Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter Thirty-four

-

Everyone laughed and a "party" song blared on the stereo.

"Who'll dance with me?" Peter asked and Christina volunteered. Hermione hadn't really been worried, jokes like this was common but seeing Peter Pettigrew had shaken her some. He was in the club regularly and he was a very "handy" kind of guest and she didn't know a single person who liked him.

She looked at Peter and Christina on the dance floor, Christina was looking for an excuse to leave and Hermione was running forwards before she could stop herself.

Peter had his hands around her waist and was pulling her to him when Hermione grabbed her elbow and pulled her to her.

She made sure Peter could hear her:
"They are asking for you, they need you to get ready," she called out and Christina turned to her.

"She can dance for awhile," Peter answered and hit Hermione hard across the arm.

"So sorry miss, but they need you to change your outfit," Hermione added.

Christina quickly gathered herself and added:
"Peter my love, duty calls. I will see you later, but I do need to dance for more than you…"

She hurried after Hermione without saying a word. When the doors closed behind them and they were hidden Christina turned to Hermione and said:"I owe you so fucking much!"

Hermione just nodded and wished that Christina would remember that.

-

"I always liked red haired boys," Eloise thought aloud and Hermione turned to Harry and Ron table. She could see them quite well now. As the lights had changed in the club, they were no longer hidden by a cloak of darkness. New dancers kept swarming around them, but Nanni kept coming back. She had no idea what exactly was happening because she was ordered on the other side of the bar.

She noticed that Nanni had moved from standing next to Harry, she was now sitting on the side of the table next to him.

"Did you ever talk to him back at school?" Hermione mumbled.

"Not really… Should have…" Eloise replied. "Things might have been so different."

Hermione nodded encouragingly.

Hermione glanced to her side and saw that Christina's song was over and she was walking towards Harry's table. Oh lord, Hermione thought and tried to look ahead.

It took a good fifteen minutes before someone asked for her.

"Hermione?" Blaise called out and she hurried to him. He had kept a low profile all night long.

"Yes sir," she answered and looked down at her feet obediently.

"Mr. Pettigrew is asking for you," he hissed.

"W-What?" she asked, honestly dreading his answer. With a violent shove he pushed her towards the table.

As she walked towards his table she looked around, where was Christina? Where was Harry? She was out of sight of both, how fast could she run?

"Mr. Pettigrew?" she asked as she arrived.

"You know what I want girl," he hissed and Hermione felt cold. "Where is she? Where is my C?"

Hermione relaxed slightly when she answered: "I can find her for you!"

Peter Pettigrew just waved her away and she hurried back towards the bar. She saw Eloise looking at her as she was closing in, she would just tell…

She couldn't reach her before she felt someone grabbing her elbow.

"What did he want?" Blaise hissed. When she had told him what he wanted she soon found herself leading Peter Pettigrew to the bar for some champagne.

"And is she there, my Christina?" he snickered behind her and she pretended not to hear.

"I'll find her at once sir," she promised and hurried off.

She walked over the dance floor towards the table and held her breath. She knew the VIP table they were at and she had seen things there she never would want to see tonight.

The first thing that caught her eye was Nanni sitting on the middle of the table, her legs very spread, almost in an indecent angle. Hermione's heart stopped. What the hell was going on here?

Tears burned her eyelids as she walked closer, she knew herself, Ron and Harry were all under cover - they all had to play their part.

She took a few more steps closer to the table and she felt like it was in slow-motion. To her it looked like wild animals, swine, snorting and grunting around their feeding.

When she got closer she could see what was happening, Nanni was indeed in the middle of the table and a few men were licking salt of her legs, holding shots. Harry was on the side, in the middle of a conversation with Christina.

Hermione arrived and stood silently next to Christina. She had thrown her high heels over Harry's lap and was laughing up at his face. Her index finger gently graced up and down his jaw. Harry was the first one to see her in the middle of his grin at Christina, he looked up at her.

He didn't speak but just looked at Hermione; Christina spun around and saw her:

"What?" she yelled out angry to be interrupted.

Hermione swallowed hard before she bent down and whispered:

"Blaise is sending Peter Pettigrew here right now!"

