Secrets and Masks

41. Mustangs and Champagne flutes

29th June

To Hermione's surprise, negotiations with the Order didn't completely break down after that first meeting. Instead, after a two-day silence, Medusa received an invitation for a second meeting, and after another – even tenser – discussion at East Midlands airport, an agreement was reached. Sort of.

The key to the plan was Malfoy, and although the searches through Hermione's memories had proven that his betrayal was genuine, the Order wanted something more definitive before they would trust him completely. Kingsley had made it clear – in a message relayed through Ginny – that there would be no pardon for Theo, Blaise or even Astoria – until Malfoy had proven his loyalty.

And how exactly did Kingsley want him to prove himself?

By giving the Order a fucking Horcrux.

The problem was that since the Diadem had been destroyed, Voldemort had increased security around the remaining Horcruxes.

Only Bellatrix and Voldemort knew where Nagini was being kept, and the eighth Horcrux he'd created - a gold medallion - was moved every few weeks and its care entrusted to a different Death Eater in random order. It would be very tricky to get their hands on the medallion. Getting it to the Order would undoubtedly reveal their betrayal, so they needed to take care of his army first.

Voldemort's demise couldn't happen overnight, both sides seemed to be in agreement of that, at least. So, to ensure that they didn't make any mistakes, it was decided that they would take it slow. Deathly slow, as it were.

For the next twelve months, the Death Eaters would whittle down Voldemort's army from within - by continuing to leak secrets and frame specific members of the inner circle - and while Voldemort was distracted executing the traitors, Malfoy would get the Order the medallion and find out where Nagini was being kept.

After the terms were reached, Theo, Blaise and Astoria seemed very hopeful. They popped open a bottle of champagne and toasted to their success. Astoria even started planning a victory party for when Voldemort was finally dead and buried, but, like Hermione, Malfoy was quiet the entire evening.

And Hermione wondered, as she watched him from across the sitting room and sipped on her celebratory champagne, if he was thinking about the same thing she was.

Kingsley had chosen his words very, very specifically. If Voldemort was defeated, he'd agreed to pardon 'Malfoy's family' for any and all war crimes that they'd committed or witnessed.

But he never said that pardon extended to Malfoy himself.

3rd July

"Well, of all the places I thought I'd find you tonight, cooped up inside Astoria and Blaise's bedroom was not at the top of my list."

"Too anxious to sit still," Hermione mumbled without turning around. "Thought I'd work on her mural instead."

Malfoy scoffed quietly in the doorway. "Mmm, I can see that. And you thought you'd channel that nervous energy by painting ... what is that supposed to be? An inside out umbrella?"

"It's the outline of a flower."

"That's a very strange looking flower, Granger."

"It's a Squill, Malfoy," she chided back, her sarcastic tone perfectly matching his. "That's the shape they take when they bloom."

"Looks crooked to me."

"That's because it's not finished yet!"

"You look a right mess. Wasn't that dress white this morning?" he carried on, eyeing the paint covered shirt dress she was wearing. "How have you managed to get more paint on your clothes than on the wall? There's even some on your nose."