Secrets and Masks

60. Theirs

2nd April

When Hermione woke, the first thing she saw was a head of silvery-white hair.

Malfoy was on the opposite side of the living room, fast asleep on the other sofa with a few stray hairs falling onto his face. He was shirtless and had a thick woollen blanket draped across his stomach and legs. His robes and boots were on the floor next to the sofa and his wand - it was still in his hand.

He looked so peaceful, and just for a moment, Hermione decided to watch him. Decided to bury her nose in the blanket she was lying under, listen to the crackling fire next to her and just look at him. Take in all the things that she never really had time to.

She'd never anyone look so completely different when they were sleeping from what they did when they were awake. It was like he was a different person. A younger, less angry version of himself. Sleep took years off him. It took the war off him. He looked free. Peaceful, and she couldn't help but be a little mesmerised by it.

She watched him sleep for a long time. Watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept and the way it made the Sectrumsempra scars on his neck and chest glisten in the light of the fire.

Every so often his brow or lip would twitch, reacting to whatever he was dreaming about, and Hermione would smile and wonder what he was doing in his dreams.

In truth, she should probably have been asleep herself. Despite being out cold for over sixteen hours, her eyes and body still begged for more sleep. It probably shouldn't have been surprising really. It felt like she'd been to hell and back in the last two days. So much had happened in such a short space of time. She struggled to recount it all.

In less than forty-eight hours, she'd fought on Voldemort's side of the war, she'd almost been eaten by Acromantula's, stole another Horcrux and handed it over to Ginny, almost been executed, been chased out of Malfoy Manor, helped rescue Theo and bring Daphne back home. There was no fucking wonder her body felt like it'd been trampled over by a herd of angry centaurs.

Just two days ago, Malfoy had been Voldemort's favourite Demon Mask, and now he wanted him dead. Maybe even more than he wanted Harry dead.

Voldemort knew Malfoy, Theo, Blaise and Astoria were the spies. Even though Hermione knew it was true, it still didn't feel real. In all the chaos that'd ensued, she hadn't really had time to process it or what it meant, for their little group or for the Order.

Yes, The Order had lost their spies, but they'd gotten another Horcrux. Harry had probably destroyed it by now, which meant that there was only one more left. The snake. Nagini. That was it. Once she was dead Voldemort would be vulnerable and this would all be over.

All the sneaking around Hermione and Malfoy had done, all the information Astoria had extracted from the Death Eaters, all the evidence Theo and Blaise had planted, it hadn't been for nothing.

They were so close to victory. Voldemort was so weak now. It would only be a matter of time.

The group probably should have discussed the next phase of their plan the night before, but by the time they got back to the safe house they were running on nothing but adrenaline. Bringing Daphne back home brought a fresh wave of energy into the house, everyone was so happy and buzzed the air felt electric, but it couldn't sustain them for long, and eventually, everyone had been forced to retire for the night.

After Hermione and Malfoy had dragged Crouch into the basement - and placed half a dozen strong wards to keep him there - exhaustion won out and a weird, musical chairs-like game began in regards to sleeping arrangements.

They laid Theo down to rest in what he'd already declared as his bedroom. Quinzel took visual in the rocking chair in the corner. The elf reassured everyone that Theo just needed rest, but she wanted to be close, just in case he needed anything.