What is Love?
CHAPTER XXV
The Rainmaker
Oh, life is bigger
It's bigger than you
And you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I've said too much
I set it up
That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight, I'm
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no, I've said too much
(.- Losing my religion by R.E.M.)
2004 - Daily Prophet Offices, London
"Hermione? Hermione, are you all right?" her mind registered Ron's voice from afar. "Baby, come on, what's the matter with you?" he continued as her eyes opened slowly and she focused on one very bewildered and worried Ron Weasley covering her whole field of vision.
"F… fine, I'm fine," she muttered, fighting the still swaying world around her. "What happened?"
"You fainted. Out of nowhere, Adam was giving you the report-"
"Tonks! Great Merlin! Is she all right?"
"He said she was in critical state."
"And Ginny? Luna?" She struggled to get up as her mind engaged but was held back by Ron's strong arm.
"Hey, calm down. You should stay there for a while," he said softly and held her with brotherly care. "I told Adam to go get-"
"Here's the chocolate you asked for, Mr. Weasley. Is she all right?"
"Of course I am!" Hermione snapped, annoyed that she couldn't keep control of her own body.
"She will be in a while," Ron provided and handed Hermione the piece of chocolate. "Eat it."
"I said I'm fine!" she protested and tried to stand; only resulting in a wave of dizziness washing over her once more. "Or I will be as soon as I finish the blasted chocolate." She snatched the piece from Ron's hand and dug into it, remembering she hadn't eaten in over twelve hours. Gotta keep in mind that I have…
"Hey, you are carrying someone else, remember? You have to take care of the two of you," Ron echoed Hermione's thoughts and she gaped at him, wondering if he even imagined it was Harry's baby and not his.
"Right. I'm fine now," she said again and this time used all her willpower to manage to stand without any help and without falling back.
"Sure?"
"Yes."
"So let's hurry to Grimmauld Place."
"Right," Hermione repeated almost robotically. The two gathered their things, but before they could disapparate, Hermione stopped Ron. "Hey…please don't tell about…"
Ron narrowed his eyes at her but sighed when seeing her expression. "Fine."
"Thanks."
2004 - Grimmauld Place, London
The former couple appeared in front of the door where Grimmauld Place was supposed to be and looked around for any motion. When there was nothing, they both thought of the location and quickly slipped into the house, where they found a very distraught Harry and an extremely pale Neville.
Hermione's eyes widened when seeing the still bloody slash on Harry's shoulder and she darted -unnecessarily- to his aid. "Harry! Are you all right?"
Harry jumped at the sudden gasp coming from the other end of the room, but calmed down when recognizing it and nodded, but he didn't pull away from her frantic cares for his sliced shoulder. "Did you get the passes?"
"Yes, but let me take care of this first," Hermione stated as she muttered a few healing spells she had known since the start of the war, and they had certainly saved more than one life.
"Have you any news from the Ministry? Or St. Mungo's?" Ron asked, rising above the sinking sensation at watching Hermione's instant reaction to an apparently mildly injured Harry.
The other young man looked up at his friend and sighed after biting back a wince of pain. He shook his head and Ron's eyes widened. "But we need a plan before we act," Harry interrupted the chain of thoughts that he knew were running through his friend of so many years' head.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean they took down- no, they skinned one of our best aurors while she was still alive and they will most certainly be waiting for us to come barging in to get Ginny and Luna, but we can't grant them that or we are dead too."
"So, what do you suggest?"
Harry looked at Neville, who nodded and then turned his attention back to Ron and Hermione, both sitting next to him. "They got her, they killed Chian. Only us left," Harry informed his friends, referring to the last head of group they had just found skinned alive.
"Yeah, not to mention the very potential slaughtering of Luna," Neville said gravely.
"I can't believe that even dead, that Riddle git still has my sister marked."
"It's not just that, Ron;I told you already, they want the information Ginny has." Hermione stood from Harry's side, trying to calm her friend down.
"Oh, brilliant, so the best possibility for my sister is the brand new brain-draining technique." Ron's sarcastic remark cut into her thoughts and she opened her mouth to speak, but Harry got ahead of her.
