Old Moon Fades

Old Moon Fades

Chapter 9: Aftermath

Hermione stayed in the small antechamber off of Courtroom 10 until the end of the hearing, though she didn't hear the outcome. Shortly after its conclusion, Mr. Weasley came back round to collect her. The two of them made their way through the gathering throng of reporters and gossipers converging upon the Ministry and finally down the lifts to the Atrium. It was absolute chaos on that level, with witches and wizards of every age running about like mad trying to catch a glimpse of something of interest. When someone spotted Hermione and Mr. Weasley there was shouting and flashbulbs, and people began crowding closer and closer. The pair hastily made their way to the 'Departure' fireplaces located along one wall, attempting to make their escape back to the Burrow. They were stopped several times by wizards eager to pose questions or shout comments about the case. Hermione thought she would be blinded by the cameras flashing in her face. Finally, Mr. Weasley had had enough and turned to face the crowd of gossipmongers.

He slowly took his hat from his head and nervously addressed the assembled mass, "On behalf of Ms. Hermione Granger, I would like to share my gratitude for the amount of support and concern you all have shown her during this stressful time. But I must ask that you please respect Ms. Granger's weakened state as she is still recovering from this much publicized ordeal. I also ask that you let me do my duty as her temporary guardian and escort her home where she can recover in safety and quietude," there were still mumblings and the occasional question thrown out, to which Mr. Weasley simply raised his hand for quiet once more. "I am sure that the Ministry soon plans on making some kind of formal statement as to what exactly went on at Malfoy Manor, but right now I feel I would be better served if I do my duty as guardian and take Ms. Granger home to recuperate."

Mr. Weasley spun around quickly and took Hermione's arm as they took the final steps to the fireplaces. She looked up at him, mouth agape, and followed close behind him. She could still feel the stares and cameras at her back, but chose to ignore them. It had been such a long day and her emotions had completely drained out of her system. All she wanted was to go to the Burrow, drink a nice hot cup of tea, or maybe even some butterbeer, and sit by the fire chatting with Harry and Ron about, well... anything. Mr. Weasley gestured toward the fireplace and told her she should go first and that he would follow after discovering the results of the hearing. He held the jug of floo powder out to her. She stepped into the fireplace and reached into the proffered jug and took a small handful out before throwing it at her feet and saying the words, "The Burrow!"

Gracelessly she fell forward into the Weasley kitchen. Hermione stood slowly and winced. Her back and arms were still sore and the simple act of standing left her tired and breathless. Almost immediately she was attacked in a ferocious hug by Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley smelled of wheat and baking. It was nice to feel a motherly body holding her close. The reminder of her parent's condition did nothing to soothe her mood and she clung to Mrs. Weasley for a moment longer than was necessary. If Mrs. Weasley noticed, she didn't say anything. In fact, she seemed to take this as a sign of encouragement and after dropping the embrace she still kept an arm about Hermione's shoulders. Harry, Ron, and Ginny had all come into the kitchen at the sound of her arrival and were waiting to greet her. Like before, Ginny was the most eager to hug her and ask if she was alright. Harry was next, and in his reserved manner he asked how the hearing went. Ron seemed most reluctant to greet her. He said "hello" but looked down at her feet before meeting her eyes. When he did so, he promptly looked away. Ron was never very good at concealing his emotions and Hermione immediately wanted to find out what was wrong. She couldn't remember saying anything to cause him to be angry with her. But, at the same time, she thought that possibly his disinclination had something to do with a completely different emotion. She vowed to herself to question Ginny about it before confronting Ron.

Mrs. Weasley softly pushed the four of them out of the kitchen and offered to bring them some tea up in Ron and Harry's room. Hermione nodded and let herself be led up the stairs and down the hall. She sat down in the chair while Ginny perched on Ron's desk. Harry and Ron sat down on their respective beds. She glazed over the details of her encounter with Malfoy before in the antechamber and then gave a thorough account of the hearing. They talked for some time, the only interruption being Mrs. Weasley's arrival with the tea. They were left alone again for a little while longer before she returned and sent them all to bed.

The time until school started passed rather quickly and uneventfully for Hermione. The only moment that posed any sort of distraction had come when she had gone to St. Mungo's to visit her parents. While they were still comatose, she felt it her duty to see them regularly whether they knew she was there or not. On the first of these visits she and Ginny had been dropped off at the hospital by Mr. Weasley on his way to work. It was only a few days after the hearing and Hermione was still trying to keep a low profile. They had made their way cautiously to the fourth floor, the Spell Damage ward. The only problem was that Mr. and Mrs. Granger weren't there.

