janus ~ hermione granger

lxxx

after some arguing, the others had convinced a reluctant harry potter to go visit xenophilius lovegood, due to hermione and phoebe finding another sign.

"it's weird, being this near, but not going to visit," ron said.

they were on a breezy hillside, where they had an excellent view on the village of ottery st. catchpole.

"weren't you here for christmas?" hermione raised an eyebrow.

"no," ron scoffed, "do you think i was going to go back there and tell them i'd walked out on you? and that i dragged phoebe with me? fred and george would've been great about it, and ginny, she'd have been really understanding."

"let's also not forget the fact that we're together now," phoebe muttered under her breath, causing the red-head to beam.

"where have you two been, then?"

"bill and fleur's new place. shell cottage. bill's always been decent to me. he--he wasn't impressed when he heard what i'd done, but he didn't go on about it. he knew i was really sorry. none of the rest of the family know we were there. bill told mum he and fleur weren't going home for christmas because they wanted to spend it alone. you know, first holiday after they were married. i don't think fleur minded. you know how much she hates celestina warbeck."

they walked over the top of the hill and maddy snorted to herself.

"remember when she fancied me?"

hermione glared in her direction, not knowing exactly where maddy was due to the charm she was using. nonetheless, the taylor girl cowered.

"do you think it's theirs, and they've gone away for christmas?" hermione peered through the window of a small, deserted cottage.

"listen, i've got a feeling you'd be able to tell who lived there if you looked through the lovegood's window. let's try the next lot of hills."

so, they disapparated a few miles further north, and ron shouted, pointing towards a strange looking house.

"that's got to be luna's house, who else would live in a place like that? it looks like a giant rook!"

"it's nothing like a bird," hermione frowned at the tower.

"i was talking about a chess rook. a castle to you."

the five ran up the hill, maddy reaching there first since she apparated.

"it's theirs," she grinned, becoming visible and nodding over to three hand painted signs that confirmed the residents of the home.

"you'd better take off the invisibility cloak, harry. it's you mister lovegood wants to help, not us," harry did as suggested.

not even ten seconds after phoebe knocked, xenophilius lovegood opened the door.

"what? what is it? who are you? what do you want?" he cried, stopping when he looked at the twins and harry.

"hello, mister lovegood," harry held out his hand, "i'm harry, harry potter."

but the blonde didn't take his hand. instead, his gaze lingered between harry's scar and maddy's covered dark mark.

"would it be ok if we came in? there's something we'd like to ask you."

"i--im not sure that's advisable. rather a shock, my word, im afraid i don't really think i ought to-"

"it won't take long."

"i--oh, alright then. come in, quickly. quickly!"

as soon as they made it over the threshold, he slammed the door shut, and the twins shared a look.

they sensed something was wrong.

the two ignored the rooms, focused on figuring out what mister lovegood was up to.

"excuse me," he said, striding over to the machine that was making a bunch of noise. "why have you come here?" he turned to harry.

"mister lovegood, what's that?" hermione interrupted, letting out a small cry of shock.

knowing it would turn into an argument and get them off track, maddy slid towards her girlfriend and covered her mouth.

"not now," she whispered.

"why exactly have you come here, mister potter?" he repeated.

"we need some help."

"ah, help. yes. the thing is--helping mister potter, and the taylor twins--rather dangerous."

"aren't you the one that keeps telling everyone it's their first duty to help harry? in that magazine of yours?" ron arched an eyebrow.

"er--yes, i have expressed that view. however-"

"that's for everyone else to do, not you personally?"

"where's luna? let's see what she thinks," phoebe spoke.

"luna is down at the stream, fishing for freshwater plimpies," he gulped, causing maddy to stand up straighter. "she--she will like to see you. i'll go and call her and then--yes, very well. i shall try to help you."

he disappeared down the spiral staircase, and much to everyone's dismay, maddy chased after him, catching the door right before it shut.

"she's not here, is she?" the darker girl confronted the frightened blonde.

"she's just down there-"

without even thinking, maddy pushed him against the wall with her magic.

"where is she?"

"she's been captured," he admitted, being terrified of the younger girl.

"by the death-eaters, huh? tell me, xeno, who do you trust more? us, or them?"

"you're luna's friends, but i want her back. im trying everything to get her back home, safe."

"including ratting us out? that's what you were going to do just now, right?" maddy scoffed, her face softening. "trust me, i know what it's like to be willing to do anything to keep someone safe," she gently put him down. "do you trust me?"

silence.

he didn't answer, but he glanced down at her left arm.

"let me ask again," maddy repeated, slowly pulling her sleeve up, "do you trust me?"

"i don't know."

"will you believe me when i say i'll make it my priority to get luna back to you?"

"on what condition?"

"no condition. she's all you have. just, please, help us. help us defeat you-know-who. no one has to know we were here, i'll make sure to erase any and every trace that suggests we showed up on your front doorstep."

mister lovegood closed his eyes, sighing and opening them once more, turning towards his home then back to madison.

"you'll help me get my luna back?"

"cross my heart and hope to die."

and with that, xenophilius threw the door open and ushered maddy inside, quickly making some tea and heading back to the room where the other four gryffindors were situated, and where he told them all about the deathly hallows.

when they left, he held maddy back, hugging her and whispering the words 'thank you'.

a simple gesture that meant two different things for the both of them.

for the old ravenclaw, it gave him a sense of hope.

for the ex-slytherin, it got her thinking. thinking about where luna was being held, who else was captured, and which death-eaters were involved.

most importantly, was draco one of them?

word count- 1136
date written- december 9, 2020