Chapter twenty-five
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A.D
I haven't heard anything new in three months, what can you tell me?
/ H.J.G
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H.J.G
I am sorry, I have no news for you. All I can tell you that he is safe and alive, but it is far too dangerous for you both to be in contact
/ A.D
-
A.D
Another month has past, I am getting worried. Please, what can you tell me? We just retrieved fourteen, hoping for more as soon as we receive word.
/ H.J.G
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H.J.G
New years will be spent in a place you have enjoyed. Further information will arrive!
/ A.D
-
Hermione shooed away the owl that had brought the letter. She had nothing to give him. She had no idea what else to ask Dumbledore, he never gave her any answers anyway. And where would she spend new years? There were many places she had enjoyed, what did he mean?
Transporting refugees proved to be a real challenge in some countries but easier in others. Countries who in the most chaotic situations were easier to slip between the cracks and get children out, but some were harder.
On a trip to Norway they got far too close. Hermione and Cedric had brought twelve children with them, hiding under the deck of a muggle ship when a group of Norwegian Death Eaters boarded the ship. They narrowly found the group and it made Hermione and Cedric realize that they had to be more careful. Hermione had sat under deck, looking at the twelve innocent faces around her, all looking scared, she just couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to them.
Her mind flashed to Thomas, her promise to him, her need to touch his soft curls and see his big innocent eyes…
Some children were brought back to her old camp, some were smuggled in to Ireland, which now was gaining a lot of room in the war. Hermione's old camp - where she had spent most of her adult life had grown into twice its size.
A few more men had returned after injuries like Cedric's and the recovery of new children made the camp full of life again.
-
She soon found herself hiding in the back of an airplane with Cedric now. Traveling in the freight of planes was convenient since the Muggles couldn't check back there; it got far too cold for them during the flight. They would travel in an enchanted container which was spelled to keep warm. The muggles wouldn't dare look inside because the label read "endangered spiders", and if a wizard could sense the magic around it, with a quick spell they would find a stamp approving the load of "hippogriff birth control".
"You all right?" Cedric asked her for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Yup," she answered and looked down at her hands.
He moved closer to her and put his arm carefully around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder.
"If something would have happened," he started but stopped as she yanked her head back. He gently placed his other hand on her cheek and shoved her back against the space between his shoulder and face. "If something would have happened you would know!" he continued.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She knew that was true. But she hated not knowing. If she could just get a few snippets of information, something to hold on to…
"How long since you talked to Cho?" she asked.
He squirmed uncomfortably, hesitating to answer.
"A week," he finally admitted. He felt her tense and added; "But when I was in battle it took weeks between."
-
Cedric and Hermione were hiding in a family's basement in Germany a few days later. Hermione looked over at Cedric, he was resting his arms behind his head and staring at the ceiling.
"Do you miss the war?" she asked and he glanced over at her. He thought about it for a moment and then leaned against his elbows, still lying down.
"No, not the war in the way of battles. But sure, I wish I was fighting with everyone else. It feels better these last weeks though, since we started smuggling the children. I hated being injured and just lying in some tent…"
"I know the feeling." she muttered. She had hated it, being forced to take care of the camp. She had been active in the rebellion against Voldemort for as long as she could remember. She had been training, working, spying since she had found out she was a Muggleborn witch.
They heard a squeak in the floorboard above them and they both tensed, the door opened and Cedric yanked out his wand as fast as Hermione whipped out hers. She had a wand now, an illegal wand but if she could avoid using if it was for the best. Each time she did an alarm notified the Death Eaters that an illegal, unregistered wand was in use.
"Döner kebab?" a woman's voice asked. It was the mother of the family holding a tray and they both gratefully accepted. "Und einen letter," she said in broken English.
Indeed, a letter addressed to them lay upon the tray. Hermione reached for the letter at once, she never gave Cedric a chance to read it, so eager to receive news.
She pressed it to her and thanked the woman, she seemed hesitant to leave. Obviously she also wanted news from the war. Finally she went back up the stairs and Hermione yanked it open.
H & C
"A large group of children from Russia was intercepted. They are hiding with Viktor"
A.D
Hermione stared at the words.
"We are headed to Bulgaria," she said and looked at Cedric. He was back on the bed, devouring his Döner Kebab.
"Okay," he said with an overfull mouth. "Wasn't that were you and…"
"Yeah," she interrupted. She handed him the note and he glanced at it without letting go of his kebab.
"So you'll know the way right?" he asked.
"Yeah."
She reached for her own kebab and tasted it, it was quite good but after a few bites she handed hers to Cedric who gladly took it. Just the mention of Viktor's name sent her back in time. She leaned back in the bed and closed her eyes, remembering the time in Bulgaria… the most magical time of her life…
She wondered how the war had affected Viktor and all those children living around him.
The woman came back downstairs again. She had with her a small basket of the German beer Erdinger.
"I glad you fight," she nodded at them and smiled. "I help, my mutter - muggle!"
Hermione hurried of the bed and took the basket from the woman.
"You mother?" she asked and smiled kindly.
"Tot," the woman answered.
"Tot?" Hermione asked.
"It means dead," Cedric added.
"Oh."
The woman twitched her head and then seemed to realize something.
"Wasser!"
"Water?" Hermione asked not sure.
"Hot wasser!" the woman hurried over to the small door at the side of the room, and indeed, behind it was a small very old shower.
