Ships: Harry/Hermione, Draco/Ginny, Ron/Emily
It Must Be Done
By: Lanne aka Reddy
Chapter 1
"It must be done."
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Harry, you know that this might just help us crack this war."
Harry frowned and placed his head in his hands. Hermione just stood there with her arms on her hips. It was obvious that she was not going to let Harry get away with this.
"Harry, please, you must let me go." Harry's face turned bright red.
"I don't have to do a damned thing!" he shouted at her.
Hermione's bottom lip quivered and she shuddered as she gave a deep sigh.
"Harry, it is important for the wizarding world and all of us." She took a step towards him and leaned over his desk. He looked up and met her gaze. She smiled and placed a hand on his cheek. "I know you worry about me, but put that aside. I could get so much information that could help us all."
Harry got up from his chair and made his way around the desk to stand beside her. He suddenly seemed to age in those few moments it took him to walk over there. His resolve cracked little by little because he knew that she was probably the only one who could do this. No one was as brilliant as she was and she knew the safety precautions more than any one on their auror team. He rubbed his hand over his face and pushed his glasses further up on his nose to see her better. He towered over her, but Hermione did not drop her gaze, as a matter of fact, her nose went higher in the air out of pure defiance.
"Alright," he said and sighed. "I will let you go. Be very careful."
Hermione's eyes tried to search his out and he let her. He opened himself up and allowed her access into the depths of his soul. He allowed her to see his fear as well as the confidence he had in her.
"I'll miss you while I'm gone." Harry smiled sadly and gathered her in his arms for a tight hug.
"Not as much as I'll miss you my friend."
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It is 6:00 in the evening here in Budapest on the 27th of August, 2009. You will be pleased to know that my language is getting better. For everything that I am quick to learn, language must be my slowest subject. I don't find the Magyar language to be easy. You would think after two years, I would be able to master this…but it's so hard! I feel so abandoned here. I miss Harry and Ron so much, too much. Sometimes I feel as if my longing for them would affect my duties here. I got transferred yesterday. I am now a governess for two children, a boy and girl. They are 10 and 7 years old respectively. When I stepped over the threshold, they ran to me and embraced me as if I was their long lost mother, which in a very twisted way you could almost say I am. Their father is a part of Lord Voldemort's inner circle. His name is Joshua Lustendam. He is a tall man…about 6 feet, I think. He has shoulder length black hair which he usually keeps tied back and his eyes, his eyes are a piercing, coal black. They glitter like dark diamonds. It is unearthly, the captivation that those eyes are capable of. He is the first master I've had, to give me a uniform to wear when I am in the house. It is a calf-length slim fitting black dress made of extremely light wool with no sleeves. It is the only dress he gave me, so that means I have to somehow clean it every night. He told me straight up that I can wear whatever I see fit, to bed. The mansion is very ancient looking and huge. It reeks of dark magic and the doors have miniature skeleton heads for doorknobs. My room is very dark, no windows, with only a single candle for light, which I am writing by. The sheets are stiff, but at least they are white as opposed to the black and brown furniture. At least I have a fireplace to light a fire when I'm cold. This makes things a lot easier for me. At least, now I don't have to sneak into the drawing room to light a bloody fire to make my times. I have not found out anything new since I've been on my mission. The masters of the households are determined not to have any loose information lying about the place. So, so far I've been unhelpful to my auror department. I wonder at times, if my idea was such a good one after all. Maybe I should have listened to Harry. Oh well, too late now. I'm in this for the long run. I better sign out now; it is almost time to see the children.
Hermione
Hermione swiped at the tears that were streaming down her face at a rapid pace. She felt exhausted. This mission had taken a lot out of her and the spark that once was in her eyes has been extinguished. At nights, she relives the murders she has witnessed and must bite back the screams that threaten to burst from within her. She can't be weak, no; there was no space for weakness. Constant Vigilance.
She closed the book and stared at the cover that read, "Pride and Prejudice." It was a mask for the real purpose of that book. Hermione had been keeping track of events since she arrived in Prague two, long years ago and written them all in her diary daily. She opened the wooden draw and took out a small, iron padlock. She locked the diary and muttered a sealing charm that would preserve the book and then activated the security code that only Harry knew. She ran her hands over the 'classical novel' that bound her secrets tightly within. It was hard each time to part with. She would only feel relieved when she received the owl from Ron saying that all was well.
