Why !?

Hermione was trying to regain her composure. What had just happened ? She had landed at 12 Grimmaurd Square with Malfoy and without understanding, she had been transported away again as she could have sworn she saw a greenish flash of light coming towards them. Was it a death spell that had been cast against them ? But by whom ? They were alone at the former Order headquarters... Malfoy had grabbed her roughly and they had fallen heavily.

— "Hermione ? Is that you ?" exclaimed a voice she would have recognised in a thousand.

— "Harry ?" she answered with a surge of hope filling her heart.

She looked up, her mind still a little stunned by the last few seconds her body had been through. She saw two shadows approaching her before she finally recognised them: her two best friends were there, alive and well. The two wizards took her in their arms, so happy were they to see her safe and sound. The brunette could not hold back her tears, so relieved was she : her nightmare had ended and she was back among her own.

The two wizards loosened their embrace, Harry stepped back slightly as he held his friend's shoulders.

— "You're alive," he whispered with misty eyes.

But this moment of joy was abruptly interrupted by the redhead's screams.

— "What the hell is Malfoy doing here ?!" he shouted, drawing his wand and pointing it at the body of the blonde still lying face down.

— "Put your wand away, Ron," Harry demanded as he looked back at the Slytherin's lifeless body.

— "What do you mean ? Put my wand away ? But he's a bloody Death Eater and you want me to put my wand away ! Unconscious or not, we'd better get this over with first...," the redhead shouted as his anger grew.

— "Ron ! He saved my life," Hermione assured, turning to him.

— "That's not possible ! He tried to hold you back when you escaped and that's why he's here !"

— "Shut up, Ron ! Malfoy is on our side," Harry said as he slowly moved closer to the blond's body.

— "How..."

Harry didn't hear his best friend's question. When he placed his fingers on the Slytherin's neck, the Survivor held his breath for a few seconds before exhaling heavily. He placed both hands on either side and turned the blond's body over. The other two watched in silence, though a multitude of questions hung on Weasley's lips.

— "He's dead," Potter announced gravely as he gently laid the lifeless body on the ground.

— "Dead ?" the others asked at the same time.

— "Yes, Malfoy is no more. Hermione, tell me what happened just before you got here."

— "Who cares ? That's one less Death Eater on the list !" cried Ron, "Hermione doesn't need to tell us how that bastard died, he gets what he deserves !"

— "Ron, that's enough !" demanded Harry, glaring at his friend. "Draco deserves our respect, he risked his life to save Hermione's."

The witch put her hand on the redhead's, which calmed him down. She looked at her two friends and also glanced at the lifeless body of her saviour.

— "Draco got me out of the dungeons of the Dark Lord's fortress. We faked our death with a huge explosion, but his wand broke. We then took refuge in an abandoned house and I discovered that he had blood ties to the Blacks. From there, we called Kreatur who got us to 12 Square Grimmaurd. Then it all came together, Draco suddenly grabbed me and we landed here, but... I swear I saw a green lightning bolt coming towards us as we disappeared."

Harry sighed as he heard the witch's account. It was obvious that the old headquarters had been booby-trapped to alert the enemy camp to any intrusion. It had been a close call for Hermione as she could have been in the blonde's place and lay lifeless.

— "Why would he do all this ? It doesn't make sense coming from Malfoy," Weasley questioned doubtfully.

— "I've been asking him all along ! He never wanted to give me a straight answer," the brunette exasperated. "Harry ? Do you know why he did it ? Was he really one of us ?"

The Survivor did not answer his friend's questions. He waved his wand and levitated Malfoy's body onto a table a little further away.

— "Kreatur !" he called sharply.

The house elf appeared in a pop and bowed in disgust to Harry.

— "Did the unclean master call ?"

— "Take care of this man. Clean him and dress him in the finest clothes we have and put the crests of his two families on him. Then place him in one of the chambers and keep him in stasis. His godfather will surely wish to bid him a proper farewell..."

— "As the traitor to his blood wishes, everything will be done to honour Lord Malfoy's memory."

The three wizards watched as the elf carried the Slytherin's remains away and once she was no longer in the room, the discussion resumed.

— "Harry ? Do you know things that Ron and I don't ?" the brunette asked, trying to make sense of the events.

— "It's time to tell you some things, Hermione. But that can wait. You're safe, that's the most important thing, and you must be exhausted from so many emotions," suggested Potter.

— "I want to know ! Harry, I've got far too many questions running through my head for the last six hours. So, no matter how tired I am, I want to know what you're not telling us !"

— "I'll do it. As you wish. Ron, this is only about Hermione. I'd appreciate it if you'd go and tell the others that she's back with us..."