Christian immediately tossed her legs off of Harry. She hurried over to her friends and spread the news; obviously Peter wasn't the only one important. They all straightened up and suddenly they all hurried away, apparently they all had a sudden dance to prepare for.

The group of ten around the table tensed and Hermione knew Peter and his gang was approaching behind her.

They all greeted each other whilst Hermione remained frozen next to them. She felt like her mind was racing and she wasn't sure what to do. She had just seen Harry close for the first time, and he had had a girl practically on top of him. Ron had had a girl almost on his lap and Nanni had had a man more or less between her legs.

"What?" Peter hissed at her, "Are you retarded?"

"No, I-" but Harry interrupted her.

"No I just haven't been able to choose, Peter, what is good here?"

Peter smiled widely and said:

"The blondes!" he snickered, "But you like the red heads don't you Harry?"

Harry's eyes darted up to Hermione's, she felt like a robot.

"I'll have a firewhiskey," he finally said.

She turned and hurried away. She let another waitress deliver the drinks.

-

Christina arrived at the bar again.

"Another round?" Eloise asked her.

She shook her head and grabbed a clean glass, she filled it up by herself. "Hermione," she sputtered and Hermione turned to her. "When I am rich and famous and married to some old man, I'll repay you…" she snickered.

"You are kind," Hermione smiled kindly.

"Yeah, we'll hire you. You can be in our staff."

Hermione smiled and for a moment her true reply played in her mind.

"Thank you!" she smiled and bowed her head.

"Not you;" Christina spat at Eloise," Sorry, but you are far too ugly!" she started giggling wildly. "Come on," she suddenly said and yanked Hermione's arm and she had no choice but to follow her to the table.

Christina sat down next to Marcus Flint and leaned over and whispered something in his ear, Hermione's eyes darted around. She felt Harry staring at her and when she gave him a frown he turned his attention back to Nanni who was speaking to him.

She noticed Peter Pettigrew looking very violently angry and she knew just what to do, this was exactly what Blaise had trained her for.

"Mr. Pettigrew?" she whispered.

"What?" he said distastefully.

"I have a message for you," she replied. He nodded a half nod to his peers and got up, it was obvious that he was unhappy.

"What the hell is it?" he yelled at her so loud she almost lost her balance. She turned around the corner before she turned to him.

"Mr. Blaise has made sure everyone knows that you are the most important person here."

Pettigrew nodded suspiciously at her and she knew she hadn't sold him.

"And he made sure only the new and fresh are available for you," she finished.

He looked unsure and asked "What does that mean?" Her mind raced before she answered:

"It means that the girls who want to be by your side might have been told not to, because the boss feels you should get the fresh and newest girls…" She nodded towards the stage.

He seemed to ponder this for a moment. Hermione saw him mouth the words "Fresh and new"…

"Which one?" he asked bored.

"You choose," she answered and suddenly his eyes lit up.

He turned to her and demanded:

"Is there a virgin in the house?" Hermione didn't take a step back, she had been asked this questions many times.

"I don't know sir. But I will ask!"

Pettigrew looked around again, and suddenly he had become a very proud man.

"Yes do, and tell them that I need better service than this. Christina may come to me if I don't get that virgin…"

Hermione nodded politely before she started backing away. Unforgivable curses ran through her head and she wished she could cast them.

-

There were no breaks when working at Blaise Zabini's bar. You should just breathe if you had a second in-between orders. Fridays was so insanely busy, Hermione tried to throw another glance at Harry but she had no chance.

Christina threw her arm around Hermione's shoulder an hour before they were closing.

"You are so fucking brilliant," she slurred in her ear.

"Mmm… why is that?" she asked very busy with cleaning the counter after someone had puked on it.

"You got Peter off me tonight, now I am heading off with this lot. And they seem like quite the tippers!" Christina clapped her hands. Hermione stopped wiping and looked at her for a moment.

"That's great…" she swallowed. "And you are going home with…"

"Marcus of course," Christina purred excitedly.

Hermione smiled and hurriedly started washing the counter. "And Nanni?" she asked but she saw who everyone in the gang was.

"Hopefully that dark one with the glasses," she smiled and winked at Hermione before she spun on her heel, not before she made off with two champagne bottles from behind the bar.