Her chair scraped against the wooden floor as she got up, the book in her hands, and walked over to the fireplace. She opened her jewelry box and lifted the velvet lining of the base. Underneath this lining, was a secret storage of floo powder which she used to make her contacts in secret. Hermione took a handful and started a fire with her wand. She threw the floo powder in and stuck her head in.
"The grocer," she whispered in the Hungarian tongue.
She watched the green flames swirl and then come to stop in the form of an image of inside a storage room where there were many boxes stacked high up to the ceiling.
"Evans!" she called out. "Evans!"
"Oi miss! I'm coming!"
Hermione's eyes checked out the surroundings and then she sighed in relief when she saw a man with black hair walking towards her. He kneeled in front of his fire place and was now on the same level as her.
"Yes miss?"
Hermione grinned at this reference. Harry insisted on using this title for her. At first, she used to roll her eyes, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and Harry could not do anything wrong at this stage.
"I've got it." Harry wiped his brow and cleaned his glasses on his shirt.
"Alright, let's have it then."
Hermione started to slowly pull her head out of the flame and as she did so, Harry slowly pushed his in. She could almost feel his breath on her face. It was as if he was leaning in to kiss her, but she was pulling away. Eventually, her whole head was out and he was the one controlling the flame.
She leaned back on her palms and just sat there staring at him. He did the same, only through the flame, and there were a few beats of silence.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine." Hermione nodded and then she felt the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Don't cry," he said softly.
Hermione sniffed. "I know," she said, her voice cracking.
"Don't make me fret for you love."
"I'm trying not to."
"Remember what you're doing this for."
"I remember, Harry. I'm doing this for you."
"Don't do it for me."
"I am and I will. You're my best friend. I'll do anything for you."
Silence.
"Is there anything you need?"
"More powder. I am sending in an owl tomorrow for vegetables."
"I thought you're the governess."
"I am, but I offered to do this and they let me."
"Ron's and Emily's baby are due in a month."
"Tell them…tell them, I'm praying for them and I love them."
"Will do."
Silence.
"Can I come home?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I won't."
Silence.
"I'll make the delivery on in two days."
"You'll make it?"
"Yes, I want to check the place out."
"Oh Harry! I haven't seen in you in two years! This is exciting! I can't wait to see you!"
"Me neither."
Silence.
"I'm so sad Harry."
"I'm here for you."
"I know."
Harry stared at her worriedly, then, in order to take her mind of things, he nodded at the book.
"Give it to me," he said.
Hermione nodded again and placed the book in his mouth. His head continued to balance in mid-air with the book in his mouth as he held her eyes. She leaned in and extended her hand through the fire to place on his cheek. He closed his eyes and they stayed like that for a while.
"I must go," she said after some time.
"Okay."
"Bye Evans."
"Bye Jane."
******************************************************
Hermione groaned and reached above her head to touch the headboard behind her so she could stretch the knots out of her arms. She hated the mornings that graced her with a headache. Her eyes felt as if they were sewn shut and her legs felt numb. She wanted coffee so badly. Her face relaxed when a nice scent registered in her brain. It smelled like cologne.
"Open your eyes."
That she did. She gasped and clutched the sheets around her chest tightly as she scrambled away from the man who was sitting in a rocking chair, beside her bed, just watching her. She felt like a lab experiment.
"Oh dear! Sir!" she gasped. "You scared me!"
Joshua Lustendam chuckled and pulled at the sheets she was holding on to for dear life. Hermione screamed and grasped blindly for them.
"Why cover up? You are a very beautiful woman." He said the word, woman, with desire and his accent made the word sound foreign to Hermione. Her cheeks coloured bright red and she felt the heat make its way down to her exposed chest and stopped at the edge of the brassiere she was wearing.
"My apologies for going to bed like this," she said meekly.
Mr. Lustendam chuckled and shrugged. She could tell he was a little embarrassed by her reaction.
"Don't be sorry. It's err…you're umm, what do they call it? Privacy?" Hermione stared blankly at him.
"Yes," she muttered. "You're correct." He beamed and extended a hand towards her.
"Uhh, will you please take my hand and get ready? The grocer is here."