Chapter Ten: A Narrow Escape
The carriage hurtled down the road in the darkness of the night, the misty fog swirled around the ground hugging it. The curtains inside the carriage were drawn, keeping its occupant safe from prying eyes in the dark. Inside, Hermione rocked gently with the movement of the carriage, a small light illuminated the cabin and the pale concerned face she held.
She would get there in time. She would. She had to.
Draco and the Death Eaters were after Lavender Brown, Harry's love and betrothed. She was racing to reach her before they could. The thought of Harry begging for Lavender's life brought tears to Hermione's eyes, she would not let Harry feel that pain. She would prevent it if she could.
The carriage began to slow and finally come to a stop. Hermione leaped out of the carriage and looked up at the home of Lavender Brown. All was quiet, and there were a few lights still lit in the house.
"Take the horses down the lane away from the village," she ordered her driver. "Well catch up with you down the road. Wait for me."
"As you wish, my lady," the driver nodded in return.
Hermione watched the carriage ride away and she tugged her cloak tighter around her and headed toward the house, her red dress swished around her ankles. She knocked on the door and rang the bell. A sleepy eyed servant answered.
"Please, there is no time," Hermione said as she forced her way into the home. "I must speak with Miss Brown right away."
"You aren't received at this house!" the servant protested. Hermione ignored him and pushed her way up the stairs to the bedrooms.
"Lavender! Lavender!" she called out.
"Hermione? Is that you?" Ginny stepped out into the landing. She was dressed in her nightclothes and was followed by Luna and Lavender.
"What are you doing here in my home?" Lavender demanded.
"Lavender, there is no time," Hermione said stepping forward. "I have to get you out of this house! The Death Eaters are coming for you!" Ginny and Luna gasped in horror but Lavender just stared at her.
"Why? Why should I believe you? Why would I believe that you would come here and warn me? You would love to see me removed so you can take my place by Harry's side."
Hermione pursed her lips together. She would've loved nothing more than to swat this trollop over the head. "I'm not lying. They are on their way over as we speak to kidnap you."
"And how do you know this?" Lavender asked.
Frustration began to mount in Hermione. "Lavender, please just take my word for it and get ready. We have to leave now."
"I think you should listen to her," Ginny said worriedly.
"Shh!! Listen!" Luna whispered.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The sound of apparition could be heard in the distance. The four women shared panicked looks then they hustled into Lavender's bedroom.
"Oh no!" Ginny gasped. "What do we do?"
Hermione walked over to the candles in the room and blew them out, plunging them into darkness. "Get some cloaks on, heavy dark ones," she said as she stood by the window, keeping a sharp eye out for anyone who approached the house. She ordered the girls to make the beds as if they hadn't been slept in. As she heard the rustle of cloaks swishing and frantic tiptoes, she spotted four cloaked figures in the distance, appearing out of the mist and heading toward the house. Her heart leapt in her throat.
"We have to leave now!" she hissed to the others and she led them out of the room.
They were half way down the stairs when they heard the tiny click of the front door, then saw it open, a triangle of moonlight appeared on the floor and the four figures silently slipped into the room.
Very quietly and very slowly they creeped back up the stairs. Lavender led the group into another room, her parents'. The room was empty, the bed unmade since her parents left for Brighton a few days ago. Luna and Ginny were to keep her company, it would've been the perfect opportunity to take Lavender. Still would be unless they could make it out of the house undetected.
Hermione pressed her ear to the door and listened. "She's not here," she heard one say quietly.
"Check the other rooms," she recognized Draco's voice.
Hermione hustled away from the door and the women could hear the footfalls near the bedroom. Luna dove into a wardrobe, Ginny hid behind a curtain and Hermione and Lavender hid underneath the bed and they all held their breath when the heard the creak of the door opening.
From under the bed, Hermione could see the Death Eater walk into the room. Lavender looked at her wide eyed and scared. Hermione reached into the front of her dress and drew out her wand. She had no true chance to defeat a Death Eater but she knew one spell that would at least buy her time to get out of the room.
The Death Eater walked around the room, pausing to listen for any sounds. It was so quiet Hermione could swear he could hear the heart pounding in her chest. She was afraid to breathe. He thumbed through some of Lavender's mother's jewelry, ruffled through some papers, took a quick look in the wardrobe then left the room, satisfied that there was no one there.
Hermione waited some more then scooted out from under the bed. Lavender followed, Ginny appeared from behind the curtain and Luna reemerged from the wardrobe.
"That was close," Ginny whispered.
