Curious and Curiouser

17: Cowardice

Thanks so much for reading everyone! I know I took forever with chapter and I am sorry that very little ends up happening here but I promise I will update at some point in the next five days and the next chapter will have some much more definite answers.

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That had been unsuccessful, Hermione had known it would be. Harry wouldn't leave a situation if he knew there was a potential for anyone else to get hurt. It was all part of his 'saving people thing', she and Ron nodded knowingly to each other.

Harry had had the nerve to ask them to leave the room and that had earned him an earful from Ron about how they had stuck by him when he had been a bloody idiot for seven years and how dare he expect them to leave him alone now that he wasn't a walking death magnet.

That outburst had earned a loud guffaw from Blaise, who Harry had then threatened to kick out of the room in retaliation.

Hermione had watched this all go down with an amused smirk on her face and as much as Malfoy didn't want to admit it, he couldn't help but let out a low chuckle as he watched the scene unfold. The noise attracted Hermione's attention though and he tried to cover it up with a severe coughing fit.

She bought it.

Hermione waited for Neville and Cassie to leave the room before stepping up to both Harry, Ron and Blaise.

"You ought to discuss how much you can tell him," She said, "before you start talking to him, that way you don't accidentally let something slip,"

"Right," Ron said quickly, "So that's all Harry's decision,"

"Mine?!" Harry asked quickly, "It's yours Ron, how much can we strategically tell him before it's too dangerous?"

Ron shook his head, throwing his hands up, "No, you're the one who's technically in charge now,"

"Emphasis on technically," Harry countered.

"Just stop," Hermione said in an impatient tone, "Just figure this out guys," She pleaded.

Ron muttered something unintelligible under his breath and then said, "Alright so I'll just tell him the plan, and nothing else, so even if he tells anyone anything he'll have so little of the story, it won't make any sense."

Hermione nodded and began to turn to make her way over to where Draco was stading but Harry stopped her, grabbing her elbow.

"Hang on, he might end up in St. Mungo's if this goes wrong," Harry said quickly, hoping Malfoy wouldn't hear, "It's only right that we tell him the whole truth,"

"As much as I understand the safety concerns," Blaise said, nodding at Ron, "it isn't right to ask this of him without filling him in,"

Ron opened his mouth to argue- to say that Malfoy's safety wasn't worth the potential security risk- but the look in Harry's eyes shut him down. Ron exchanged a glance with Hermione, they both knew that when Harry made up his mind about something being the right decision, there was no changing his mind. It would be wrong to ask Malfoy to do this if he wasn't fully aware of the consequences.

All three of them knew it.

"Fine," Ron said in a defeated voice, "we'll just tell him,"

The four of them made their way over to Malfoy. It didn't seem as though he had heard their conversation, his eyes were trained on the door that Blaise had just shut.

Harry cleared his throat to get Malfoy's attention, and began speaking, "What we're about to tell you," Harry said, "is confidential auror business, and you will be asked to maintain this secrecy for the course of the investigation."