Hermione spent the next several hours with team leads and with the Order in an attempt to come up with a strategy that would ensure their victory. Madame Maxime had been open to any assistance they could provide, and after only some protest, the French Ministry agreed. The French equivalent of the Auror department wasn't as large, but their people were well trained and open to cooperation.
Kingsley's address had gone as well as Hermione had expected it to. The Prophet had published a special edition with a transcript of the Minister's speech, but it seemed to fall on mostly deaf ears. The issue at Beauxbatons was only going to compound their problem at home with the public, but there wasn't much they could do about that now. She had to trust that Kingsley handled that as well as he could.
They had almost come to blows when he intimated that he'd be at the school to fight. She insisted he stay behind and had to remind him that while he may have been an Auror in the past, he was now the Minister and his primary responsibility was to stay alive. He'd dismissed her with barely controlled rage, but she knew she had won that fight.
Hermione sent several teams ahead to the school in an attempt to evacuate as many students as discretely as possible and to begin work to protect Beauxbatons. Their palace didn't have near the amount of inherent protection that Hogwarts had, and she was worried it would prove to be their weak spot.
The entire Order had arrived as well as the remaining members of the DA who Neville had managed to find on short notice. He shot her a sheepish look when she noticed the newcomers, but Hermione needed experienced fighters, whoever they may be, and she appreciated the effort. The only ones not present were McGonagall, who had stayed at Hogwarts, and Hagrid, who had taken up the mantle of protector at St. Mungo's.
Hermione stared at them as they crowded around the table and felt a pang of sadness go through her that Harry and Ron were not with them. Their absence was almost palpable, and she felt more nervous before she addressed the Order than before she had addressed the Aurors.
Everyone had their assignments, and those who needed to go in advance left as soon as she was through. However, the session was not without conflict.
Fleur and Bill had a spectacular row conducted half in English and half in French about whether she would be going along. He tried to use their children as leverage when he told her that one of their parents should come home. Her eyes flashed at that and the string of angry French she spat at him made Hermione look away. Fleur informed her husband that she had already sent the girls to Andromeda Tonks because she knew he would try to keep her at home. The argument ended with her emphatic declaration that she would fight for her former school, especially with her sister being there, and there was nothing he could do about it. It also ended with the two of them not being able to be found for a long five minutes and Neville with pink cheeks after he opened the wrong cupboard and discovered them.
Just when Hermione thought everything had calmed down, Ginny threw them all into a tailspin. The girl had been nervous since she arrived, which Hermione had found odd but hadn't had enough time to truly give it any thought. Finally, she dragged Hermione to the side of the room while everyone else was busy with their own preparation. Hermione should have left already to meet with Chelsea and the team leads that remained, but Ginny insisted she speak to her.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, distracted and slightly impatient.
"I need to tell you something." She licked her lips once and then made an obvious decision to pull it together. She set her shoulders and locked her eyes on Hermione. "I know someone who can help."
Hermione looked at her in confusion. "Help with what?"
"Help with information," she said slowly.
Hermione's mind exploded with the possibilities of what that could mean. "Ginny, you need to start talking. Now. I don't believe you want to know what I'm thinking," she said darkly.
Ginny swallowed heavily before she continued. "I know, I'm sorry. I've been trying to find a time to tell you, but it's been so crazy, and then Harry and Ron got hurt, and I haven't seen you." Hermione's eyes flared at the lack of anything pertinent and Ginny hurried to finish. "I should have said something earlier, but...you have to understand how hard this is for me and what this is going to mean for my family. I've had to keep it secret for so long, but he insisted I say something. He wanted to help, and I should have brought it up before now."
Hermione held up a hand and cut her off. "Ginny, I swear to Merlin if you do not tell me who `He' is, immediately..."
"It's Draco!" she said in a rush, her cheeks flamed red.
"Draco Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed in shock and every head in the room turned their direction.
"Oh shit," Ginny said under her breath, and ducked her head.
Hermione didn't breathe; she just ran the information over in her head repeatedly in hope that at some point this would all begin to make sense.
Bill and Charlie were at their side as if they had been summoned. "What's this, little sis?" Charlie asked, his eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest.
Ginny sighed heavily and shot a glare at Hermione who returned it. "You need to start giving me information, Ginny."
"This isn't how I wanted everyone to find out," she retorted.
"Well, we don't have time. So tell me what I need to know about Malfoy," Hermione demanded, as she quickly grew tired of this.