Her nerves already shot, Hermione practically flew to the mediwitches' desk. The witch was young and the bright green robes were not her color. She looked up at Hermione from her copy of that morning's Daily Prophet, recognition of Hermione's identity evident on her face.

"Where are my parents?" the tension and fear made her voice crack and she felt Ginny reach over and grab her hand in support.

The mediwitch looked at her in confusion at first and then in realization. She glanced down at a parchment lying on the desk and ran a finger down it slowly. When she spoke she seemed almost conspiratorial and leaned forward in her chair elbows propping up her upper torso. "We got an anonymous owl right after the hearing requesting that the Grangers be moved into a private suite," she smiled almost slyly before Hermione interrupted her.

"But who would do such a thing? It certainly wasn't me!"

The mediwitch leaned back again in her chair and glanced down at her nails before replying, "There was quite a large sum of money included with the letter. I've got it somewhere around here. Would you like to see it?"

Hermione nodded quickly. The witch dug through the desk before finally pulling it out of the drawer reverently. She reluctantly handed it over to Hermione's waiting hands. It was quickly pocketed.

The witch was looking longingly at the letter so Hermione had to repeat herself when she asked what room her parents were now in.

"Room number 12. It's just down the hall," the witch replied, but Hermione and Ginny were already making their way down the corridor.

They opened the door to the room and were engulfed in brilliant sunlight. Bright curtains filtered sunlight through the windows lining an entire wall of the room. There was a plush sofa and several chairs arranged on a thick pile rug in the center of the room. Hermione's parents occupied the only two beds in the room. The only other inhabitant was a mediwitch who greeted them cheerily before saying that she would give them some time alone with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

Hermione went to her mother's bedside and clasped her hand. Though she was still in a coma, Hermione felt better about herself knowing that she had indeed visited. She then walked to her father's side and kissed his cheek in greeting. She then joined Ginny on the sofa.

Ginny looked eagerly over at her and asked, "So, who do you think sent the letter? Dumbledore, perhaps?"

"Maybe..." Hermione was skeptical however and slowly opened the letter. The handwriting was crisp and elegant. The sentences were clear and to the point. Each word looked carefully controlled, but the handwriting was vaguely familiar to her. She looked down on it, reading it over and over. There was no signature at the bottom.

"Who sent it?" Ginny asked, quietly peering over her shoulder.

"Malfoy."

Ginny gaped at her in shock, clearly thinking that Hermione had it wrong this time. Hermione looked back up at her friend debating whether or not to tell her what had really happened with Malfoy. But, she was too afraid of what the truth would do. So, she opted for the easy way out. Hermione told Ginny everything that had happened with Malfoy, except that Lucius Malfoy wasn't really his father. She told Ginny in detail of their confrontation before the hearing and of how troubled and upset he had been. She had left these things out in her telling to Ron and Harry. Ginny let her talk without interruption, but when Hermione finished she bombarded her with questions. She had been especially curious about him calling back to Hermione and saying "please." They spent the next few minutes debating what the implications of it could mean. By the time Mr. Weasley came back round to collect them, they were even more confused than ever before.

Hermione held Ginny back for just moment as Mr. Weasley walked ahead. She grabbed her friend's hand and pleaded with her not to tell Ron or Harry about what had really happened. Ginny quickly agreed and the two of them followed Mr. Weasley out of St. Mungo's and back to the Burrow.

That next week the school supply lists came by owl post as did the results of O.W.L.'s and the delightful news that Ginny was to be made Gryffindor fifth year prefect. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione both cheered when Ginny told them. The three of them danced around the kitchen and Hermione felt for the first time since school let out that things might actually return back to normal.

Ron still wouldn't talk to her unless she prodded him. She planned on getting to the bottom of his feelings once the term started. She wouldn't admit, even to herself, that maybe she was just putting it off. Harry spent quite a bit of time locked up in his and Ron's room. The death of Sirius still weighed heavy on his heart. He blamed himself even if logically he knew that it wasn't his own fault. Until he could see that, he was bound to be miserable. So, Ginny and Hermione spent the bulk of the end of summer together. They laughed as friends do, discussed the upcoming school year, and eventually Ginny confessed to Hermione her feelings for Harry.

