Nose to the Wind // tomarry

Chapter 16: Perfectly Reckless

Hermione made a concerted effort to look unbothered by everything for the next couple days, but the way she was no longer looking to Harry to share in a joke, or reaching for him when they ended up mixed in a crowd, was telling.

Wednesday night, though, when they all parted in the hallway to their various rooms, Hermione called, "Harry?"

Harry glanced back at her, raising one eyebrow, and tried not to notice how everyone else in their group had also stopped to watch. "Hermione?"

She flushed slightly, under everyone's gaze. "Can we... Could you come in here?" she settled on, her blush darkening.

Harry couldn't help a fond smile. "Yeah, sure," he agreed, and joined her in going into her room after ruffling Will's hair, since he'd been standing right next to him.

Once in Hermione's room, she took up a position next to her bed, looking nervous. Harry walked calmly over to the desk chair and pulled it out to sit in, leaving her a clear path to the exit; he was too much wolf to ever think that getting between someone who could technically be prey and their escape was a wise idea. (Unless he wanted to make them feel trapped, in which case the kid gloves went right out the nearest window and the claws came out. But he wasn't going to do that to Hermione. Ever.)

A tense silence fell between them, Hermione unfolding and folding her hands in front of her, looking for one moment like she might sit on her bed, the next like she might start pacing. Harry just watched her, trying not to look like he was pushing her, but honestly just wanting her to decide what she was going to do.

Finally, Hermione said, "It all makes so much sense now!"

Harry blinked and eyed her uncertainly. "Erm... What does?"

"You and Vol– Him," she said, stumbling over the dark lord's name, "and how you always seem to just know things and your certainty that you'd have been in Slytherin, and–"

"Everything," Harry commented. "Right." He carefully folded his fingers together. "I'm sorry I've turned being a puzzle into an art form."

Hermione pointed a finger at him. "When he told you to come up with ways to keep tabs on other muggleborns, he wasn't really asking for suggestions, was he?"

Harry snorted, shaking his head. "No." He sighed. "That said, your idea did bear some fruit; we weren't keeping tabs on purebloods and halfbloods – I don't have the necessary resources – but a couple of students have come forward with reports. Or, well–" he allowed a tired little smile "–have been made to come forward by worried friends. So thank you for that."

Hermione blinked at him. "You– You're welcome," she replied before shaking her head and asking, " 'Resources'?"

Harry inclined his head. "Necromancer," he offered, because he knew from his brothers that she knew that much about him. "Spirits in the Realm of Death can look through what I refer to as the Veil – the barrier between the living realm and the Realm of Death – and see into this realm. They keep tabs on various people for me."

"You have a spy network," Hermione deadpanned.

Harry flashed her a smile. "Essentially. And there's not a person alive who can protect themselves against it."

Hermione frowned, looking uncertain. "Will said that you– That your necromancy wasn't...common?"

Harry shrugged and nodded. "Necromancy as most people practise it uses the same magic as you're taught at Hogwarts," he explained, and she made a face. "I know, but magic is neither good nor evil, it is a tool. It can be used to kill someone or to create a zombie, the same as it can be used to heal or cheer someone up."