This Means War | Draco Malfoy [5]

Chapter 13 ~ Curiosity Got Us Busted

Hermione didn't talk to Ron for the rest of the day. She was outside with her nose stuck in a book while we were inside the tent. Harry and Ron sat down on Harry's bed, talking and staring at the little fire Hermione made inside a jar. I was sitting on the stairs beside them, staring at the two boys.

"I've always liked these flames that Hermione makes," Ron exclaimed. We looked outside and saw her sitting outside in the snow. "How long do you reckon she'll stay mad at me?" he asked.

"Just keep talking about that little ball of light touching your heart and she'll come around," I replied, making Harry laugh.

"It was true. Every word was true," Ron said. "This is going to sound crazy, but I think that's why Dumbledore left the Deluminator to me. I think he knew that somehow I'd need it to find my way back and Hermione would lead the way."

"I wonder if the Deluminator can lead me to Draco," I said, making Ron chuckle.

"Bloody hell, I just realized that you need a wand, don't you, Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded his head. "Yeah."

"I've got one here." Ron pulled out a wand from his rucksack and handed it to Harry. "It's a blackthorn. Ten inches. Nothing special, but I reckon it'll do. Took it from a Snatcher a couple of weeks ago."

Harry looked at the flame and pointed his wand at it, giving me back my own wand. "Engorgio," he said. All of a sudden, the flame shot up like a volcano. "Reducio!" he shouted, making the flame go back to its original state.

"What's going on in there?" Hermione shouted from outside.

"Nothing!" Harry and Ron shouted back at the same time.

Hermione came into the tent and looked at the three of us. "We need to talk," she told us.

Ron nodded his head. "Yeah, all right."

She walked past Ron and turned around so that she was facing us again. "I want to go see Xenophilius Lovegood," she blurted out.

"What?" Harry and I said at the same time.

Hermione opened the book she was reading and showed us what was inside. "It's a letter Dumbledore wrote to Grindelwald. Look at the signature." We looked at it and saw what Dumbledore put beside his name. "It's the mark again."

"It keeps popping up," I said.

Hermione nodded her head. "In Beedle the Bard, in the graveyard in Godric's Hollow..."

"It was also outside Gregorovitch's Wand Shop," Harry added.

"What does it mean?" Ron spoke up.

"Listen, you guys have no idea where the next Horcrux is and neither do I. But this symbol means something. I'm sure of it."

"Hermione's right," Ron said. "We ought to see Lovegood. Let's vote on it. Those in favor?" He raised his hand and looked at us.

I shook my head. "Ron, just...no."

He awkwardly put his hand down as Hermione gave him a look, then walked back outside.

*******

On the first day of March, we celebrated Ron's eighteenth birthday. Hermione didn't want to join in on the fun. I could tell that she was still mad at him, even though she needed to move on. She was stubborn, just like Ron.

We didn't go see Xenophilius Lovegood until around Easter due to the increase of people being taken in the months that went by. We packed up our things and Apparated to the hillside near the Burrow. As much as we wanted to go to the Burrow, we didn't want to risk getting caught by Snatchers. So we started walking towards the Lovegood house.