blonde long curls and green eyes, instead of the innocent looking black straight hair. But the longer we walked, the more I got used to it, especially since the olive taint covered up my own pale skin which definitely grew wrinkles on Hermione's forehead.

I didn't mind the long walks though. Next to the hectic that was happening around us, a walk around the woods, the wide grounds, was keeping us down. The air became colder from day to day, the nights almost too cold to sit outside as soon as the sun went down. But it was peaceful. The wind in the leaves still on the trees around us sounded like silent applause. And we had something to do all day long instead of letting our thoughts wandering to everything which could've happening in the time we were gone.

Every evening, when we decided that we called it a day and set up our tent, we were even too exhausted to stay up late. I tried to read a few pages to not loose at least the last bit of myself and normality left, and every time I laid myself down, I cuddled myself into the greenish quidditch jumper and read over Draco's letter, stroked my fingers over the first 'i love you' on page I ever got from him. And the simple thought of hearing that words slipping over his lips as soon as we would see each other again after that war, was everything I needed to stand up in the morning.

After weeks of walking the woods, we were out on empty, green fields, the freshly mown grass a sight for sore eyes. But being on an open field was not only revealing, that we needed a more solid camp for the winter, but was also dangerous to not be able to hide when we saw something unknown on the horizon.

It was an early morning as we passed a small trail along a cliff, Hermione and Harry walking ahead, while I kept Ron company behind. He was still not fully recovered, but that's probably explainable by the lack of sleep and food we granted. At least he didn't need potion anymore, or some other treatments, simple his own body work in recovery.

I had the Horcrux around my neck since yesterday, the necklace almost burnt down in my skin there, but I ignored it.

"Do you think those two have getting a little too friendly lately?", Ron sort of growled and leaned himself to my side. His eyes were locked on Harry and Hermione who were stroking along the field aimlessly and into a little conversation as she handed him the bottle of water.

"Ron, jealously doesn't suit you.", I rolled my eyes and breathed out annoyed. His acting as soon as Hermione just talked to Harry was growing on my nerves lately.

"I'm not jealous!", Ron breathed out and sent a chuckle along as he saw that my features remained serious. "I'm just asking."

"They are talking, Weasley, that's what friends do, just like we are doing right now. Should she be jealous too?"

"What's the deal with your mood, Fox?", Ron furrowed his eyebrows and grabbed my arm, but I quickly ripped it out of his hold again.

"Nothing, I'm just sick of you talking around the bush all the time. Maybe instead of acting like a twelve years old, jealous child you could talk to her and tell her about your feelings. At least you two have the option of being together, that's not something everyone can enjoy.", I hissed silently, so that the other couldn't hear it, although I didn't really care if they did.