𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏 𝙏𝙊 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏

three┊ ➶ ｡˚ °

HEART TO HEART
fine, but not mentally !

Avery shoved Hermione into a hiding spot beside her, briefly standing to fire a hex at one of the men. Her throat was tight, but her entire body vibrated with adrenaline as Hermione threw a body-bind curse at one of the men, and she loved adrenaline.

The curse hit home, and Avery cast another at the remaining man. He slumped against the wall and the café fell silent.

The back door opened to reveal the confused waitress, her eyes wide. She blinked at the two paralyzed men, then at the four teens, and back again.

"Go. Leave." Hermione ordered.

The waitress didn't need to be told twice and hurried out the back door.

Upon Harry's order, Ron used his Deluminator to put out the lights while Hermione and Avery closed the blinds. They gathered behind the counters, eyeing the two paralyzed Death Eaters with distrust.

"This one's name's Rowle. He was on the Astronomy Tower the night Snape killed Dumbledore." Harry announced, grimacing.

"This is Dolohov. I recognize him from the wanted posters." Ron gave Dolohov a hard stare. "So, what we gonna do with you, eh? Kill us if it was turned around, wouldn't you?"

Avery shook her head slowly, the thought of actual murder making her stomach turn - and not in a fun way.

"If we kill them, they'll know we were here." Harry agreed, glancing over at Avery. The adrenaline of the fight had died down, leaving the redhead looking smaller, less confident.

"Ron..." Hermione did her best to reason with him, her eyes gently pleading.

"Suppose he did Mad-Eye. How would you feel then?" Ron turned to her with an anxiously irritated tone. All of them were on edge, so Avery couldn't blame him.

"It's better we wipe their memories." Harry decided.

"You're the boss." Ron nodded, stepping back. "Hermione... You're the best at spells." He wiped a smear of blood from the distracted brunette's pale face, making her look over at him sharply and Avery's stomach flip all over again. Swallowing nervously, Hermione moved forward, pointing her wand at the men and muttering "Obliviate."

"We need to get out of here." Avery's bright blue gaze flitted around the deserted café. She ushered the boys out through the back door, hanging behind with Hermione for a moment. "Are you okay?"

Hermione looked up at her. If she looked like anything, it was under no circumstance fine. Okay, well, fine yes, Avery had to admit, but not mentally. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be alright." Sending Avery a half-grateful, half-strange and undescribable look, she sped up a little to catch up to Harry and Ron.

.・。.・゜✭・.

"How is it they knew we were there?" Harry asked in a hushed, frustrated tone as the four made their way out of the café.

"Maybe you still have the Trace on you?" Hermione suggested, equally confused.

"Can't be. Trace breaks at 17." Ron told them. "It's wizarding law."

"Maybe us apparating from that wedding. One of the Death Eaters from there could've seen where we were going somehow." Avery nodded with a shrug.

Hermione skidded to a halt, her eyes glimmering with regret all of a sudden.

"Hm?" Avery turned to look at her with a mixture of confusion and anxiety. Had they forgotten something? Were they being tracked? Followed? Had she spotted more Death Eaters?

"We didn't celebrate your birthday, Harry. Avery, Ginny and I... we prepared a cake!" Hermione sighed apologetically.

"Two. I burnt one." Relieved, Avery let out a chuckle.

Sending Avery a playful glare, Hermione continued. "We were going to bring it out at the end of the wedding if Avery hadn't eaten it all already."

"Hey, I ate the burnt one!" Avery crossed her arms with a huff.

"Hermione, Avery, honestly, I apart the thought, but given the fact we were almost killed by a couple of Death Eaters a few minutes ago..." Harry trailed off, an amused smile dancing across his lips.

"Right." Hermione agreed. "Perspective."

.・。.・゜✭・.

They were lucky enough to make it to 12 Grimmauld Place undisturbed, moving mostly in silence. They ended up accidentally making a now-familiar formation, somewhat surrounding Harry, with either Ron or Hermione at the front and Avery usually trailing right behind them for protection.

They stepped inside, shutting the door, and were greeted by the roaring face of Dumbledore out of wisps of smoke. Hermione let out a shriek, subconsciously grabbing onto Avery's arm. The smoke disappeared inches before them, leaving the four shaken but unharmed.

"What a warm welcome," Avery commented bitterly as Hermione detached her hand from the redhead's arm, slightly flustered and pinker than usual.

"Probably Mad-Eye's idea, in case Snape came snooping around." She withdrew her wand. "Homenum Revelio."

Nothing. Her words echoed through the dusty, dimly-lit corridor, noone but them having been detected.

"We're alone."

They spent the night in the long-deserted living room, Ron and Hermione ending up close together with Harry and Avery sleeping just about where they could. Harry, Hermione and Ron passed out almost instantly, but Avery couldn't fall asleep for a good hour, wrapping her arms around her legs and staring blankly at the small gap between Ron and Hermione's hands.