"Too close," Luna agreed, she had been in the wardrobe that the Death Eater peeked in.
"We're not out of danger yet," Hermione whispered.
The girls followed Hermione to the door where she carefully and slowly opened the door and peeked out into the hall. The Death Eaters were going in and out of other rooms. Quickly and quietly the girls filed out of the room and down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they made to move across the foyer to the front door when they heard voices from above.
"She's not here."
"Check downstairs."
Then the footfalls of people going down the stairs. The girls retreated out of the foyer where they would be exposed and headed to the dining room. They could hear footsteps behind them and they quickly dove underneath the table. A Death Eater walked into the dining room and crossed it to the other side.
"He's going into the kitchens," Lavender whispered. "There's another door there."
"When he leaves, we head that way," Hermione whispered to the others.
They waited patiently until the Death Eater returned and marched back out of the dining room. Then the girls moved from underneath the table and toward the kitchen but then footsteps were heard again and Hermione and Lavender dropped to their knees, Ginny and Luna had made it to the kitchens.
The Death Eater stayed in the room, silent and unmoving. Hermione and Lavender were no longer under the table but were still hidden by the high backs of the dining chairs that were opposite from where the Death Eater stood.
"Lumos," Hermione recognized Draco's voice and her heart stilled.
Draco moved slowly around the dining table, shining his light in front of him. Hermione and Lavender moved quietly away from him around the dining table. He shone his light where they sat previously and didn't move, Hermione and Lavender stilled. Again Draco moved forward around the table following the path the women had taken.
Hermione jumped when she heard a woman scream from somewhere in the house and Draco quickly left the room to see the commotion.
"It's one of the maids," Lavender whispered hoarsely.
"Come on," Hermione said and the two of them ran into the kitchen.
They met up with Ginny and Luna and the four of them silently slipped out of the house through the door in the kitchen. The night was dark and there were clouds that drifted through the night sky, once in awhile blocking out the moon.
"This way," Hermione said, leading them across the grounds, sticking to the shadows. The cold air made little puffy clouds that emanated from their mouths as they hustled along. They followed Hermione off the grounds and into the dangerous coverage of the woods, the road always in sight of them to the left.
At long last, Hermione spotted the carriage and the women raced into it, Frederick the driver, set the carriage off again at a fast past. Hermione kept the curtains drawn and the lights out.
"Why were they after me?" Lavender gasped when her nerves had settled only a little.
"They did it to hurt Mr. Potter," Hermione explained. "I overheard them talking about it."
"You overheard them?" Ginny exclaimed and she and Luna shared alarmed looks.
"How did you overhear them?" Luna asked.
"It doesn't matter," Hermione said, brushing the question aside, she had said too much already. "What matters now is where to go."
"We can go to the Burrow," Ginny suggested but Hermione shook her head and frowned.
"If they knew where Lavender was tonight then they know who was with her. They couldn't find her at her house so they'll search both of yours."
"My father!" Luna said in a strangled voice.
"Don't worry now," Hermione said softly. "By now, Sirius has hopefully gotten my note and word to Harry and your brothers," she nodded to Ginny. "Your homes will be safe."
"Where do we go then?" Lavender asked.
"Someplace safe where you can rest for a few hours. Someplace where the Death Eaters would never think to find you," Hermione said contemplatively then her face brightened with an idea.
~*~
Harry looked up hopefully as Ron and Fred entered the library.
"Anything?" he asked, his face was tired and pale.
Sirius had left his home to make sure Hermione made it home safely when he came back to the parlor and gathered members of the Order into the library to give them the message that Hermione had left them. That she had uncovered a plot to kidnap Miss Brown and that she was headed there to warn the women. Harry and Sirius had apparated to the Browns but found that Lavender wasn't there, neither was Ginny nor Luna…nor Hermione. There was no sign of them. Only a dead maid to indicate that the Death Eaters had been there. Had they been too late? Neville and George said all was safe at the Burrow but their mother was frightened out of her wits.
"Nothing," Ron sighed.
"No sign of Miss Lovegood but her father is safe and well," George said.
"Where can they be?" Ron asked.
Harry was sick with worry. Hermione had gone off to rescue his fiancé and could quite possibly be in danger with the other women. Horrible thoughts began to fill his head. Draco had something to do with this. He just knew it. He remembered how Draco looked when he met his fiancé, what he would do to Hermione when he caught her. Harry had to cut off that train of thought or he would lose his mind.
Sirius entered the library and Harry raised his feeble hopes again only to have them crushed by a shake of his head.
