Ron’s thoughts filled Hermioh questiohis mea kill him?” she asked. “If they wanted all of this from him, ossess them to exat the massare ihouse?”
“You all an worry and talk yourselves i I have to get this stuff together and do the drop,” Parkihe hint of pani in her voie. Malfoy reahed aross the sofa and ped a hahe kneazle pushed herself uheir fingers.
“Hang on.” Ron shook his head. “What’s inquollis aniorpus folia? Why are they asking for a pnt?”
Harry finally found his voie and added, “I’ve meiy.”
&er, were you ever listening in Py?” Hermio Malfoy a l ao ask Parkinson if she khing about Marotential herbologial ties. Did he have a greenhouse? Did he oa produed produts from pnts? With every questirew more frustrated beause Parkinson simply did not know the man or his dealings well enough.
“There is someone who might be able to help us,” Harry offered. Wheo him he shrugged. “Neville.”
Malfoy groaned.
Hermiohought, and suddehe urse raging inside her again. “Yes, Harry, yht. You, Malfoy, and Parkinson should go to Hogwarts and ask for Neville’s help. Eve, maybe you ahe Restrited Setion for any informatio, and perhaps—” Hermiohe korial instanes of body sing?”
“And that leaves you and Weasley doily?” Malfoy quipped with a raised brow.
“I already have a few leads to hase down thanks to that board of yours,” Ron offered and he and Malfoy stared eah other down for an unomfortable minute. Finally, Ron titled his head and said, “You might have to expi Gertrude Lokhart is doihough.”
Malfoy narrowed his eyes, but the hint of a smirk rept over his features. “Well, if you must know.” While he expi a man in Cardiff had seen Maration in a harity event rurude Lokhart aalking Marwan, Hermione pulled Harry aside and out into the hallway.
Harry look dazed, as if it took a moment to realize eared dowoward the lift, a disoriented look ohe of his hair bak absentmindedly.
“S to trust Malfoy?” Harry said quietly.
Frustration washed over Hermio she tried to keep it hidden. How ould Harry still be aught up i Malfoy had a hand in the rimes? Even after he spoke up for Malfoy at his trial, Harry still had his head i. “Well,” she tried to find a way to get to Harry, “you have been w with him.”
Harry rossed his arms. “I’ve been trying to find out what he really knows about all of this.”
“And what have you found, Harry?” Hermiohe room. “You’ve seehe rao me like he’s tellih.”
&h? You believe that?” Harry took a few steps away from her. She ould see the aaking over. “You believe that Zivao iigate his owh?” Hermiohe look of omplete disbelief on his fae. “How?”
She paniked, “Divination, perhaps.”
“You dohat!”
“But we’ve seen it be real on oasio we?” Hermiohought of Sybill Trewly patheti devotioie of Seeing. Shuddering, Hermioinued, “I’m not saying it isn’t odd, but maybe Zivantus hired Malfoy to solve it. Maybe there’s some sort of ontrat or Vow involved.”
“An Unbreakable Vow.”
“Maybe. His death aion are oed. Maybe he k and thought Malfoy would solve his murder and save his daughter.”
“But why hire Malfoy? Why not go to the authorities?”
Hermio Harry a pointed look. Her mihe authorities! Just trust him! But before she ould form ahe r open.
“Ahat he was Gertrude Lokhart,” Malfoy ast Hermione and Harry, Ron at his side listening ily. “And that the pers the Remember Me Please Charity Ball oster.”
Parkihem aood in the hallway stariher awkwardly. “Right,” Hermione finally said. “Yo speak with Neville. Ron and I will work the other leads.” Her pulse raed with the involuntary thrill at thought of Harry and Malfoy fored tether arkinson looking on. And then she riio disgusted to the point of sikook a breath and omposed herself. Hermio her wath, “Meet bak here before eleven tonight.”
“What about the rest of the thi?” Parkinson asked. “Hoposed t they’re asking for? At this point, all we have is the kneazle.” She go the room with a worried expression. “And I don’t want to give her up.”
&he rest to me,” Hermione assured. She wathed as the three of them walked to the lift and didn“t miss the hallenging look Harry sehe doors had losed. She dido heart auitiohem off together would help the ase and not end in disaster. “Okay, Roo her fiane. “You o follow up on—”
&errupted her with a kiss. It aught her by surprise, but she welomed the warmth and familiarity of Ron’s lips, the omfort of something real and solid before her. It steadied her where before she’d beeo the threads of the ase and the urse.
“I haven’t seen you for days, “Mione,” he whispered after pulling away.
She swalluilt. “I know, work has been—” she