In the Hands of Outlaws

Chapter Fifteen

"Harry, this is preposterous! New York? Do you remember what happened the last time we were in New York?"

"I remember plenty well, Hermione."

"Then why the hell are we going back? The bounties on our heads-"

"We're not gonna enter the city. We'll leave him with a horse outside the city and then turn around."

"And the patrols? We've got bounty hunters on our hides now more than ever! Look, I like the kid, but all this... We could end up dead, Harry. Do you want to be lynched?"

"Mione, I understand your worry, but we need to head that way anyways, remember? What's wrong with droppin' the kid off on the way?"

"Thank you, Ron."

-

Harry wasn't lying. Everyone was moving around when Draco exited the infirmary tent, the men packing up items into carriages and wagons while the women took care of the horses and occasionally assisted the men. 

Draco did his best to help, but with his busted arm, he couldn't do all too much. 

"Don't worry about it," Hermione spoke, though her smile was clearly forced, after he confronted her about wanting to help. "We've packed up and moved before. We can manage."

"But-" Draco tried to protest, but she was already walking away, yelling orders to some younger girl.

A hand rested on Draco's right shoulder- thankfully not his busted one, and he turned to see an older looking woman with fiery red hair. "Don't take it personally hun, she's just stressed."

He frowned. "I didn't think me wanting to go home would cause... All of this. I've only been here for a week."

"Well, Harry... He's something else. He sees someone in trouble, he helps."

"I guess- I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met. What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Molly! I'm the mother to all these rambunctious redheads you see running around."

"All of them?" Draco questioned, looking around, trying to count them.

Ron, Fred and George, the young redhead girl and three older looking boys.

"Yep. Well, Arthur behind us-" Molly turned Draco's head to point at another man, also redhead, "that's my husband."

"No offense, ma'am, but you have a lot of kids."

Molly laughed. "I do indeed. Do you have any siblings, dear?"

Draco shook his head. "Just me. I have a cousin, but he lives in Vermont and haven't seen him in a while."

"That sounds lonely."

Draco shrugged. "I suppose. Is there anything I can help you with that... Yknow... Doesn't involve two hands?"

Molly laughed again, smiling gently at him. "No dear, you just sit tight."

-

By nightfall, the entire area was cleared out. Except for the worn foot paths and the charcoal of previous campfires, nothing was left behind, and Harry was helping Draco up into the back of a wagon. Ginny, Neville, Luna, Molly and Arthur- Molly's husband- hopped into the back with him.

There were three carriages, from what Draco could tell- if they could be called carriages, being simply horse-pulled wagons with a simple canopy over the top, and two additional wagons without the canopy overhead. 

The two without canopies held the materials and supplies, and the three with canopies held both people and supplies. Between the feet of the people sitting on the benches along the sides of the wagon were boxes and crates and trunks, supposedly full of personal belongings. Draco's belongings were somewhere in a train station 'lost and found' or already ransacked by some undeserving prick. Draco shuddered at the idea of a disgusting low-life putting on his clothes and selling his personal belongings. 

Draco blinked, suddenly remembering that he was surrounded by low-lives. Criminals. Thieves. Murderers. 

He glanced around at the faces around him. They sure didn't look like killers- not in the way that Morvolo's men did. 

Arthur looked perfectly sophisticated, his hair done up neatly and and a briefcase tucked between his legs, Molly looked like... Well, a farmhouse mother, with a skirt and blouse and an apron tied permanently around herself, her hair wild and curly and her face speckled with a bit of dirt, like she'd just got done wrestling all of her boys inside. 

Neville looked like the type of people Draco had seen at the library back in New York- bookish, timid and more interested in learning than picking up their father's political or business positions. Luna was spotless, with her pale skin, white-blond hair- not too far from his own- pulled into two braids with a feather tucked behind her ear, her pale purple/gray eyes looking dreamy and otherworldly.  Ginny looked... Well, scary. Even riding in the back of the carriage, she wore a scowl and had her hand on her pistol and holster the entire time. In a weird way, she reminded him of his mother when she was fed up with Draco acting out for attention. 

"Move!" A sudden shout came, and Draco jumped slightly when the carriage lurched into motion, the wheels creaking as they began to roll. 

"Well," Molly said, grinning as she clasped her hands politely over her lap. "Y'all ready for a trip?"

For Vanya because I forgot this story existed; sorry for the short chapter though, my schedule is so busy rn :sob: