Old Moon Fades

Chapter Five: Reporters are Vultures

Coming out of a sleeping draught was not an entirely pleasant experience, but Hermione fought the muddled feeling and tried to regain her sense of self. What had happened? Where was she? The events of that morning came back to her suddenly. The familiarity of St. Mungo's was a great relief. It meant she wasn't dead. She had made it out alive. But, her body was telling her a completely different story.

Her head ached. Tentatively she reached up with a bandaged hand and felt of her skull. Chilled fingers met with thick gauze and tender flesh. The back of her head was still sore from the fall she had taken earlier in the day. Hermione didn't need to feel of her face to know that it was bruised and bloody and probably swelling. She winced as she tried rotating her jaw.

Noise from the hallway distracted her from her mental assessment of her injuries. Mediwitches were attempting to subdue Daily Prophet reporters clamoring to gain clearance to speak with her. Amongst the noise, the recognition of one voice grabbed her attention. It was Dumbledore.

In long dark purple robes he walked into the room with the calming presence of a saint. The twinkle that typically resided in the corner of his eye was gone. His face was gaunt and tired. It seemed it had been a long day for him too.

"Professor, are my parents alright?"

Dumbledore nodded his head and informed her that they were indeed alright and were safely being taken care of on the fourth floor, Spell Damage. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had not been permanently injured and with time would most likely heal completely from their wounds. Relief flooded through her. She clamped her eyes closed to hold back the tears of joy. They were alive. Knowing that they were safe gave Hermione a renewed sense of wellbeing. When she opened her eyes again Dumbledore was watching her intently. She knew that he was just as curious about what had happened as the reporters were outside.

Quickly and efficiently he questioned her as to what exactly had happened in the underground chamber of Malfoy Manor. He was particularly interested in what had happened between Malfoy and his father. She told him that Lucius Malfoy had wanted his son to kill her as part of his initiation. She went on to say that Malfoy hadn't been able to do it and had even said no. She told of the fight that had ensued between the two of them but still Malfoy couldn't bring himself to actually kill her. She didn't mention what Lucius Malfoy had said about his son's true parentage.

Dumbledore conjured a chair next to her cot and sat down, his hand tugging on his snowy beard. Deep in thought, she thought for a moment that he had forgotten her. He came out of his reverie quite slowly and his eyes moved back toward her. Looking deep into her soul, she could feel him probing, questioning her mind. When he spoke his voice was chilled and almost pensive.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell me, Ms. Granger?"

The words were on the tip of her tongue. Hermione wanted to tell him. She wanted to set the burden of Malfoy's secret down at Dumbledore's feet. She wanted to. But, she couldn't, or wouldn't. She didn't want to think which one of those it was. The thought that she would keep a secret for Malfoy willingly, and not under the influence of a curse, was completely shocking to her. And, still Dumbledore was looking at her as if he knew what she wasn't telling him. Somehow she knew that it was impossible to keep a secret from him. After several minutes the inner battle Hermione was fighting with herself about whether to tell him or not ended.

Dumbledore sighed audibly and shook his head minutely back and forth. When he looked at her again the invasive feeling she had felt moments before was gone. A small smile played on his face as he turned the conversation to less bothersome topics. He reached into one of the deep pockets of his purple robes and produced several chocolate frogs that he spread on the thin cotton blanket covering Hermione's legs. She reached down and unwrapped one, catching the frog before it hopped away. Popping a leg into her mouth, she listened as Dumbledore settled more comfortably into his chair and filled her in as to the mornings' news.

Apparently the information of her disappearance had become public knowledge and the fact that Draco Malfoy had been arrested only served to fuel the gossip that was now running rampant in the city. Though the details were very vague, the general backbone of the rumor was quite accurate. Hermione Granger had been abducted from her home by the escaped Death Eaters who were fulfilling the orders of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Draco Malfoy was being held in custody by the Ministry of Magic for reasons unknown. The fact that Lucius Malfoy was dead seemed to still be a secret.

