It Had To Be You

Chapter Eleven: With All Your Faults, I Love You Still

Harry opened his eyes and stared out at the forest around him; he had fallen asleep against that tree of his for the sixth time that week, and he knew that he had to stop avoiding Ron and Hermione and cut to the chase. They had been in hiding for nearly a week, and they still hadn't had the courage to look at the map of potential Death Eater hideouts. Harry got to his feet and went into the tent, summoning Hermione's bag over and taking a vial of blood from it, downing it quickly to curb his appetite until breakfast.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, coming out of the area that she used as a makeshift bedroom, which she shared with Ron. She wrapped her latest Weasley sweater around her and rubbed her eyes, before pulling up her hair into a messy bun. "Tea?"

"Yeah, thanks," Harry replied, clearing his throat and moving to the picnic table they'd set up in the upper portion of the tent, along with the cot bed he was supposed to be using to sleep in, which he always somehow managed to stumble into during the wee hours of the morning. He, too rubbed his eyes as he sat down, swallowing and minutely thanking Hermione as she set a steaming mug in front of him.

"Feeling any better?" she asked, looking him over. "Hungry?"

He sighed; he wasn't feeling hungry, but he had to eat, for Lily's sake, if nothing else. Of course, he would need some strength to face Riddle at some point, so he nodded his head. "Yeah. Some eggs if you've got them."

"You need more protein and carbs than that, Harry," Hermione reprimanded him gently, before going over to the bag across the room and summoning things without a word. After some quick Warming Charms, she brought enough to feed a small army to the table, and Ron stumbled out of bed and came to join them. "Eggs, rashers, tomatoes, and toast," she said, plating them up and scattering them about the table.

"Thanks, 'Mione," Harry said.

Ron pulled Hermione down so that she was perched on his lap, and kissed her cheek. "Yeah, thanks, love," he said, stabbing at his eggs.

Harry forced himself to eat his tomatoes by forming a sandwich with everything else on his plate; he never liked them on their own. Chewing slowly, he hung his head back, and finished more quickly than Ron did, but shook his head when Hermione asked him if he wanted seconds, and casted a Cleaning Charm on his hands. He summoned the bag again, and called out for the map, surveying the locations it sported.

"Malfoy Manor is too obvious," Ron said quietly, shaking his head.

Hermione nodded at her fiancé. "What about Lestrange Hacienda?" she asked.

"With Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan dead, it's a possibility," Ron muttered, picking up another rasher and chewing on it.

"It's got to be Riddle House," Harry whispered, and Ron and Hermione turned to look at him. "I mean, I saw him resting there with Wormtail before the tournament, in those dreams I had. He was recovering, of course, but he thought that inheriting the manor was his due, despite his father being what he called a filthy Muggleborn—no offense, 'Mione," he said quickly.

Hermione shook her head. "None taken," she assured him.

"Didn't he kill his father there when he was still at Hogwarts?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, likely seen as revenge for abandoning his mother while she was pregnant with him," he responded, hunching his shoulders. "I say we go there today. We get in somehow, and you and Hermione have to distract everyone enough so that I can get to wherever he's being kept hidden for his own safety. Then, I'll...you know, do it."

"Do you think that's a good idea, Harry?" Hermione whispered. "We could run into real trouble if we just show up..."

"Fred and George gave you the information on Notice-Me-Not Charms, 'Mione," Harry replied in a patient manner. "I also have to use a Concealment Charm," he whispered, running a hand along his belly. "Merlin forbid Riddle catches wind of my pregnancy..."