𝑰𝒏𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 | 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚 | 𝟐

| TWENTY THREE |

Chapter 23: Good people and Death Eaters

~•~

Olivia sat on her bed staring out of her small, dirty window. A distant expression on her face as she thought about Dumbledore's words last year, choosing between what is good and what is easy.

Was she choosing what was easy by lying to her the world? Or was she choosing what was good by keeping the secret and helping the Order? The question played on a loop in her mind as she plummeted further into her current state of sorrow.

"It's almost time to leave." Hermione spoke from the doorway, grabbing her bag.

Olivia shook her head, "I can't go back."

Hermione dropped her bag quickly and rushed over to where Olivia sat, "Why not?"

"I can't keep lying to their faces 'mione, it's killing me – a-and I've this gut wrenching feeling things are to turn sour."

"Staying here will only arise more questions, one's we can't answer."

"I can't help but feel like I'm choosing what's easy instead of what's right and I want to do–" The girl's voice broke as tears sprung to her eyes, "–I want to do what's right. .for Cedric."

Hermione embraced the girl as she buried her head in her shoulder, "You are doing what's right, don't think for a second that you're not. You're doing them all proud, look at you."

"It's hard without them 'mione, I never even got to say goodbye. I don't think I can handle the loss of someone else." She cried.

"And you won't. ." Hermione rubbed her back soothingly, ". .not for another thirty maybe forty years Liv, I promise."

Harry and Ron entered the room to see what was taking so long for them to come down when they were welcomed to the sight of the pair, to both boys Olivia had crumbled. There was no doubt about it as she sobbed into Hermione's shoulder, there had been a private conversation about her before fifth year when Remus first noticed the guilt flash in her eyes.

The guilt was eating away at her and they all knew it and they knew it'd be a matter of time before something like this happened. Which was why they were going to give her the choice after fifth year of whether she wanted to keep herself hidden or come out to the wizarding world as the found Black daughter instead of being the missing one.

The two boys only needed Hermione's eyes to meet theirs before they found themselves walking forward to the two girls and joining the embrace as they sat in silence until Ron ruined the moment.

"Bloody hell Ronald that fucking stinks." Olivia croaked as she moved her jumper over her nose blocking the smell.

The group laughed together before they moved downstairs.

~•~

"I don't see why you don't want to wear it Ronald." Hermione joked.

"Is that Hermione Granger being sarcastic? Pinch me." Olivia said as she walked behind the two and next to Harry.

"Because I look like a bloody idiot that's why."