Sooner than they had imagined it, the time came for them to venture to King's Cross and from there board the Hogwart's Express. Mr. Weasley borrowed a magically enlarged Ministry car to take the group into London. After shrinking all the trunks and loading them into the boot, they made their way through the city streets and finally to the station.

They took turns entering Platform 9 ¾ and then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley joined them to see them off. Mrs. Weasley hugged Hermione last and wished her well. She promised that she would continue to visit Hermione's parents at St. Mungo's until they were released and would keep her informed of their wellbeing. Wiping a tear from her eye Hermione hugged Mrs. Weasley back fiercely and then turned quickly to join her friends boarding the train.

They made their way to the last compartment and settled their things. Neville Longbottom quickly joined them. There had been some hysteria when Hermione boarded the train and this only proved to her that the summer's events would be on the forefront of everyone's minds at the start of term. Lavender Brown had practically bowled her over outside the platform just as she was saying goodbye to Mrs. Weasley. Immediately Hermione recognized that Lavender was only partially interested in the state of her health, and more than anything wanted to acquire some juicy gossip to share with the other sixth year girls. The Patil twins stood several feet away watching carefully, ears trained on the conversation that wasn't going the way Lavender intended. Hermione calmly told Lavender off and boarded the train. She could hear Parvati ask her friend what she had said to irritate Hermione.

Sitting in the train compartment surrounded by her close friends should have brought comfort, and on some superficial level it did. But, she still felt awkward even though they were her friends. She wasn't the same Hermione anymore. Not after everything that had happened that summer. Her secrets weighed heavy on her heart, but she knew that it wasn't her place to tell anyone Malfoy's secret. Even mentioning it casually to her closest friends would prove only to be disastrous. Ginny might understand and sympathize but Hermione knew that no matter what, neither Harry nor Ron could ever accept the fact that Malfoy wasn't a threat anymore. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He was still a threat but not in the same way. She knew even if no one else did that he was now going to be just as much of a target as Harry. Lucius Malfoy's dying words had been threats, hadn't they? Or maybe a warning. Whatever they were, the truth was that Malfoy wasn't the same either. That was the secret that most scared her. She knew. He knew that she knew. What could that possibly mean for her over the course of the year? She didn't want to keep secrets from her friends, but for some reason she felt compelled to keep this one. Why though? Why now? Why Malfoy?

"HERMIONE!" Ginny sat looking at her curiously from across the compartment. Ron and Harry and even Neville were eying her oddly as Ginny continued, "Have you been listening? It's about time for us to go up to the prefects' cart for the first meeting."

"Oh! Right. Sorry, I must have been daydreaming," Hermione replied quickly. Her voice betrayed her unease and Ginny looked at her more intently while Neville shrugged it off and continued looking out the window.

"Well, let's go then. Before they start without us," Ginny stood up and looked at Hermione and Ron expectantly. Reluctantly Ron rose and Hermione followed him and Ginny out of the compartment and down to the prefects' cart.

The prefects' cart was steadily filling with the current year's prefects. After several minutes, the only prefect missing in attendance was Malfoy. She immediately remembered that he had planned on spending the remainder of the summer at Hogwart's. She glanced over at Pansy Parkinson who was sitting with the other Slytherin prefects. Pansy caught her looking and glared back. It was different than it had been before. The hate was no longer shallow or even well-concealed. Hermione could feel Pansy's hatred of her permeating the compartment but she met her gaze and returned it. She didn't want things to be this way. In fact she rather hoped that Malfoy's change of heart would lead the other Slytherins to follow suit.

The schedule of rounds was passed around to the group. Hermione glanced down at hers and saw that she still had all her rounds with Ron. Maybe that time would give her the opportunity to confront him about everything. She felt Ron's gaze upon her and shyly smiled over at him. He looked away but slowly returned it. The meeting was soon concluded and they made their way back to the last compartment.

Shortly thereafter the train deposited them in Hogsmeade and the students began filing into the carriages. It was strange how she could now see the Thestrals. When they had all gone to the Ministry she hadn't been able to see them. She had ridden one so far above the ground. It had been a peculiar feeling to fly so high above the ground and seemingly have nothing to support herself. Somehow, it was even more eerie to see them now and to know the real reason why she was suddenly able to see them.

