Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. I'd never pair Hermione and Ron together, you know that.
A/N: My reply to the "You've corrupted your purpose" challenge by Detritus, you can find it here:
http://talk.portkey.org/index.php?showtopic=26319 . Hope you'll enjoy it and as usual if you read, review and let me know what you think of it. It is an HP/PoTC crossover.
Special thanks to my beta Gingercat!
Corrupted
Chapter Five: Resistance
The killings of the two ministry officials awakened Hermione's attention. She knew Malfoy wanted Harry to do his bidding, and had already been in contact with Ron, George, and many of those who had survived the war, to plan how to steal the heart from Malfoy's possession, ending his command over Harry.
When she learned of Scrimgeour and Bones' deaths, she knew Harry had been the killer, after Malfoy's request. She didn't take long to guess a pattern, and knew she would be the next one. After all, if Malfoy wanted to behead the Ministry of its pro-Muggleborn Heads of Departments, it was just obvious that she would be a target. The fact she led the MLE Department, one of the most important ones, convincing her that she would be the next victim, if they didn't act quickly.
She hoped she could convince Harry to turn against Malfoy, but if she had the heart, the deal would be much easier to do.
So, that night in the living room of her flat, she, Ron, George, Minister Shacklebolt, Arthur, Neville and Bill were reunited, brainstorming on a way to infiltrate Malfoy Manor and steal the Heart.
"We could slip in using some Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder" George suggested. "Hermione here is smart enough to disable the wards quickly, and once in we could search the manor while hidden in the darkness, and seeing through it with this antidote I developed" he explained.
"I think the mission should be composed of as few people as possible" Shacklebolt suggested. "We could use Portkeys so that if discovered, our agents can get back to safety, but a small group makes being detected harder" he said, the advice coming from his many years in the Auror corps.
Everyone put their two cents in, and in the end a plan was devised. The position of the Manor was known, Hermione, George and Neville would go. Bill and Arthur wanted to be part of the mission too, but the group would have been too large.
They decided to act the next evening, when it was thought the Malfoys would be out at a pureblood party held at Parkinson Castle by Draco's in-laws.
--
All day, at work, Hermione nervously thought about what she was about to do that night. It wasn't a matter of granting her own survival if she had the leverage to stop Harry from killing her, it was more to protect the other possible victims, and the idea of democracy. If a group of purebloods could stop the progress of the Wizarding World murdering the promoters of the new laws, then there really wasn't hope of relevant changes taking place once and for all.
So, when the time came, she nervously dressed in black trousers, a dark blue shirt, her own Invisibility cloak, grabbed her wand, went once more over the details of the plan, and finally Apparated to the agreed meeting point.
From there, the three proceeded toward the looming structure of the Manor, which they could spot in the distance, casting Silencing Charms on their feet to stop someone from hearing their steps, should they walk over a branch or something.
As the trio felt the wards coming closer, Hermione took the lead. With complex wand movements she disabled them one by one, until they were able to push the freshly repainted gate open. Following the path up to the building, they spotted various frightening sculptures in the yard, and Hermione felt herself shiver looking at some of them.
George placed a reassuring hand on her arm, and she nodded. Shakily inhaling, she charmed the heavy front doors open, after casting a difficult charm on all three of them, which would make the house elves unaware of someone breaking in.
"George, you search the basement. Neville, you look on the ground floor. I'll go upstairs" she whispered the orders, and her two companions nodded.
Grabbing some Instant Darkness Powder to be ready to use it, they divided, not before a last word of advice from Hermione.
"I remember well that the thumping of the heart could be heard from outside the chest containing it, so enhance your hearing with a charm. That should make the search easier"
"Witty, Granger" George complimented her with a wink, before moving quickly to his assigned floor.
Neville grinned and did the same.
Hermione smiled back, pleased that they thought her suggestion useful, before carefully going up the stairs.
--
For two hours George searched the basement in every little spot, cupboard, closet, but there was no sign of the chest with the heart. They had agreed they would meet back in the hall, so he made his way back there, wand in hand, ready to face whatever danger he may encounter.
--
Neville's search of the ground floor wasn't any more lucky. It took him half an hour longer than George to complete his assignment, but when he did, he was similarly empty-handed. He cautiously walked back to the hall, where he met George.
"You took your time there, mate" the redhead joked, and Neville rolled his eyes.
"Did you find anything down there?" he asked then, and the Weasley shook his head. Neville sighed. "Let's hope Hermione is luckier than the two of us" he whispered.
--
Hermione was getting frustrated. She had checked carefully every room in the two upstairs floors, but found nothing. Even the study left her empty-handed. She approached the main bedroom, wondering if the heart was in the house at all. But then, she heard it.
A faint thump, regular, just like heartbeat. She made her way inside, and followed the growing noise to a hidden cabinet behind a large mirror, just as high as the wall.
She cast a silencing charm on it, to stop its squeaking while she pulled it open, and there it was, the black, heavy chest in which Harry had secured his heart.
She grinned, and charmed it to be lighter. Then, she grabbed it and made her way downstairs to the meeting point.
When she got there, George and Neville were already waiting, and almost whooped in triumph seeing her with the chest. Their joy was short-lived, though, as the main doors opened, and Draco stepped in, with his wife Pansy.
His surprise in seeing them there was quickly replaced by anger, and his wand was out in a flash. Just as rapidly, though, they were gone, activating their Portkeys, Hermione smirking smugly at the blonde as she showed him the chest.
Draco Malfoy then knew his days, and those of the other purebloods, were coming to an end very rapidly.
--
The next night, Hermione and the others went partying to celebrate their victory over Malfoy. Now that he hadn't a way to blackmail Harry anymore, the safety of the Heads of Departments was secured.
She, however, hadn't been as foolish as Malfoy, and had brought the heart with her, shrunk and hid it under her robes.
When she got back home, just slightly tipsy, she froze seeing a pair of green spots staring at her from the darkness.
"I knew you would come, Harry" she said then, once she regained her composure. "Which is why I prepared adequate leverage for our negotiations" she added then with a smirk, her left hand slipping inside her robes.
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