Not Quite Dark Magic

Crucio

After the peace Hermione felt when returning from foraging, she should have known things couldn't be so steady without something happening.

The next week, while Pansy and Neville were patrolling a rumored Vampire club that Draco was having trouble confirming was an underground sex trafficking location, they came across a seriously injured Greengrass sister. Before completing their mission they had apparated back with her: a mistake.

Daphne Greengrass was so deeply hurt that the force of the apparition caused her already deep injuries to open even more. When they arrived at the London safe house they sent out an immediate Patronus for assistance.

Draco and Hermione were lounging on her bed, discussing the outcome of his most recent Death Eater meeting. They hadn't had the time to talk about what had happened the night Draco was drunk. Despite that they hadn't planned any attacks, the Order was quite busy and the Death Eaters even more so with the final battle plans. It was all coming to a close and everyone could feel it.

Nagini was still alive. For a while Harry was convinced Voldemort had created another Horcrux, but after a recent stint where he was sucked into his mind, Harry was sure that was no longer the case.

But things were different now than they had been at the Battle of Hogwarts. They couldn't storm the castle with no plans set. Five years into a war meant they had to prepare properly. Things were going into overdrive as everyone wrapped up their last minute plans.

They had more important things to discuss, and dynamics remained comfortable and easy between the two of them so Hermione wasn't concerned about rushing the conversation.

Hermione was laid back on her pillow, her feet propped up on Draco's lap as he leaned back against the wall her bed sat against. She was nearly asleep when it appeared. When the message had finished, they both jumped up and Draco immediately reached for Hermione's elbow just moments before she apparated them away.

When they arrived, Hermione's bare feet slamming onto the cold wood, Daphne was on the ground with blood spurting from an injury by her ribs.

Hermione only took a moment to assess Draco, watching as the color drained from his face before she fell into action.

"Someone needs to call Ron and Seamus," she said.

The infirmary was full of injured bodies after the safehouse in Surrey had been attacked the day before. No one knew how it was found, only that the secret keeper had disappeared mysteriously and any of the inhabitants that weren't dead were seriously injured.

Morale was low. Hermione wasn't sure how this development would assist in that.

"No Finnegan," Malfoy said. "Blaise can't handle this right now."

Hermione wanted to argue that Blaise needed to toughen the fuck up , but there was no time. She merely nodded.

Blood soaked her up to her elbows by the time Ron arrived, with Dean in tow. His arms were full of medical supplies, which he promptly dropped to the floor as he fell to his knees to assist.

"I heard screaming in your Patronus," he said, shooing Hermione out of the way as he cast a diagnostic over Daphne.

"She's lost too much blood," Hermione replied. She was eerily still, her pale face covered by her dirt ridden hair.

Ron and Dean worked silently. Hermione watched as Ron wandlessly sewed up her injuries, his brows drawn in focus. Dean worked on her lower half, pulling splinters out of her legs and healing superficial burns. She turned to Draco.

"What happened to her?"

His face was pale, but his eyes were clear. She could feel how much effort he was putting into keeping his shields up.