-

When she returned to her room she found the same portkey as the night before. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she wanted to use it. Finally she grabbed it and hurdled through space and landed on the same rug as before.

This time she was sure Harry wouldn't be there waiting for her because the room was dark and felt cold. No fire had been lit since she had left last.

She walked over and sat down on the bed for a while, she should just leave. She had no idea when or even if he would be back. She would just rest her eyes for a moment…

-

She woke up what must have been many hours later as she heard someone starting to unlock the door. She knew it was Harry because she could hear him swear outside. Finally the door pushed open and he stumbled inside.

He closed the door hard and swore again.

"Are you okay?" she asked and sat up. He started at her voice.

"You're here!" he said happily and hurried forwards, he sat down at the side of the bed and smiled at her. "I thought you wouldn't be here."

"Are you drunk?" she asked but she knew the answer, she had seen the drinks delivered to the table.

"Barely," used a sobering charm each time I went to the loo. I thought you would be mad at me for tonight…"

Hermione frowned and looked down at her hands.

"It's part of your cover, I know that. It's part of my job to work at the horrid place, we have to do what we have to do. If you have to..."

"Nothing happened with any of those girls Hermione, you know that right:" She looked up at him and gave him half a smile.

"You should sleep," she told him.

He leaned forward and kissed her neck, "We should sleep," he mumbled but she pushed him away.

"I can't Harry, I have to go. It's almost time for lunch and I have to go back to the club. We have that stupid fundraiser tonight you know."

He held on to her hand as she got up out of the bed. He groaned loudly as she started to pull away. "I'll see you later," she whispered and hurriedly gave him a kiss as she had put her clothes back on.

-

Harry was at the Burrow a few hours later, having tea with most of the family. Ron was chewing yet another of Mrs. Weasley's cookies while Ginny was combing her hair in the seat next to Harry. She tossed it and Harry caught a whiff of her flowery scent, in his school year it would have driven him crazy but now he didn't even notice it.

"Mad-Eye?!" Mrs. Weasley suddenly said and they all turned in shock and saw Mad-Eye Moody standing in the door frame. "I mean... Alastor," she backtracked.

"I just have a couple of minutes, Potter come with me upstairs!"

Harry hurried up after him. "What is it? Is it Sirius? Is it time for us to return?" He demanded.

"Sirius is doing well, and yes you will have to return soon. But that's not why I'm here,"

Moody closed the door behind Harry as they had entered Ron's bedroom. He limped to the bed and sat down, he gestured for Harry to take a seat on the chair.

"Dumbledore got your warning that Pettigrew is back in London." Harry nodded. "He is of importance; you need to keep a close eye on him."

"Why?" Harry was rarely asked to tail someone in particular.

"Because I said so," Moody roared angry, he wiped some sweat from his forehead and glared at Harry. "The party tonight, you should bring someone. A pureblood."

"What?" Harry rolled his eyes. "What does that matter?"

"There have been rumors about why you have been away Potter. Bring a pureblood!"

"I won't be able to do my job if I am with some broad…"

"Bring Ginny Weasley, she knows you're working for our side."

Harry frowned. "But…"

"Bring her!" Moody answered. "Or do you have a reason not to do it?" he demanded and Harry felt like Moody's glare would burn a whole in him. He shook his head and felt like a coward. But both he and Hermione had decided that they wouldn't tell anyone about their wedding.

He clenched his fists and met Mad-Eye's stare again.

"And Ron?" he asked.

"Ron is going with Angelina Johnson," he finished and started to get up.

Harry reached up and grabbed his elbow.

"Please, any news from the war, tell me something about Sirius."

"It's the same as when you left. Viktor Krum is fighting in the open now, he exposed a very high up Death Eater and killed him."

"Who?"

"Viktor Karkaroff," Moody grunted.

"Good!" Harry nodded.

Moody pulled his arm away.

"Go to the party and keep an eye on Pettigrew."

"You do know who works there right?" Harry asked knowing the answer.

"Yes, but never mind her. This is your job."

"Are you going to see her?"

"No," he replied and then hurried out the room. With a fast wave at the Weasleys he left the Burrow.

-

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