By the time Hermione found herself at the Burrow, she struggled to find the girl she had been before becoming Couteau – a process that had been happening for longer than she’d realized.

Hermione Granger would have never been marked by the Dark Lord.

Hermione Granger would have never accepted a weapon from him.

Hermione Granger would have never threatened or tortured a Death Eater.

Hermione Granger would have never agreed to kill Albus Dumbledore.

But she had.

And now, seated at the bustling table overflowing with food and red hair Weasleys, she found she struggled to find that young woman who was full of hope and light.

Before she had left the Manor, she and the boys had stayed up late into the night discussing their plans for the mission. Blaise knew of a vanishing cabinet that had been moved to a secret room in the castle – presumably the room of requirement – after the Weasley twins shoved Graham Montague into it last year. He figured it was the perfect means of leaving the castle to report to the Dark Lord, so they immediately agreed to locate its twin and learn how to fix it.

Fixing the vanishing cabinet was something that excited both Blaise and Theo greatly due to their shared interests in curse breaking and warding. Theo’s father owned a vanishing cabinet that his grandfather had used during Grindelwald’s time as a means of escape if their Manor was ever attacked. He and Draco, therefore, made a plan to sneak into Nott Manor sometime during the rest of the summer Holiday in order to find texts that could help them with the cabinet.

As far as Dumbledore, they all disagreed. Theo and Draco seemed to think it could be as easy as sending him a cursed object or poison laced drink, but Blaise and Hermione agreed it had to be done in more stealth. Dumbledore was too powerful of a wizard to be caught by surprise by something as simple as poison. She was sure she would have to be used as a pawn if her cover was still secure enough. Draco hated the idea of using Hermione in that way and the four of them had descended into bickering. So, she’d left the Manor at a bit of a stalemate, though she continued to plan with them via her two-way journal.

“Are you all right, dear?” Mrs. Weasley asked kindly, eyeing Hermione’s still full plate of roast, peas, and mash.

Hermione shook herself slightly and gave the woman a tight smile.

“Sorry, Mrs. Weasley. I’m just a bit tired,” Hermione said, rubbing her eyes.

It was true. Since coming to the Burrow it had been difficult to sleep as Draco could not be with her. She had become accustomed all too quickly to the warmth of his body and the secure feeling of his heavy arm slung over her waist.

The Weasley matriarch gave her a maternal smile before turning to scold Fred for using his spoon as a catapult to project peas at Ron. Under the tumult, Ginny reached to scoop up a forkful of Hermione’s mash.

“Or else mum will continue to pester you,” Ginny said with a grin, popping a piece of her roast into her mouth next.

Hermione’s smile this time was much more genuine.

“Thanks, Gin… how’s your summer been?” She hadn’t had much time to speak to her before now, with how much Ginny was practicing her chasing skills for the upcoming quidditch season.

Ginny threw her sheet of red hair over her shoulder, her eyes skimming her family before landing back on Hermione.

“It’s been fine…” she said in a quiet voice.

Hermione’s brows pulled together.

“Just fine?”

Ginny shrugged.

“Mum keeps making comments about me and Harry, saying we would be a good match.”

Hermione groaned while Ginny scooped up another forkful of mash.

“She also has made some comments about you and Ron, so stay on your guard, yeah? Ron had quite the look in his eye last time she brought it up.”

Instead of her usual irritation, this time anger bubbled in her chest. She had thought she’d made it clear to Ron before the end of the year that she wasn’t interested in him like that. But from the heated way his blue eyes suddenly caught hers as he shoved an overlarge piece of roast in his mouth, that obviously wasn’t the case.

Nausea circled her stomach at the sight. Ever since the Yule Ball Ron had acted hot and cold towards her. One day treating her as a pariah and the next as if she were a possession he alone knew the value of.

She couldn’t stop thinking about it as she settled into bed that night. When she finally did fall asleep, it was only to dream of hazy images of a faceless Ron holding her down, surrounded by a circle of red candles. In the dream she thrashed and screamed as her body began to burn, as if her magic rejected his touch.

She’d looked all around her in the dark room before her eyes caught on the red and gold hangings that surrounded them… the Gryffindor common room. And behind her, with an arm banded around her waist, was Harry, whispering into her ear in a cold voice as his fingertips bit into her skin:

“This is for the best. This is meant to be. This is who you are .”

When she woke the next morning, it was to find Ginny cuddled up beside her, her red hair sprawled across the pillow they shared and one of her arms draped over Hermione’s middle. Her face felt sore and her cheeks stiff, as if she’d been crying in her sleep.

“Gin…” Hermione whispered as the red head slowly blinked her eyes open. “I’m so sorry…”

Ginny stared at Hermione for a long time before giving her a sad smile.

“I know, Hermione.”

Hermione nodded, a feeling of shame swirling through her that she’d woken her friend with her nightmares.

“I’ll cast a silencing charm around the bed tonight before I go to sleep, just in case.”

Ginny shook her head, reaching to press her hand to Hermione’s cheek, rubbing her thumb against the dried tears.

“No, Hermione… I know .”

Hermione blinked at her, her heart beginning a punishing rhythm inside her chest. There were so many things Ginny could know – so many dangerous things. And not just dangerous for Hermione. Dangerous for Draco, Theo, Blaise, for Ginny .

“What… what do you mean?”

Gently, Ginny touched the charmed bracelet Hermione never took off. Then, she slid her hand higher to the glamoured Dark Mark. Hermione hissed involuntarily in pain, pulling her arm back from her warm fingertips.

“I know about you and Draco,” she whispered. “I know about your position with… with…” Ginny appeared to steel herself before continuing. “With the Dark Lord.”