The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 13

"I swear it was her. "

"Ron, you just got home, are you sure you're going to be able to do this?"

"I know what I saw, Harry please, you've got to believe me. Do that mind thing, look into my memories!"

"Legilimens doesn't work that way Ron if you believed you saw her then that's what will show in your memory. They're not a full proof way to tell if someone is lying or telling the truth, they only show what the person believed they saw."

Ron huffed softly and Harry let out a soft sigh. Molly shifted slightly in her seat. She had been out with her son but had stepped away to speak with someone during that time. She looked at all of them with guilt on her face. She couldn't bear witness to her son's claims and even more so, she was worried that if it were true, what it would mean for the three of them and their already fragile friendship.

Harry rubbed his brow. They had come over to the burrow for dinner. It was just the first week that Ron had been home. Everything had been going well until now.

"Ron, no one has seen her in weeks."

"She didn't look like her at first, I thought she was Malfoy's wife at first glance then I remembered she was much taller. I didn't pay it much attention at first, you know? But when I looked again her hair was a different color! I kept watching, of course. Then they turned around, it was her, I know it was...Harry... she looked awful." Ron let out a whine looking around the table, "She took his hand, and they were gone."

Molly frowned but kept herself calm, everyone was looking to Harry. The man in the hot seat felt Ginny squeeze his hand under the table.

"Ron, I don't think..." He looked around at everyone. He had started to miss her, everyone had. She had never stayed angry at any of them for this long and now that she was actually her again they had sorely missed her presence. Harry had been keeping his ear to the ground ever since Dean and Seamus had said they saw her but he hadn't told anyone about what they had told him. Not even Ginny. He swallowed down his fears and looked down at his plate, "I'll, look into it okay? Just... don't say anything to anyone alright?"

Ron smiled and fell back into his seat, "That's all I can ask for."

oOOo

Draco leaned back in his office chair with a heavy sigh. Hermione had agreed to stay the night. He had given her the room Severus had used and after dinner she had retired early, his wife had made sure of that. She had all but dragged her into the bath and made her relinquish all of her clothes for a proper wash. Esmeralda had been a bit perturbed at him but she had been welcoming nonetheless. Their daughter was staying over at his wife's mother's as she didn't want to expose her to a possible fight that may arise. He really couldn't have asked for a better wife.

Draco idly turned the ice in his firewhiskey. What was he going to do next? He knew exactly where his Godfather was and the wards had told him he hadn't left. He debated on seeing to him first. He took a slow drink letting out a harsh breath as it burned his throat. He needed a plan, a good one.

Hermione sighed heavily as she slipped the camisole over her head. It felt like warm water against her weathered skin. She was eternally grateful to Draco's wife for giving her something proper to sleep in, jeans and a t-shirt were not all that comfortable after being worn all day and the fresh clothing was a comfort she hadn't had in a long time.