When Hermione Fights

The Funeral

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

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It was time for battle. 

I had to bury zombies and put them six feet under forever. I chuckled merrily. Oh goddess, if Severus, Lucius, and, especially, Draco knew that I was into necromancy, I would give them a heart attack of a special kind. It was a very bizarre field of magic, very borderline and really disgusting. But well, it served my purposes, so it was good enough for me.

Draco had just set out with Harry to get the latter his second wand and I trusted Draco to accomplish this task perfectly. He wouldn't kill Harry, however much he might annoy him, that he had sworn to me. Quarrel with him, yes, but no killing. That was something for a start and left me hoping.

After the drama with Narcissa and our physical fight I was so happy that things went so well with Draco and he had taken the purchase off my hands. Draco and I had enjoyed the weekend and talked a lot. He had gotten a closer look at my childhood and Harry's too. Although he didn't say or show it, I got the feeling that he wasn't happy that Harry had had such a messed up and unpleasant childhood. He really didn't like it and I thought he felt something like a burgeoning pity for a little helpless boy who had had very little luck in his life so far. I gave Draco credit for this far-sightedness. For the first time, he tried to see behind Harry's mask and realized that there wasn't much splendour to be found!

However, I didn't have much hope that a wonderful, new and blooming friendship would develop between the two young men, both were too much alpha males for that. But only time would tell; I was already satisfied with mutual acceptance.

Harry was the hero, but had not enjoyed a privileged life. Draco was a completely different man: he was not a hero, but had indulged in luxury throughout his life and even if the two men didn't show it, he had received protection but also warmth and affection. Harry hadn't. And now Draco had got an approximate idea of what Harry had suffered and missed all these years.

He was also astonished about my past, but here, too, he showed himself to be reasonable, that he could imagine that normal, non-magical people could have no understanding for the unnatural. How could they? Magic was unimaginable for a normal person, a Muggle!

These days, Severus had been kept busy by the Order, thanks to Harry's disappearance without a trace. It was too wonderful to see them running around like blind chickens, looking in vain for Harry. It was hilarious and had caused one or two fits of laughter from Draco and me.

Lucius' time, on the other hand, had been occupied by the Dark Lord all weekend and Narcissa was not allowed to leave her rooms. She was a real prisoner of the house and spent her desolate existence in her suite. The stupid cow, though, didn't deserve anything else and she had come off well for now because Lucius hadn't had time for her yet. Apparently, he was planning on changing tunes with her, although I couldn't imagine what that would look like. He and his wife had appeared very cool and distant to me.

Draco had taken the time to show me his favourite places of the estate and also one or two beautiful rooms in this huge, stately house. These hadn't been all the rooms that could be seen; it was just too big, too nested and too confusing. I kept being amazed at the sheer size of the Manor.

We remained true to our routine and kept up our training. It had been nice to fight with Draco and I was really happy that we were so equally matched. It had been exhausting, but unfortunately much too short because Draco, too, had to leave me for his important, urgent meetings and appointments.

Yes, my men were just too busy and I would have loved to go to the cottage, but also I could not move as freely as I wanted. In addition, I couldn't and wouldn't dare to endanger Harry.