Ginny purposely ignored her brothers and looked right at Hermione. "I've been seeing Draco for over a year," she said in a rush. "After the attack in Germany, he suggested he may be able to help give information on these former Death Eaters. His family knew most of theirs, and he knows where their homes are, who their children are, what sort of assets they have. He could be useful."
Bill and Charlie lit into her immediately. They questioned her sanity, Draco's loyalty, his family history, ties to Voldemort, and sundry other wholly legitimate issues.
By this point the entirety of the Weasley clan was around them as they slowly began to understand what was being suggested.
Molly shrieked in horror and covered her mouth with her hands as she went on about her `baby'. Arthur and Percy looked dumbstruck. George was the only one who didn't look surprised at all, and Hermione wondered if he'd known all along.
As the din increased Ginny ended up in an argument with her older brothers, her red hair flying as she gave just as good as she got. Just this once Hermione was glad Ron wasn't present as she knew she'd have to scrape him off the ceiling at the news.
The entire situation had dissolved into chaos and she had to get control back. "Stop!" she yelled above the fray but no one paid her the least bit of attention. She pulled her wand and held it high above her head before she cast a small explosive spell. The resulting `Boom!' caused everyone to freeze where they were, although she was pleased to see most of them had the presence of mind to pull their wands as well.
"That's enough!" she roared. "Right now this isn't about Weasley family politics! It's about the damn battle we're about to fight, and if a member of the Order has insight into someone who can provide us intelligence, I'm going to listen to them: Even if that person is a Malfoy. You can lecture Ginny all you want about her choices once this is over, but until then this is my call and you're going to end this. Now." She leveled everyone with a hard look and then turned to Ginny. "You're with me," she said sharply and exited the room.
She heard Ginny's footsteps behind her and headed to the nearest empty office. When they were both inside she sealed and locked the door. "Thanks for that," Ginny said, slightly out of breath.
"Don't thank me yet. You still haven't told me anything that isn't making me think you haven't completely lost your mind," Hermione threw back.
Ginny sank into the nearest chair. "I know. Trust me, I know. I questioned myself for...months when this all started. I never thought..." she trailed off. "I ran into him, literally, in Diagon Alley one day. He was his usual self, caustic and smug and insulting, but after he stalked off he turned around and came back and picked up my packages he had knocked to the ground. I was just shocked. I mean, it was Malfoy, right? And then he asked if I wanted to get a butterbeer." Her eyes softened and her fingers distractedly brushed over her lips as she remembered. "That was it. We kept it quiet, obviously. But...he's been living at my flat for the past five months."
Hermione dropped into a chair across from her with a loud exhale. "Oh Gods, Gin. You're in love with him," she said in disbelief.
"Yeah," Ginny confirmed in a whisper.
They sat in silence for a long moment and then Hermione leaned forward and covered the younger girl's hand with her own. "Gin, are you sure...are you sure you can trust him?"
Her eyes flared in indignation. "Yes," she said in a clipped tone. "He's changed, Hermione. His father is a broken man now, and his mother has all the say. She's totally removed them from that life. He's just trying to find his way and make amends. I don't think he ever wanted to be so...so horrible and bitter while we were in school; he just didn't have a choice."
Hermione squeezed her hand once and then sat back. "I'll meet with him. But I can't promise you anything. And he can't be here or at Grimmauld. You haven't..." she began and then stopped herself. She knew Ginny would never betray them.
Ginny's jaw clenched but she didn't say anything about the unfinished accusation. "I've wanted to tell them for awhile about him. George is the only one who knows. I had to tell someone," she said with half a shrug. "And Draco wants this. He wants to...to redeem himself. He knows I'm involved, but he's never pushed me to reveal anything. He's trying to change. He has changed." Her voice actually broke and Hermione wanted to believe it could be true.
"I'll see him, Gin. After this is over, alright?" Ginny nodded, as if she didn't quite trust her voice right then.
"Let's go back into the lion's den, shall we?" Hermione suggested, and when they reentered the office it was cooly subdued.
"I think you all should go back to Grimmauld and get some rest. There isn't much more we can do until we leave, which isn't for several hours," she said to the room and was only met with a few protests.
"You should come too, Hermione," Fleur said softly, and she smiled in response.
"I wish I could," she said honestly, but she couldn't leave.
She sent Ginny a look of support as she left the room with her mother in her ear. It was not going to be a quiet night at Grimmauld.
