Baton Rouge

- 43 -

„Is everyone ready?" Blaise asked, his voice serious.

Hermione was shaking and insecurely twirling the stranger's wand Blaise had given her this morning in her hands. It was a confiscated wand of some other pitiable person, muggleborn or half-blood, that was for sure, and Hermione couldn't bring herself to ask Blaise how he had gotten hold of it in the first place.

She didn't feel comfortable using a wand she hadn't even had a chance to try out, but she had no choice. Unlike Ginny, who had been forced to remain in the safety of the Burrow by both Blaise and Harry due to her condition, Hermione would not sit idly in this house for another day. Especially not when two people she loved so much were putting themselves in such a great danger. And even Blaise had grown on her by now, she had to admit to herself.

This was the point of no return, and they were in this together.

After encouraging herself, Hermione gripped the unfamiliar wand tighter and tucked it into her pocket with fresh determination.

"That's the Polyjuice Potion, Draco," Harry said, pushing the vial Ginny had brought to the cottage the previous day across the table.

Ginny had been responsible for providing them with the potion. She had also made sure that both Harry and Hermione would take on a completely different appearance before leaving the house. The hairs selected for them were in small glass bottles on the table as well.

"That's all?" Draco demanded in disbelief, glancing back and forth between Blaise and Harry, eyebrows furrowed.

Granted, walking into the Ministry with such a small dose of Polyjuice Potion seemed rather sloppy to Hermione as well. Neither of them knew how long the entire procedure would take.

"That's all Ginny managed to rustle up in the short amount of time. It would have taken months to make a fresh brew. Rationing the Potion into two or three sips will do the trick. With a bit of luck, you won't even need the whole dose. The most important thing is to convince them that they finally arrested the real Harry Potter. If things go the way we envisioned, Harry will be able to launch his attack before you transfigure back into yourself," Blaise said calmly, although his expression was tense.

Hermione stifled a snort. They had gone through all of this several times now and there was no guarantee it would end anywhere near how Blaise 'envisioned' it. It was an absolute shot in the dark, and they all knew it. But the three determined faces of the wizards in front of her left no doubt that none of them would change their mind.

"So, you two Apparate and Draco takes the Polyjuice Potion. Once he takes on my appearance you will accompany him to the Ministry and hand him over," Harry summarized and Blaise nodded.

"I'll send a Patronus to Ginny as soon as they arrest him. Ginny will then get in touch with you so you know you can be on your way."

Hermione glanced at Draco.

He was pale, but there was some kind of hell-bent expression on his face. Lips pressed together, he nodded as he slipped the vial into a pocket of his robes.

„Let's fucking do it," he said quietly to Blaise, and when he finally turned to face Hermione, he was shaking so badly that she could see it with the naked eye.

Tears involuntarily pricked in the corners of her eyes again, but she pulled herself together. She held out a hand, which Draco immediately took in his own and squeezed.

"See you later," she whispered, probably not sounding as confident as she would have liked, but she wanted to say something for him to hold on to.

Draco sighed softly and Hermione took a step forward and kissed him on the lips. Blaise and Harry discreetly turned away, but she had no intention of making a scene out of the situation anyway. It was no use. She would just have to keep her head above water with the memories from last night until... well, until she knew. She had already shed all her anger and sadness over the past few days because those feelings hadn't made it any better or easier.