To a Better End

Chapter 59

December 25th 1978

The robes she wore were heavy and outlandishly adorned. She was still applying several charms to it to make it more comfortable when Draco stepped out of their room, looking as handsome as ever.

"Look at you," he said with bright eyes.

Hermione wore a deep plum colour with sleeves that fanned out into a bell shape. It was tapered at the waist and went all the way to the floor, covering her dragonhide boots completely. The material was decorated with constellations all over it. It was lovely, and she was sure it would feel great once she stepped out of the house. But with all their warming charms, she was feeling entirely too flushed.

Draco's robe was less flashy but matched her in colour.

"How is it that you look good in every colour?"

With a smirk, he said, "Oh, you know. My pale complexion and my paperwhite hair help a bit."

She rolled her eyes and walked over to him for a kiss. These moments would be so much sweeter if it weren't for all the unknown that surrounded them. The constant fear of Voldemort coming after her was always lingering in the back of her mind. But she couldn't let anyone know that she knew. Her job was to put on an act. So she was doing just that.

When they apparated to Grimmauld Place for Christmas dinner, Walburga opened the door for them.

"Oh, Mina. You look breathtaking." She placed a kiss on each cheek and welcomed them into the home.

It was a full house. The entire black family and their extended family were there. The Malfoys, the Blacks, and the Lestranges filled the home with chatter. It was full of cheer. But for some reason that unsettled her. She just needed a drink. A nice elf-made wine or something from Bella's private stash.

Just as she was about to call Kreacher, a server appeared with a tray of champagne. Strange.

Draco looked over at her and back at the tray. He shrugged, but still seemed to be apprehensive over the fact there was a wait staff for this dinner. It was unusual. Usually, Kreacher would charm the trays to rotate around the room while he prepared dinner.

Reggie was standing by the fireplace, looking into flames while he held a glass of firewhiskey. Draco nodded to Hermione to go check on him. As she walked over to her cousin, Draco walked over to his grandfather.

"You alright?"

He almost looked startled by her presence. Like he was so lost in the fire that he didn't realise that there were other people there.

"Yeah. Just... Just thinking, I guess."

"Must be some hard thinking," she joked.

Regulus merely nodded, not bothering to fake a grin or a chuckle. Something was definitely wrong.

"Where is Kreacher?" she asked, looking around.

Taking a sip of his drink, he looked back into the fire. "He was needed elsewhere."

"That sounds cryptic." She tried to add a humorous tone to it, but she was worried. More worried than she had been about him since that first night he stumbled into the shop bleeding.

"Good," he deadpanned.

She reached out and touched his shoulder, noting how he flinched at the contact. "Reggie, you know you can tell me anything."

"That's sweet of you, Mina. But I can't. You know I can't, even if I want to."

He had secrets. She knew that, but she just hoped that he would be able to tell them to her. She hoped that if he revealed them she might be able to save him. The Regulus Black that she first met was slipping away, leaving a shell of him behind.

Dinner went by smoothly. The conversation flowed for the most part. Occasionally, a twitch from Bella would pull her attention out of where her focus was. It was obvious she was unwell. She seemed off - like she was suspicious of everyone around her. By the end of the night, she was pulled through the floo by her husband when she couldn't control the shaking of her body. No one mentioned it. No one dared to speak ill of one of the Blacks that had their mark.

"I'll walk you out," Reggie said, knowing that she didn't have a floo connection to her home.

"Thank you," Draco said, placing a hand on his back. Another flinch at the touch broke Hermione's heart.

At the front door, Hermione turned around and said, "Please let me know if I can do anything to help you."

Nodding, he replied, "Goodbye, cousin."

Her forehead crinkled together at his tone. "I'll see you later, Reggie."

"Okay." And then the door was closed.

Hermione suddenly found herself feeling sick with worry. Why did that feel so final?

*****

January 1st 1979

It was just past midnight, and Hermione was pacing their home. They decided to skip the celebrations. Not because they planned to celebrate alone, but because they were both too stressed to enjoy a single moment of festivities.

She had done her best to keep tabs on her cousin, but in the last 12 hours, she hadn't seen or heard anything. Her last bet was the journal, although he hadn't answered her in days. Draco scribbled out a letter to Abraxas trying to get some sort of details. He had been back and forth from the potion shop to use their owl sending letters to as many people as they could think of.

Hermione tried Bella but didn't get any correspondence until yesterday. The only thing the letter said was that she was unwell. Hermione knew she was losing her, but she wouldn't lose Reggie.

"Any update?" Draco asked as he reentered the home for what felt like the millionth time that night.

"He hasn't answered the journal, Draco." The stress in her voice caused her words to shake. She would not cry. She couldn't afford to let herself get into a vulnerable position.

"You don't think-"

"Shit. Shit!" Shit. Shit. Shit. This is it. It's tonight. I might be late. He might be...

She looked at Malfoy and ran her hands through her hair. There was no way of being sure. But Hermione was beginning to think she might know. All other possibilities have been crossed off. Hermione couldn't be fully positive if she got the day right or even the location, but they were running out of time. Ironic, not having enough time, as time travellers. Cause that's what they were at this point, right?

"Draco. I need to go," she said, heading out of the door with her bag slung across her body.

He was already shaking his head as he followed her out. "Granger, I'm-"

"Go back inside and wait for me." She could risk a lot of things, but she couldn't risk him.

She didn't wait for a response. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Imagining the place she had only heard a description of, she felt the pull of her apparition. Her eyes were still closed as she fell to the floor. It was cold. So fucking cold. And of course, she wasn't dressed appropriately for this. She acted too quickly, or not quickly enough. Time would tell. The wind whispered through her hair. She couldn't be sure that she was at the right place or if she was too late. She could only hope.

She willed herself to open her eyes and felt a crumb of hope. Ahead of her, startled by the pop of her apparition, stood a teenage wizard and his house elf, staring at her. "Mina?" Confusion rang through his voice as the water crashed around them.

"I made it," she said exasperatedly with a hint of triumph.

He looked down at Kreacher who looked just as confused and shrugged. "How did you find me? What are you doing here?"

"Reggie, this is where I'm about to break a lot of rules. So buckle up."