Hermione couldn't stay in that empty office. She left to look for Chelsea and got reports on their work in France. Everything was as it should be and the French Ministry said the apparation rate had dropped significantly. She should have been relieved, but she had no way to know how many people were lined up to fight them, and she was afraid the number would be great.
There was nothing left to do but wait, and with everyone involved in their own preparations, she reluctantly returned to the office and told Chelsea to only knock on the door if it was an emergency. She hoped the assistant could use some discretion to determine what that would be.
In the dimly lit room Hermione unhooked her robes for the first time in what felt like forever and sank to the edge of a makeshift cot she had conjured. Before she could talk herself out of it she lay on her side and shut her eyes. She didn't think she would sleep, but she needed to at least rest, and tears leaked out against her will as she was alone with her thoughts.
Harry had to wake up soon. She truly didn't know how much longer she could handle this by herself. She knew everyone said she had the will and conviction and they trusted her, but she felt like she was mostly just barely able to keep her head above water and one big wave would drown her. She was afraid the wave was about to arrive on the southern coast of France that very night.
She pressed her hands tight over her eyes and tried to get the tears to stop, but the harder she tried the more she failed. They slid out faster and faster until she had no choice but to turn her face into the pillow and give in.
She just wanted Harry. They had been apart so long, and now he was back, but she felt just like she had all those years; alone, and miserable and it just wasn't fair. She didn't care if she felt like a petulant child; it just wasn't fair that they would be separated now.
She had been asleep, going through the motions of life, but not really living. The moment she had stepped foot in that inn and saw him there she had woken up. And she knew she had done the same for him, which was why it made this all the more difficult; because she had been given a chance, given a new start, and now it had been torn away from her and she was left to pick up the pieces, alone.
She cried herself into a restless sleep and woke up to her heart threatening to burst out of her chest and the faded memory of a dream where the lift car crashed around them before she could stop it.
Hermione sat up quickly and scrubbed both hands over her tired face before she let out a prolonged breath. Whether she thought she was ready or not, this was about to happen.
Chelsea paced the floor outside her door, and when Hermione opened it she jumped. She pressed a hand over her chest and tried to breathe normally. "I'm sorry Ma'am. The Minister has requested you come to his office as soon as you're available."
Hermione sighed to herself; she hoped he wasn't going back on his promise. She didn't want another go round with him on the same subject.
"I'll head there now. Have the team leads and the Order ready to go when I return."
Kingsley's office was darker than she had ever seen it. The only light came from the fireplace, and even that burned low. Something felt off in the space, and she was on edge as she entered. The door shut behind her and it seemed ominous.
"Hermione, come in please." She had taken three steps into the room when she sensed a presence behind her.
With a whirl she had her wand up, and only Kingsley's shield charm kept her from sending a stunner at the figure she could now see emerge from the shadows.
"Stand down!" Kingsley barked at her, but she didn't drop her wand.
She still couldn't see who it was, but they were tall and broad, and from what she could see they didn't have a wand out, but she wasn't going to take a chance.
"Who is it, Kingsley?" she demanded, as she stepped two paces to the right and put herself between this stranger and the Minister.
"You do not remember your old pen pal, Hermy-own-ninny?" said a voice she hadn't heard in years.
Viktor Krum came into the light. She hadn't seen him since Bill and Fleur's wedding. They had danced once and she remembered how Ron and Harry had sent glares his direction the rest of the night. They hadn't kept in touch after that. Whatever attraction she had felt for him was now long gone, and she was wary as to why he was back after so many years.
"What's he doing here, Kingsley?" she asked cautiously, her wand still up.
"Hermione, please, Viktor is safe; he's been a contact of mine for years," Kingsley assured her.
"What sort of contact?" She lowered her wand but still kept an eye on him.
"Come sit, and I'll explain everything," he said, and motioned towards the fireplace but she held her ground.
"No, tell me now." She was tired of surprises and secrets and this was the last thing she needed.
"Hermione, I've provided information to your Ministry for many years," Viktor said in almost perfectly unaccented English. She raised her eyebrow at that and saw Viktor nod in acknowledgement.
"As an international Quidditch star, Viktor was in a prime position to gain access to people and places even our best undercover Aurors couldn't get into," Kingsley explained. "His relationship with the Ministry was kept top secret. Even Harry didn't...doesn't know," he corrected himself, but to hear him speak of Harry in the past tense made her stomach clench.