"We better get thinking, and quick," Harry cut into Ron's outburst before Hermione. He thanked her for the healing with a smile that would melt anyone and then went back to auror-mode, pacing up and down the hall. "We should get to the office. We might find some useful information… and weapons," he told the group, taking charge, as usual.
"Lupin said earlier that he would be there," Ron provided, calmer at the feeling of his friends backing him up.
"But that was before Tonks," Harry countered.
"But he wouldn't push all this aside."
Harry pondered the statement for a moment and knew that his co-worker was right. He cursed silently at his boss' commitment; he was sure Remus was completely torn right now. "You're right, we should get going then," he finally said and disapparated, followed by the other three.
2004 - Auror Headquarters at the new Ministry, London
The group arrived at the said site. Even though this Ministry had been built after the war had ended, the Auror Headquarters hadn't been changed when rebuilt in the new location. The same disposition of the room, the same little cubicles and the same (wizard) pictures and phrases hung from the walls.
Harry and Neville led Ron and Hermione through the room with the cubicles to another one, this one round and as big as a Basketball court. The walls, blindingly white, presented little silver glints every second or so, and Ron and Hermione turned around in wonder.
"This is the filing room," Harry told Ron and Hermione. You can summon anything you need and Alessa, the File-muse will find it for you, all right?" He headed outside. "I'll be right back, you wait here," he told the others and they nodded glumly.
Harry knocked on the door and it opened on touch. "Can I?" he entered and found his boss sitting behind his desk, his face buried between his hands and he looked pale and much older than he was.
"Sure, come in, Harry, you know you don't need to ask," he said softly, trying to smile and managing only a grimace.
"Thanks," he responded a bit awkwardly. "Uhm… do you have any ideas on-" Harry started, but was interrupted by Remus' voice.
"You'll have to do this on your own, Harry." He met Harry's scared face and sighed.
His eyes widened, contemplating the situation. Sure, he had led a lot of groups throughout his life, but he had always had at least a guideline, and this was his friends' lives at stake… all of them, just like during the war; a thought that didn't appeal to him at all.
"I've got to get to St.Mungo's. They might attack there as well and that would be disastrous," he apologized with his eyes and Harry understood perfectly.
"It's ok if you just say you want to stay with Tonks."
He looked away, hiding his face and Harry walked forward, putting a comforting hand on Remus' shoulder, his momentary terror at the uncertain future, forgotten. "It'll be fine," he whispered softly.
"I can't lose her too. I lost your dad, your mom, Sirius… she's all I've got left."
"That's not true, you got us too. And we will always be there for you, Remus," Harry said, for the first time not feeling like a pupil, a co-worker or a protegé. He knew at this moment that offering his friendship was the best he could do for his former professor and current boss. "We won't leave you."
Lupin looked up and smiled; a genuine smile on his tired features. "Thank you, Harry. You are the son anyone could wish for. Lily and James would've been proud," he said, his voice filled with emotion.
"Thank you." Was all Harry managed to say through the knot in his throat.
"You'll do great, Harry, you always find a way," the man tried to assure, but as Harry nodded, he didn't seem as convinced as his mentor of the success.
"I can help," a tall man, with dirty blond hair and a round face appeared at the door of the Head of Aurors.
"Who are you and how did you get in here?" Harry demanded dangerously.
"Hermione showed me the way," he simply said with a smugness that made the hairs in the back of Harry's neck stand.
Remus looked up and stifled a gasp when he identified the stranger, immediately choosing not to say anything just yet. At least not now.
Harry narrowed his eyes and thought he recognized something on those pale eyes, not to mention he had a feeling this man had something of his, so he decided to let it pass under the note of keeping an eye on him. "If Hermione let you through, then you must be…"
"You can call me Al," he stretched his hand, flashing the green-eyed young man a charming smile.
Harry raised a dark eyebrow at 'Al' and nodded, shaking the man's hand. "What can you possibly know that we don't… Al."
"As pleasant-" as ever, Potter, he was about to add but refrained, figuring it could blow his cover. "There is a not-so-pleasant plan on you all and I might know just where to start," he merely said.