The prefects stood aside and helped the first years into the boats. Hagrid was there and eagerly made his way to where Hermione and the others stood. They spoke briefly, Hagrid had to hurry away to take the first years up to the school. Eventually, everyone was situated and they all climbed into the carriage Harry and Neville saved for them.

With every turn of the carriage wheels beneath them, Hermione felt a growing sense of nervous tension. The closer they got to Hogwarts, the more nervous she felt. Ginny noticed and reached over and patted her knee. Hermione looked up in thanks and then back out the window at the approaching castle. It was silent in the carriage. The noises from other carriages drifted to her. Laughing. Idle Chatter. Singing. It was unnerving in the awkward quiet of their carriage.

They pulled to a stop just outside the castle. Everyone got out of the carriage and made their way into the Great Hall for the Welcome Speech and the Sorting. By now Hermione was wringing her hands in anxiety. Malfoy would be there, Malfoy and the other junior Death Eaters.

The large doors swung open and the group made their way to the Gryffindor table. She didn't look over at the Slytherin table. She wouldn't. Not yet. Not now. She berated her cowardice but still she wouldn't look. She sat down next to Ginny and across from Ron and Harry. Neville settled in on Ginny's other side.

Dumbledore and the other professors sat at the Head Table gazing down at the students. The Sorting began but Hermione paid no notice. Soon Dumbledore was standing and giving the Welcome Speech. After first outlining the rules for the first years he continued on about the need for House unity. He made no specific mention of the events of that summer, and for that Hermione was grateful. It was then that she chanced a glance over at the Slytherin table.

At first she couldn't pick him out of the group of students lining both sides of the table. She saw Crabbe and Goyle. Pansy Parkinson and Milicent Bulstrode were there as were Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. But where was Malfoy? Typically he would be seated in the middle of the throng. He was, after all, the prince of Slytherin and he held court over the other students.

Finally she spotted him. He sat at the end of the table far away from his friends. He didn't look at them. It was then that she also began to notice the little things that she had missed only moments ago. Pansy Parkinson would look askance at him every once in a while. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to not know what to do. It was Theodore Nott that seemed to be keeping them in place.

Hermione tried to recall what the Daily Prophet had said about the end of the hearing and couldn't. She nudged Ginny and asked quietly, so as not to attract anyone's notice, what exactly had the Daily Prophet said about the hearing. Ginny turned as red as her brother did when put on the spot and looked guiltily back at her.

"Mum had Dad throw them away before you could see them. She didn't want you to be any more upset than you already were," she said quickly before digging back into her meal.

Hermione was livid. She glared at Ron and Harry from across the table. Ron felt her gaze first and dropped a biscuit as it made its way to his mouth. Harry took notice of this and looked toward Hermione as well.

"Did you both know that they were hiding the paper from me? Were you in on it too?" her voice was taut and inflexible. Ron looked quickly at Harry and then to Ginny. Harry didn't meet her eyes.

She took this as answer enough and promptly stood up from the table. She didn't bother saying goodnight to her friends before marching out of the Great Hall regardless of the stares of all the other students. She had made it all the way to the portrait of the Fat Lady before she realized that she didn't know the password.

She was angry, not only at Ginny and the others, but also for herself for refusing to deal with the entire ordeal. It wasn't like her not to keep up on the current events; especially ones directly involving herself. What had happened after she left the hearing?

The library. Madame Pince would keep old copies of the paper there in the reserves section. While everyone else was still at the feast she could read in peace and hopefully discern why exactly Malfoy was sitting all alone. She made it to the library in relatively good time. It was deserted just as she had predicted. The reserves section was along one side wall on the far left of the library. In the dark it was hard to see but eventually she spotted them. The Daily Prophets were stacked next to other wizarding papers. The Quibbler was there, as was Witch Weekly. Hermione had just found the paper for the day after the hearing when she heard a noise behind her. She spun around and reached for her wand.

"Who's there?"

"Relax, Granger. You'd think that after I tried to kill you that you'd settle down a bit around me," the sarcasm in his voice immediately put her on guard.

"Malfoy."

She had only seen him once since her kidnapping. But in that one time she had thought that maybe they had come to some sort of an agreement. Maybe they weren't friends but she certainly didn't think of him as an enemy anymore. From the way he was looking at her now however, she thought that she maybe she should seriously reconsider that assessment.