"So why is he here now? Why are you telling me about him if it's so important to keep him secret?" she countered.
"I believe I know where Macnair may have a hidden compound," Viktor said quietly and her head whipped to him in shock.
"How long have you known?" she ground out.
"I've known about it for two years, but I didn't realize the significance until recently," he said earnestly, and she wanted to believe him, but with everything they had gone through lately that would prove difficult.
"Viktor, I want to believe you, but Kingsley, isn't this too much of a coincidence?" she asked the Minister.
"Hermione, I assure you Viktor is who he says he is. I've already tested him myself."
At this she finally dropped her wand all the way and made towards the chairs. Viktor and Kingsley followed, and she perched on the edge of the chair, too keyed up to relax.
"Tell me about this compound," she said to Viktor.
He stood at the fireplace with one hand braced on the mantle. The light from the flames cast hard shadows across his face and he looked much older than he was.
"Two years ago I received an invitation during the off season to come to a country estate in Dartmoor. It was hidden with a Fidelius charm. I didn't know who it was, just that they were rich and had a business proposition for me," he began, before he crossed to a small table and poured himself a glass of firewhiskey. "My agent insisted I go. It was supposed to be for the weekend. I had gone on several of these before, by broom makers, or quidditch suppliers all wanting me to endorse their products. I expected this to be no different."
"But it wasn't a quidditch supplier, was it?" Hermione asked, and watched as he threw the drink back and swallowed heavily.
"No. I didn't recognize the people I met the first day. They gave me free run of the house, wined and dined me, and just told me they were interested in sponsoring me for the upcoming season. The second day there was to be a large dinner party. That's when they showed up," he said with hate in his voice.
"When who showed up?" she asked softly.
"The Death Eaters. I didn't recognize all of them, but some of them I did. Lazlo Karkaroff was with them." She shuddered at the name and saw Viktor look at her strangely. "We had been at Durmstrang together, so I knew him from school. He was the one who did all the talking. They wanted me to join them. They knew that someone of my stature on their side would help with recruitment," he spoke with barely controlled fury. "I told them no, of course. Told them after what had happened to my grandfather with Grindelwald they had come to the wrong man, but they still tried. I ended up apparating away, but Lazlo followed me. He Obliviated me before we were through."
Viktor fell silent and Hermione didn't move as she tried to absorb what he had told her.
"Viktor, if you were Obliviated..."
"I know. I had no memory of this trip until about two days ago. It was late, I was in my flat and...I just remembered." Hermione looked at him incredulous, and then she realized what had happened.
"Oh Gods!" she exhaled. "That's when..."
"What?" Viktor asked as he came from the mantle to stand next to her.
"That's when Harry killed Lazlo Karkaroff," she said, her mouth dry as she was brought back to that memory; of Lazlo's blood on her and what he had tried to do.
"Harry killed him?" Viktor asked unnecessarily, his tone a mix of surprise and approval. "Then the memory charm must have been tied to him somehow."
"And when he died, it expired, allowing you to remember that weekend," Kingsley supplied.
"Do you know where the house is? Could you still find it?" she asked.
"I remember it, so the Fidelius hasn't changed. I should be able to," he confirmed.
"Good. We'll deal with that later then," Hermione said. "Don't worry Viktor, I won't let on about your involvement. No one will know where we got the information."
He had looked nervous and she assumed it was due to this.
"There is no need, Hermione. When I heard..." He hung his head and looked away and she was reminded of the young man who could barely talk to her back in fourth year. "I told Kingsley I would like to fight. He told me about Harry, and that you were running the department, and...I would like to help."
When he looked at her again she flushed and dropped her eyes. He still carried a torch for her. This was the last thing she wanted to deal with.
She didn't even care that Kingsley was there. "Viktor, you need to know that there have been some changes in my life since we last spoke," she said as diplomatically as possible. "Harry and I...we're together." She wished a hole would appear and swallow her up.
Viktor blinked once, then twice, and she was afraid she had broken him. "Oh, well, yes. Of course. I remember asking Harry about that during the Tri-Wizard Tournament," he said in a voice that was all too controlled and did not in the slightest way hide his embarrassment.
She couldn't find it in herself to correct his assumption that she and Harry were together back then. "I understand if you don't want to stay. We'll keep your secret. Kingsley obviously finds you a valuable asset to the Ministry."