"Wonderful!" Hermione beamed and thanked the woman again. The woman had hardly left them again before she hurried into the shower. The pipes creaked loudly; they had certainly not been used in a long time. But Hermione didn't care, she had been in far older, worse and dirtier showers.
The hot water made her feel alive again, and the scorching stream burnt her skin, she became quite red. She wrapped the towel around her and found an open bottle of beer next to her bed.
"Cheers," she thanked him and took a swipe.
He was laying on his side on the bed, head propped up on his elbow.
"Sure," he said and something in the way he said it made her turn and look at him.
He was looking at her legs.
"What are you doing?" she smiled, she knew that tone, and she certainly new that look.
"Nothing," he answered innocently.
"You are so bad at lying, so bad at drinking… which both are good things actually." She tugged at the towel, willing it to be a bit longer and covered more of herself.
Cedric didn't answer and she saw something sparkle in his eyes. A mixture of beer and a bit of some lust.
She tutted and grabbed her pajamas and changed in the shower. When she came back out Cedric was sitting cross-legged on the bed.
"I am sick of being isolated," he said.
"I know, but last time at Viktor's there were loads of people. You'll get to be with someone besides me," she joked and drank from her bottle.
"I don't mind you, you know that," he said in a soft hush.
Hermione started brushing her hair and rolled her eyes. Cedric was being silly and she felt like telling him so. When she turned to look at him he was staring at her.
"What are you doing Cedric?" she asked crossly and laid down her hairbrush.
"What?" he asked.
"What's in your head right now?" she demanded.
"I was just thinking… that you and I might have been married by now if…"
She held up her hand.
"Stop! I mean it Cedric."
He looked down at his hands, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"No worries, but listen, you are just missing Cho, feeling a bit pissed from the beer. It happens."
"Do you feel lonely?" he asked.
"Sure," she answered. "I miss Harry every minute."
"We could keep each other company," he looked up and met her eyes again. "We know each other so well…" he trailed off.
She rolled her eyes and sighed. When she felt him still looking at her she turned to him and snapped:
"Just sleep Cedric!"
-
The next morning the woman fed them eggs and sausages. They hadn't eaten this well in a pretty long time.
Cedric glanced over at her four times before she snapped.
"What? What is it?" she asked.
"Sorry," he muttered, "About last night."
"Oh," she stopped chewing for a short while before she started eating again, waving her hand casually at him.
The woman hurried down the stairs.
"Bitte bitte, schnell!" she whispered.
Both Hermione and Cedric jumped off their beds and yanked their bags.
"What is it? What does schnell mean?" Hermione asked Cedric.
"It means fast, or hurry or something like it."
"Is someone here? Who?" Hermione whispered. The woman started ushering them towards a hatch at the back of the cellar.
"Who?" she asked again but the woman was too eager to get them out.
"Wer hier ist?" Cedric translated.
The woman stopped for a moment and using her index finger she drew a skull on her forearm.
Cedric placed a hand on Hermione's lower back and pushed her out of the hatch.
"Hurry!" he hissed.
-
Much like the last time Hermione had traveled to Viktor Krum's home, things were done in a hurry and they were constantly watching over their shoulder. Luckily, now that the war was at full speed and the chaos made it so much easier to get by unnoticed.
When Hermione finally saw the home of Viktor Krum in the horizon she felt like crying of happiness. They hadn't slept for more than two days and she was exhausted.
Bulgaria seemed less affected by the war than many other European countries were. There were people on the usually scattered streets, cars and muggles everywhere and no magical towns on fire.
The gates opened to the manor and Viktor stood waiting for them. His arms crossed against his chest, his face still lit up with a smile when he saw them.
"Hermione, Cedric!" he announced and walked towards them. Viktor knew Cedric of course, they had competed in the TriWizard tournament years back.
Hermione looked at Cedric and wondered if she looked as exhausted as him. His face was black from the road dirt and he was very pale. She ran a hand through her hair but it was tangled in the mess.
"Viktor," she said in response but her voice barely held.
Viktor was alone with two guards when he met them, and Hermione knew the place well enough to know it was a rare thing. She looked around.
"Where is everyone?" she asked.
"Many have left, some fighting, some hiding. Others are working around the castle," he answered as he kissed her cheeks, after which he shook Cedric's hand.
She looked around and could indeed see curious faces peeking through some of the small windows of the castle.
She figured Viktor had told them to leave so they could be alone.
Hermione and Cedric walked after Viktor as he led the way into the castle. He turned and looked at them and with small smile he said:
"You are both tired."
"Very," Cedric agreed and Hermione didn't answer.
"You both have rooms, food will be brought at once and baths will be drawn. There are some very comfortable
beds in there"
Hermione felt a large thud in her chest. A bed… food… a bath… where to start?
"Thank you," she mumbled honestly. She would start with the… she thought over it again… the bath. Then food, and then she would collapse into the bed.
They arrived at the rooms and Hermione saw that she had been given the very same room she had last time, and Cedric was to sleep in Harry's room. Well, it wasn't Harry's room technically - but it felt like it. She couldn't help feel a bit bitter and resentful about it.
Cedric left their side and Hermione guessed the food, then bed would be his priority. Viktor followed her inside.
"So not just one room this time, are you sure you wont change your mind?" he asked and when she turned aghast to him he winked.
She walked over to the large table of food and took a few grapes. The bittersweet taste in her mouth felt wonderful. The table also had many cheeses and cold meats.
"Rest, and return to us when you are ready." He said kindly and started towards the door.
"Thank you so much Viktor," she said and smiled sadly at him.
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