"Fine, we'll discuss it later," Harry said and turned to Remus. "You'll be all right?" he asked and the man nodded. "Sure?"
"I'll be fine when I am there."
"With her," Harry added with a fond smile and Remus bobbed his head in affirmation.
"All right then, be safe," he started towards the door. "And let us know if anything happens. "
"I will, don't worry," Lupin guaranteed and the two younger men disappeared through the door when the Head of aurors disapparated.
"So?" Hermione asked as soon as she saw raven hair walk through the door and she searched his eyes, looking for some sign of recognition of the other young man in Harry's eyes. She let out a breath. Good, nothing.
"He's probably already at St. Mungo's," Harry answered and his stomach dropped when realizing that the lives of not only three but five of the people that had meant the world to him for so long, were under his responsibility… again.
"What? Is Pott-" 'Al' bit his words back at Hermione's warning glance. "Auror Potter, I take it you are in charge?"
"Yes, is that a problem?" Harry asked, turning his eyes from 'Al' to Hermione over and again.
"No, I just want to know to whom I should address when talking." Draco said smoothly and Harry nodded.
"All right, so talk."
'Al' raised a styled eyebrow at Harry and looked at Hermione, probably telling her she would be paying for this one day. The girl in question bit her bottom lip to mask the smirk that had inevitably formed on the corners of her mouth.
"Very well. As I imagine Gran- Hermione has told you, the Falange is picking you one by one, only you three, Lupin, Weasley and Loony left." 'Al' caught the gasp before it came out. He had just used the Hogwarts nickname of Lovegood… dammit!
Harry did a double take from the papers he was scanning and looked up with a frown. "What did you just say?"
For a moment, 'Al's' façade failed him and his eyes widened, but a split second later, he was back to the cool demeanor. "I said: only you three, Lupin, Weasley and Luna left, did I speak too low?"
Harry kept his eyes nailed between 'Al's' pale ones and felt some very strong barriers keeping him from the stranger's mind, which only made his feeling of unease worsen. "Did you know Miss Lovegood?" he finally asked.
"Yes, I DO know Luna from years back," he said and fixed a look of worry in his eyes.
"Very well," Harry said slowly and then turned to the rest of the group. "So this is what we've got." He waved his wand and a table materialized in the centre of the File Room. "Alessa, the map, please," he talked to the air and a small girl, with sandy hair and light blue robes appeared on the table.
"Yes, Auror Potter," she said softly and set her golden eyes someplace to the left of the room. "You want it with the notes?"
"Yes, please."
The girl's eyes glowed and she turned to the empty table. A second later, they were staring at a huge map of Atlantic Europe, Britain being in the center of it. All over the map, there were little flags which commented on the events that had happened in each site when you placed the tip of your wand (or in Harry's case, the tip of his finger) on it.
"Thank you." Came Harry's voice from faraway, for he was avidly staring at the map, trying to figure something… anything out. "This is the temporary progression of the attacks," he started talking, apparently to himself, "but there is no logical connection between each date and place…"
"Except maybe the cardinal direction; starting from the orient and with Britain as the final target," Neville spoke for the first time in a long while.
"We thought they had been going through ranks, but then they killed Kingsley, and now you give me the names of these poor blokes…" he stared at the map again. "Alessa, I need the Domestical Division's reports. Get me the Kappa, Ogni and Hilbrook files," he ordered the little girl.
Her eyes glowed once again and a pile of papers materialized before Harry, next to the map. Neville hurried forward and moved his wand over the pile, searching for places and causes of deaths. Papers appeared one after the other on top of the pile, organizing themselves upon Neville's silent order. "Oh, this was nasty," he commented when aparticularly bloody murder photograph appeared on top of the pile. "I wonder why the Prophet didn't show this…" he trailed off and then looked up at Hermione.
"You have any idea how many tricked pictures we get daily for that section? People are willing to do a lot for five minutes of fame," she answered and looked down at Harry's inquiring look. She took a breath and a step forward, searching the papers Neville had just organized for her. She tapped her wand here and there as Harry drew lines from one to the other, in chronical order.