Even now the reporters were swarming around her hospital room like vultures. Their heads were bobbing trying to peek through the little window in her door. Mediwitches in their bright green uniforms scurried about attempting to shoo them away while still going about their own business. Dumbledore smiled a hollow smile as they watched the scene unfold outside the door. One errant photographer was especially persistent and managed to barge his way through the barricade all the way to the door. The handle was rattling as he tried to force himself through the magical barriers that Dumbledore had effortlessly placed around the room upon his arrival. Hermione imagined that he had placed Silencing spells on the room as well. She watched as the mediwitches gathered around the photographer and escorted him away.

After several minutes of comfortable silence, Dumbledore stood from his chair. It vanished into the air as he walked calmly toward the door. The twinkle that had been absent for much of their meeting was back, flickering brightly. The corners of his mouth turned up in a half smile.

"I'm sure you will be pleased to know, Ms. Granger, that you surpassed even my own expectations this past year and have earned yourself an astounding number of OWL's. Maybe that knowledge will bring you a small bit of comfort in the midst of all this disorder." With that said, Dumbledore turned from the room and walked out into the chaos of the hallway.

As the door opened camera flashbulbs went off like fireflies. Hermione sank back into the pillows a small smile playing on her face. She bit the other leg off the chocolate frog and nibbled on it. The collectible card lay face down on the blanket. Idly, she flipped it over still thinking about her OWL results. The wizard card was labeled Paracelsus. The quiet wizard smiled up at her and said, "Congratulations!" The thought that she should save it to give to Ron crossed her mind and she slipped it into her pocket.

* * *

Ron was going spare with worry and rivaled even Mrs. Weasley in nerves. When the news came that Hermione was alright and that she was at St. Mungo's, he thought he was going to cry tears of happiness. He and Harry had still been in the garden when Tonks showed up shaken and more than a little unnerved. When they heard the crack that accompanied Apparation, they ran from the garden into the house to investigate.

Tonks stood in the kitchen surrounded by the red-haired Weasley clan. Without giving away too much classified information she informed everyone that Hermione was safe and that she had been at Malfoy Manor as predicted. The fact that Lucius Malfoy was dead seemed to be the greatest shock to all of them. Ron's mother sat down hard in a kitchen chair and Ron stood immobile as he let the implications slowly sink in. Just as they had begun to process that small bit of information, Tonks laid the knowledge of the younger Malfoy's arrest at their feet.

Ron immediately turned a vivid red and let loose a string of curses that even his mother was unable to process at the moment. His words went unheeded however as Tonks elaborated on the reasons for his arrest. Malfoy had killed his father. He had saved Hermione and was on his way to Azkaban as far as any of the Order knew.

"That's a lie."

The words were out before he had thought them. Tonks suddenly turned toward him in shock as if realizing for the first time that he was there, that any of them were there. Molly stood up quickly and gathered her tattered shawl about her shoulders.

"Ronald! How dare you insult Nymphadora! And, you not even being there to know what happened!" Molly had pulled herself to her full height and was throwing daggers at her youngest son with her eyes.

Ron mumbled an apology but continued to grumble under his breath. If anyone heard him they didn't comment on it. The discussion continued on but switched to where the other Death Eaters may possibly be hiding. Ron wanted to listen in and try to glean as much information as possible out of the conversation, but found that he couldn't concentrate. He finally gave up and left the room walking back out to the garden to mull things over.

Harry and Ginny followed him out shortly. Harry stayed where he was by the door while Ginny moved to sit down on a low bench. Unceremoniously she plucked leaves off of a short shrub and twisted them between her fingers grinding them to a juicy green pulp. Neither of them dared make eye-contact with Ron for fear of setting him off. Finally it was Ron who broke the silence.

"I don't believe it. Harry, you remember what that slimy git said second year. He hoped she died. There is no way he'd save her given the chance." Ron howled his frustration.

Harry nodded his head but didn't say anything.

Ginny apparently felt brave enough to venture, "All we can do now is wait to hear from Hermione and hopefully find out what really happened there. The only people who know what went on in that room are Malfoy and Hermione now."