"Nothing, she's not left a note and her carriage has not returned," Sirius said worriedly.
Harry looked out the windows. The sun was rising, it was dawn and it had been a long night.
"I can't sit around here while she's out there, her life in danger!" Harry said exasperatedly.
"Harry, everything will be fine," Remus put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Miss Brown is safe and well."
Harry looked away guiltily. He had been thinking of Hermione, not his fiancé.
"Harry, why don't you go upstairs and rest," Sirius suggested.
"No, no I can't rest until I find her," Harry said morosely.
"Well there's nothing we can do here," Sirius said calmly. "We can rest for a bit before we regroup again in a few hours." He looked around at the other gentlemen for consensus.
Reluctantly, Harry agreed. His mind was so preoccupied with worry that he didn't realize they reached his guest rooms. But when he entered and closed the door behind him, he was surprised to find an owl waiting for him. Eagerly, Harry tore into it, read it in disbelief then tossed it to the side. There was a sharp rap at the door and Sirius peeked his head in.
"What did yours say?" Sirius asked.
"It was an invitation to tea with Madame Rosemerta," Harry said irritatingly.
"So did mine," Sirius said deep in thought. "For this morning?" Harry nodded.
There was another knock at the door and Ron and Neville stepped in.
"Did you get an invitation?" they asked.
It was more than a coincidence now for them not to investigate so away they went to Madame Rosemerta's.
The brothel, didn't look like a brothel from the outside, it looked like a fine town house just outside London. The drive was lined with gravel and there was a fountain in front with a half dressed women pouring water from the vases they held over their heads into a collective pool below. The statues winked and smiled at the approaching gentlemen.
"It's nothing unusual," Sirius explained to the nervous men who walked toward the home. "She hosts private teas frequently." Neville blushed at the thought of what these private teas really consisted of while Ron looked curious.
Sirius knocked on the large oak door in front of them and a moment later a tall thin footman answered.
"Ah, Mr. Black, right this way," he greeted bowing respectfully.
The men walked into the home furnished with dark wood and decorated in flowery wallpaper with roses on them. There were a few large rooms that they were led through that contained plush chairs and sofas, tables and a piano in two of the rooms. Through the maze they were led and up one set of stairs and down a corridor until they were led into a medium size room with a table in the middle laden with Danish, rolls and two jugs of cream and juice.
"Please help yourselves," the footman said, gesturing to the table. "Your company will join you shortly." Then he left closing the door behind them. A short moment passed and then another door into the room opened.
"Harry!" Lavender smiled as she burst into the room.
"Oh thank goodness!" Harry said as she ran into his arms. He was happy that she was safe and well. Luna ran to Ron and Ginny ran to Neville.
"Are you hurt? Are you okay?" Harry asked with concern.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she reassured him. "Miss Granger got us safely away and brought us here of all places. But it was brilliant, no one would ever think to find me here."
"No, no they wouldn't," Harry laughed, relieved.
The women told the story of their daring escape that was full of adventure over the breakfast that was provided. Once in awhile, Harry looked up to the door where the women had entered in hopes that Hermione would join them.
"Miss Brown, as exciting as your ordeal was I think it would be best if you twist your story around a bit to leave certain parties out of it," Sirius said cryptically.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"We need to concoct a different story that leaves Miss Granger's involvement out of it. It would do great harm to her safety if word got out of her involvement," Harry explained.
"Why?" the women asked.
"We can't answer that but we do ask for your descretion," Harry replied.
He looked up sharply when another presence entered the room. She was a regal woman, dressed in a schocking pink dress, her hair seemed a bit of an unnatural shade of red and she held a jeweled staff. Sirius went to her side and they exchanged a few quiet words then she turned to the party.
"I hope you are enjoying the breakfast?" she asked, her voice was smooth and pleasant. The ladies agreed wholeheartedly and cheerfully, happy to be reunited with their loved ones. Ron and Neville seemed to have grown unusually quiet, they had never had a Madame of a brothel speak to them and the femininity she oozed knocked them off their guard a bit. Harry stood and faced her.
"If it please you, I would like to speak to their rescuer, is she here?" he asked.
"I'm afraid she is unable to join you for breakfast," she answered vaguely.
"Is she hurt?" Harry asked with concern.
Madame Rosemerta looked at Harry with scrutinizing eyes. "No, she is still resting. It has been a long night."
"We all spent the night here," Lavender explained. "She is such a gracious host," she said of the Madame.
"I didn't think Hermione was still here," Ginny chimed in. "She wasn't in our room, she went to another to rest."