"This makes no sense," Ron put in, intervening for the first time. If this timeline you are doing, Harry, is correct, then they were after Ginny for quite a while and just assassinated whoever was in the way."
"Great Merlin! They are so ahead of us!" Harry exclaimed, running a shaky hand through his raven hair.
Hermione stared at the map for a while longer as Harry freaked out. "This was the night when you were attacked, right? Where were you, exactly?"
"At the old Ministry, downtown."
"And how did you get there?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, how did you come across that suicide mission?"
"We got an anonymous tip."
"But you didn't put a flag there, why?"
"Be- cause I'm still alive?" He said, as if he were speaking to a five-year-old.
"Harry!" Hermione protested.
"What?"
"She is right, mate. If all of this is accurate, then they had already reached their final destination."
"Bloody hell! It is the Old Ministry!" Neville exclaimed.
"What? What are you… fucking hell, you're right," Harry whispered the last part of the sentence and then things started flying at him, placing themselves neatly inside the knapsack he had already summoned.
"Hold your horses right there, Potter," Hermione snapped and Harry stopped in the blink of an eye, things coming crashing to the floor when he lost concentration.
"We've got to get there as soon as possible!"
"He's right, Mione, we have to save Ginny as soon as possible."
"And Luna too," 'Al' provided after having been a mere spectator the whole time. Lovegood was also very prized amongst the Falange, but he didn't know exactly why. Otherwise they would have killed her already as well. Plus, he couldn't very well come out and tell them; not without blowing his cover at least. And it would do no good to lose the precarious confidence from Potter he had started off with.
"For all we know, this might be a perfect time for an ambush or something… getting rid of all of us in one night."
"She has a point too, Harry. Judging by all of this," he motioned at the table and continued, "they have had this sketched for a while now."
"What do you suggest; wait for the little black owl?" Harry said dangerously and Hermione immediately recognized that tone in his voice. He had had it every time he'd ran someplace by himself.
After a moment of pondering, she sighed and looked up at the group. "I suppose this is as good as it gets, so we better move," Hermione said, frustrated at the lack of physical certainty as to where the Falange's hideout was but knowing they had no choice.
After a moment thinking, Ron stood and started forward but did a double take. "Wait, you sure you should get in the middle of everything?" Ron directed Hermione.
"What do you mean?" Harry and Hermione asked in unison. Draco rolled his eyes and waited, amusement sparkling in his pale orbs.
Ron frowned a little but bit back the deja vu. "Well, you know-you fain-"
"It's all right, Ronald," she snapped.
"What? Did she faint?"
"Yes, she did." / "No, I didn't." Ron and Hermione spoke at the same time.
"That's that then, you're staying."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but 'Al' spoke before her. "Auror Potter, with all due respect." Those words cost Draco the world to say, but he had a mission. "She may know more than you and Auror Longbottom on the subject."
"You're staying with her," Harry said with a smirk. "Plus, I have enough to move along," he finished.
Now it was time for Draco to start to protest, but Hermione interrupted and took Harry by the cuff. "Harry, you are NOT leaving me here. They are my friends too, and you said it yourself, I am as involved as you are," she said, anger stinging from each of her words.
Harry looked at the others and then came close to Hermione, grabbing her hands. "I am NOT letting the future mother of a child- possibly mine, to put herself in danger." He whispered to her face and looked down at her growing belly.
Her breath was caught inside her throat and she looked directly into Harry's eyes with panic in hers. Harry gasped almost inaudibly and his eyes widened. "You're staying."
Panic turned once again into anger and she jerked her hands from Harry's grip, fisting both on her sides.
"Let's go," he ordered blankly and they all disapparated. Harry directed one more warning glance at 'Al' before disapparting himself.
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and Draco came over to her. "Really screwed up, didn't you, Granger?" She said nothing and Draco noticed the tears in her eyes. "Hey, what's the matter?"
"Nothing," Hermione snapped and disapparated, unwillingly dragging Draco with her to Grimmauld Place. Ignoring her slip, hurried to the room that used to be hers so many years ago.