"No," he said decisively. "I will fight. It is the right thing to do, is it not?" She could tell how difficult this was for him.
"If you're sure, then we're glad to have you. My teams are assembling now and we'll be leaving very soon," she said, and tried to keep her tone even and professional although she knew they all felt the tension that had filled the room.
"Is there anything else, Kingsley?" she asked.
"No, I would like to head down with you if you don't mind, to see everyone off." The way he said it made her know it was a reference to their earlier disagreement.
"Yes, Sir," she replied and rose to her feet. "We should leave," she said, and suddenly felt nervous.
Kingsley stood in front of her and grasped her shoulders. "You can do this. I wouldn't have appointed you Head in Harry's absence if I didn't think you could. You've handled the pressure more than adequately, and I know Harry will be by your side, where he belongs, very soon."
Her throat had tightened while he spoke, and although it probably wasn't wholly appropriate and threw all form of propriety out the window, she couldn't help it when she gave him one of her patented hugs. "Thank you, Kingsley," she whispered and then strode for the door, not even sure if Viktor was behind her or not.
The bullpen seemed to be under some sort of controlled chaos when she returned. Viktor had been quiet in the lift and she was grateful.
The teams that remained were about to apparate out, and she saw the rest of the Order as they waited for her return.
Viktor was a step behind to her right and no one said a thing as they came to a halt in front of them.
She cleared her throat once. "I'm sure you all remember Viktor Krum. He's provided some valuable information to the mission and has offered to help," she said succinctly. Fleur was the one that stepped forward and broke the silence. She greeted Viktor with enthusiasm and kissed both his cheeks. Bill shook his hand and Charlie followed suit.
Chelsea approached with the latest reports, which included a note from St. Mungo's. Harry's condition had improved and they expected him to wake any moment. She couldn't help the smile that stretched across her face, and she tucked the paper away into the pocket of her robes.
Kingsley appeared at her side. "Good news?" he asked, with a sly smile that made her think he knew exactly what she had just read.
"Very," she replied quietly.
When she looked up she saw Bill with a broad grin on his face, and she thought for a moment he somehow knew what the note had said, but she realized that wasn't possible. His attention wasn't on her though; it was focused on a point over her shoulder.
"What on earth are you..." she began as she turned to look.
At the end of the hall, she saw a familiar, lanky figure. It was Ron.
With a yelp that was completely undignified for the Head Auror she tore through the bullpen. He smiled when he saw her approach and stood still, as if he knew before she did that she would launch herself at him.
He caught her easily and she felt him shake his head at her exuberance.
She couldn't speak and just wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on. With a wet laugh she finally pulled back so she could see him properly. "You're alright?" she said wildly. "You're really alright?"
"Never better," he replied, and she hugged him again as the weight she'd been carrying was lifted from her chest. She wasn't alone anymore.
His eldest brothers and Fleur crowded around. Ginny and George had already gone ahead to the school, but the rest of the Weasley's were there. She was stuck in the middle and she couldn't care less. She slid down so her feet were on the floor again, but she retained a hold on him, even when Bill slapped his back and Charlie pulled him in for a one arm hug.
Fleur hugged him as well and kissed his cheeks and Ron didn't waste the opportunity to wrap his arm around her as well. "A bloke should get blown up in a lift more often if he ends up with two lovely birds like this." Fleur laughed and pushed off of him, but Hermione didn't move.
"You alright, Herms?" he asked seriously and she couldn't talk over the lump in her throat. He pulled her in tight again and she buried her face in his robes as she struggled not to have a complete and total breakdown.
When she thought she could speak, she looked up and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Have you had word on Harry?" she asked, her voice still choked. "Has he woken up yet? I wanted to be there, but there's been so much going on, and then we found out Macnair was going to attack at Beauxbatons and I had to put together the force, and there was no time to go to St. Mungo's..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Slow down," Ron said as he took her by the shoulders and pulled back so he could look at her properly. "He's better. He kind of woke up once and they think he'll be around soon. Hagrid hasn't left his side."
She nodded vigorously and bit her lip because she couldn't risk words.
Ron looked around for the first time and the bullpen jumped back into motion. Hermione felt her face flare as she realized everyone had witnessed her loss of composure. She straightened her robes and set her shoulders and made herself step back from Ron.
But Ron's attention wasn't on her. He stepped forward in front of her and then she heard him say, "Krum," in a hard voice.