"Are you sure she can't join us?" Sirius asked.
"She is resting," Madame Rosemerta said in a tone that suggested the topic was now closed. "Please enjoy your breakfast. I shall have carriages ready to take everyone back to your respective homes." The message implied was picked up by Harry. Enjoy your breakfast and then leave immediately, you will not see her today.
~*~
Hermione stood by a window and looked down as everyone piled into the carriages. She watched as Harry escorted Lavender then followed her inside. The door opened behind her and Madame Rosemerta entered the room and walked up behind her. She stroked Hermione's hair and brushed it off her shoulders in a motherly fashion.
"So brave in many ways, such a coward in the most important one," she sighed.
"All we do is hurt each other when we talk," Hermione said softly. "I wounded him so and it stabs me inside whenever I see him with her."
"And yet, you put your life in danger to rescue her from a most terrible fate."
"I did it for him. I couldn't bear the thought of him in any pain," she answered.
"And the pain you cause him?" Madame Rosemerta asked. Hermione didn't answer.
She stayed one more day with Madame Rosemerta then went home the next morning. When she had arrived, there were a number of calling cards, she brushed away most of them but one caught her eye. It had the Hogwarts seal on it. She tore it open and saw a personal invitation from Dumbledore to have tea with him on Tuesday. Hermione went to her desk to pull out a calendar, it was today. She hastily went upstairs to dress herself for this meeting, wearing a modest sky blue dress covered with cream colored lace. She opened the front door to leave and was surprised to see the person on the other side.
"Har…Mr. Potter," she exclaimed.
Harry looked over her lovely appearance. "I'm sorry. I just came by to drop off another calling card…are you leaving?"
"Uh…yes. I have a tea I have to go to," she answered when she gained her bearings.
"Then, I'll be quick," he said and stepped into her home. Hermione stood there as he walked by and into the drawing room. Then she gave a heavy sigh and closed the door. She followed Harry into the room.
"You haven't answered any of my cards," he said as he stood by a table, fussing with a porcelain figurine that rested upon it.
"I have just returned home," she said truthfully. "I was staying with Madame Rosemerta."
"I thought you had been avoiding me," he said quietly. An awkward silence fell between them.
"I'm sorry but I really must…" she gestured toward the front door.
"I wanted to come by and thank you personally since I wasn't able to at Madame Rosemerta's." Hermione shifted uncomfortably.
"Really it isn't necessary," she said but Harry stepped toward her.
"Yes, it is. What you did for me…I…why?" he asked.
"I overheard a terrible plot and I knew you wouldn't make it in time. They were planning on torturing her and have you beg for her release. I couldn't allow that to happen."
Harry looked at her. "And you did this after what I said of you?"
Hermione looked away. "We both said horrible things."
"And I apologize," he said.
"It is not necessary," she said and her tone became cold and neutral. "All ended well, the woman you love is safe."
"Yes," Harry said softly, "yes she is."
Hermione couldn't stand being in his presence another moment. She had done her good deed for him by saving his fiancé and felt that she had redeemed herself somehow. His apology was not necessary.
"I really must be going," she said in a businesslike tone.
"Of course," Harry said, "I don't want to keep you. Please allow me to escort you to your carriage."
"It really isn't-"
"Please," Harry insisted and Hermione nodded.
Hermione gathered her cream colored shawl and a small wristlet and left her home with Harry at her side. He took her hand and escorted her into her carriage, his touch lingering a moment too long than what was necessary but she did not pull away. She stared into his eyes and suddenly felt the urge to extend the invitation to him, invite him into the carriage with her but she resisted.
"Oh, before you go, I almost forgot that I had something to give you," Harry said and smiled brightly sending daggers into Hermione's heart. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a rolled piece of parchment and placed it in her hand.
"Thank you," Hermione said politely then the carriage pulled away. Hermione did not look back but heard the crack of disapparation. She undid the crimson ribbon that was tied around the parchment and unrolled it.
PETITION FOR THE ALLOWANCE OF ADMISSION OF WITCHES TO HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WIZARDRY
Underneath were several signatures with room for many more but the first one was Harry J. Potter.
Tears sprang in Hermione's eyes as she lifted the parchment. A smaller envelope dropped into her lap and Hermione picked it up. The seal of Gryffindor was imprinted on crimson colored wax. She broke it and found an invitation inside to a ball held in a few weeks at Godric's Hollow. A smaller reply card was enclosed with it and Hermione let out a small laugh when she saw that WILL ATTEND was already checked off.
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