"Oh, brilliant. Hormonal woman running to her room," Draco huffed and after a sigh, he followed her to the third floor of Grimmauld Place, trying not to get lost in the huge house by following the sound of Hermione's footsteps. A moment later, he reached said floor and heard the door slam. He sighed again and knocked.
"Go away!"
"Granger, open the door."
"No!"
"What are you, twelve?"
"Piss off, Malfoy!"
"Oh, Merlin," he protested to no one in particular and heard a voice from behind.
"Never mess with an angry woman. Especially that one," an old portrait spoke.
"And why would that be?" Malfoy drawled.
"I remember more than one thing exploding when she used to live here. Filthy careless mudblood," the painting of an old man said and then added in a lower voice, "but don't tell Potter I said that or he will blow ME up too!"
Draco snorted. "All right, Black, but I reckon I can manage this one."
"Be my guest. It'll be interesting to have some action around here for a change."
"Right," Draco finally said and turned to the door again. "For the last time, Granger, open the blasted door."
"I said I won't! So sod off!"
"You do realize I am a wizard too and I can blow the door up, don't you?"
"Don't even-" But she never finished, for the oak door burned to ashes in a split second and Hermione let out a gasp. "Malfoy!" she screamed and Draco was sent flying to the left wall of the room, which hadn't changed the slightest since she had last lived here.
Draco stood up slowly, rubbing a spot on the back of his head. "What the bloody hell!"
"I told you not to come in." Came Hermione's voice from the bed. She was clutching at a certain pillow Harry had given her years ago.
"Did you honestly have to do that?"
"No, but it made me feel better, so thank you," she said amused, still not turning to look at Draco.
"Ha-ha, glad I could help," he said, coming closer to the bed almost carefully.
"What are you still doing here? Why didn't you go with them?"
"Because Potter told me to-" he cut himself off and raised both his hands elegantly. "I can't believe I just said that."
Hermione finally laughed and turned around. "Are you all right?" she asked, wiping her face quickly.
"You're not that strong, you know?"
"Right, and that's why you have been rubbing at the same spot on your head for the past two minutes," she almost giggled and Draco made a face to her.
"Anyway, what's the matter with you? I thought you were a determined journalist and a wannabe hero."
"Excuse me? Wannabe? And besides, what am I, twelve?"
"Judging by the way you ran off to your room and slammed the door, I rather thought so."
"It's not that simple."
"So he knows now, big deal. You just saved yourself half of the explanations you had to make."
"Gee, that makes me feel so much better."
"Well, I cannot tell you that the Weasle will be too happy when he finds out that his long-time girlfriend is having someone else's child- and precisely the child of his least favorite person."
"That is not true!"
"If you say so… And in any case, after he finds out, Potter will become his least favorite person," Draco laughed.
"Not funny."
"I don't want you to send me flying across the room again, so all right," he said, not laughing anymore, but his smirk stayed plastered in his handsome features.
"Oh, what am I going to do, Draco?" she whined.
Draco studied her for a moment with an intent expression and sagged, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, calm down, that's the first thing you need to do," he stopped, waiting for an answer but none came. "You aren't getting rid of it, are you?" he asked, not sure if he had asked the right question and awaiting the worst but she stayed silent, an impassive expression on her face.
Finally, she rested a hand on her belly. "I don't know."
This was something new, most certainly. He had never been the sensitive kind, always the sensible, but right now he didn't know, so he stayed silent and just stared intently at Hermione for what seemed like an eternity. "This is what you have always wanted," he said simply.
Hermione frowned and shook her head. "No… not like this," she whispered and covered her face with her hands. "Not like this," she repeated as if by knocking the red slippers thrice would make it all go away and just go back in time when things were fine between the three. "And he's gone off to face Merlin knows what-" she stopped all of a sudden and looked up at Draco, determination burning in her eyes.
He flinched a bit but stared, waiting for an answer. "What's the matter?"
"I'm not going to sit around and wait for a black owl to tell me either of them fell during battle. We're going to the old Ministry." And with that, she summoned her bag and walked downstairs.
Draco watched her for a while and sighed again. Oh, if I ever find you, Dumbledore, you are SO paying for this; he thought heavily and stood, following the woman downstairs and into whatever awaited them in the old Ministry.