"Ron," Viktor returned, and Hermione had to actually shove Ron to the side so she could stand next to him. She shot him a `What is wrong with you' look, and then turned back to Viktor.
"Viktor's brought us some intel and he's going to help defend Beauxbatons," Hermione explained, but Ron just nodded his head, his jaw clenched.
She had no idea what Ron's issue was, but she couldn't waste time with that now. She needed to bring Ron up to speed and they needed to get to France. Kingsley must have noticed her dilemma.
"The others could go ahead and you could take a few minutes to fill Ron in on what he's missed," he said, and she sent him a look of stark relief.
There were last minute instructions to give and then she pulled the portkeys out of the bag that Chelsea had brought to her. She handed different portkeys to different groups, made sure everyone knew exactly what they were doing, and wished them luck.
After the last team left, Kingsley headed back to his own office, and she and Ron were left in the almost empty bullpen. The department was down to a skeleton crew, mostly staffed by trainee Aurors or those on medical restriction.
She headed into the office and then turned on him. "What the bloody hell was that with Viktor?"
"Seriously, Hermione? Krum!" Ron said before he crossed the room to lean against the table. "Where has he been all this time? Where was he during the war? We haven't seen him since the wedding. Don't you find that a bit strange?"
She sighed heavily and leveled him with a glare. "Are you sure that's what this is about or are you still sore he asked me to the Yule Ball before you did?" she asked smugly and was pleased to see him get flustered.
"This has nothing to do with the Yule Ball, Hermione. That was years ago. We were children," he said unconvincingly.
"He's clean, Ron. He's been working for Kingsley for years, apparently," she said and saw Ron's eyebrows almost reach his hairline.
"Is he an Auror too, like Harry?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. More that he provides information that he gathers when he has it. Up until today, Kingsley was the only one that knew."
Ron was quiet for a long moment and then looked at her close. "How are you, really? Hagrid told me some; that Kingsley made you Head and you've been doing this all on your own while we've been out."
The concern in his voice was all it took and she pressed a hand across her mouth. "You need to stop asking me things like that Ron Weasley or I'm liable to have a complete meltdown."
"I'm sorry," he said simply, and she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"No more about how I'm doing, alright?" and patted a hand down the front of his robes.
She took twenty minutes to fill him in on everything she thought was pertinent. His eyes clouded in grief as she told him about the charm that killed Anderson and Yarborough and what she had done, but she brushed him off before he could push it further. By the time she had covered everything, he was caught somewhere between anger at not being there and disbelief at all that had happened.
They were about to leave when she remembered one more thing, and she walked him backwards until he was forced to sit in a chair.
"Ron, I need you to promise me something. I need you to promise me you'll hear me out and you won't react until I'm completely done." He looked at her in confusion but nodded his agreement.
"Did you know Ginny was seeing someone?" she asked slowly.
"Yeah, for awhile now, but she won't tell us who the bloke is. I've been trying to figure it out for ages," he said, still confused.
"Ok, well, what if I told you it was Draco Malfoy," she said as she winced and waited for the explosion.
Ron sat, emotionless. "What?" he said, his voice the only thing that betrayed him.
"She loves him Ron, and she says he's got information about the Death Eater's families, information that could prove useful. She says he wants to help..." She didn't get any further because the time bomb that sat in front of her finally detonated.
She'd never seen his face that red before. If it had been anyone else she would have worried their heart was about to explode.
Ron leapt to his feet. "Draco Effing Malfoy!" he exploded. "How is that even possible?! How could she be with that ferret! Does she even care what he did? What his family did? What this will do to Mum? He had the Dark Mark for Merlin's sake!"
He stalked the perimeter of the room, unable to sit still. He muttered under his breath. Most of it she couldn't hear, and she was grateful.
On his second full loop he stopped in front of her. "Malfoy?" he said again and she just nodded. "I just...I can't handle this right now. Can we just go to France so I can pretend that everyone on the other side is Malfoy?"
She didn't bother to admonish him. "She really loves him, Ron, and I think there's a chance this is for real." But he couldn't respond.
With a sigh she pulled the last portkey from the bag and looked at him. "You ready for this?" she asked.
"Are you?" he countered.
"Don't really have a choice," she replied with a touch more venom than she intended.
There was nothing left to say. They had a plan, they were as prepared as they would be, and they could only hope for the best. She patted down her pockets to make sure she had her potions kit and anything else she could need. With one last look at Ron she gave him a tight smile and activated the portkey.