— "What are you talking about ? I don't have the right to know ?" the red-haired man was astonished at being left out.

— "Ron... please don't start. For the moment, this is just about Hermione. If she wants to share it with you afterwards, that's up to her," the dark-haired man explained gently.

Weasley grumbled before standing up and leaving his two friends to their confidences. Harry invited the brunette to follow him to his office. Once inside, he locked the door as a precaution and waved his wand in the direction of a sort of bookcase with two doors. Out of the cabinet came a pensieve case, identical to Dumbledore's at Hogwarts.

— "Do you know what it is, Hermione ?" he asked as a formality.

The brunette nodded positively and waited until the magical object was placed in the centre of the room, facing them. Harry then pointed his wand at his temple and slowly moved it so that a thin silver filament came out. He then placed it in the pensieve and motioned for the brunette to come forward.

— "I think you'd better go without me," he announced as he stepped back into one of the chairs in the room.

Hermione stepped forward and dipped her head into the magical liquid. Contrary to what she might have thought, the sensation of liquid was non-existent but replaced by a kind of smoke that enveloped her before disappearing and giving way to the scenery of the memory.

She was in a room she didn't know but Harry was there. The Survivor was sitting at a table waiting. Hermione didn't understand what she was supposed to be looking at but she moved closer to her best friend. He was resting his elbows on the table with his hands buried in his messy hair. He was holding his head back and seemed to be in deep thought. Several seconds passed without any change in the scene. Then the door opened and Hermione recoiled : Severus was standing in the doorway, but he was not alone. A hooded, masked Death Eater stood beside him.

Harry looked up and immediately grabbed his wand when he saw the Potions Master's companion.

— "Peace, Potter !" interposed Snape.

— "Explain yourself at once, Severus !" demanded Harry as the magic pulsed around him.

— "He is the solution to our problem for your friend Granger," the older wizard announced quickly. "If you'll just let me explain..."

Harry said nothing, shifting his gaze from one to the other. He finally lowered his wand after a few seconds. Once the tension had subsided, the other two wizards sat down opposite the Survivor.

— "I'm listening, Severus."

— "It's already been several days since Miss Granger was captured," said the Potions Master.

— "Thank you, but I already know that," he replied sarcastically, earning a glare from his interlocutor.

— "But for some reason, the Dark Lord has not yet questioned her, or even approached her. No one has the right to do anything to her and she is still safe and unharmed for the moment."

— "What a relief !" ironized the dark-haired man, "and do you know how we get her out of there ?"

— "Personally, I can't risk doing it. And you know very well why. But... but this person can," he said, pointing to the masked wizard beside him.

— "I beg your pardon ? You expect me to believe that a Death Eater is willing to break out one of their prisoners ? A traitor in the enemy camp who can't be bothered to show his face ! Do you expect me to believe that, Severus ?"

The masked attendant raised his hands gently so that Potter could see every move he made. He grabbed the silver mask with one hand and the hood that covered it with the other, revealing his identity.

— "You've got to be kidding me ! You brought Draco Malfoy here ! Have you lost your mind Severus ?" the dark-haired man shouted as he pointed his wand at the blond.

— "Potter ! Calm down and put your wand down !"

— "Calm down ? How can I be calm in front of the Dark Lord's right hand man ? How many of our people has he killed without qualms ? And now he's going to save Hermione ? That's rubbish. Don't make me think he's like you, Severus !"

— "More than you know, Potter," added the Potions Master cryptically.

— "Stop defending him ! Your judgement is impaired because of the ties that bind you ! Why would he risk his life to save someone he's hated all his life ! He hates Hermione because she's a Muggle-born witch ! How many times has he insulted her because of the origin of her blood ? I refuse any help from him !"

— "So you'd rather see your friend die a painful death, Potter. Then you'll have her death on your conscience... one more shouldn't hurt, should it, Survivor ?" Draco provoked the dark-haired man knowingly.

The Slytherin's remark exacerbated the Gryffindor's anger and he pointed his wand at his enemy as he glared at him with disdain. But it was Snape's sharp voice that stopped them both from jumping at each other's throats.

— "STOP ! I didn't bring him here for you to kill each other ! Your personal feuds have no place here. This is Miss Granger's life and only her life. So sit down and listen ! Now !" he ordered in a harsh voice that brought down the pressure around the table.

Harry took a few moments to calm the pounding of his heart before he continued:

— "And what do you propose to do to get her out of prison ? I can't imagine Malfoy running around with Hermione, right-hand man to Vold...

— "Stop saying his name !" the blonde ordered.

— "It's only a name ! Dumbledore said..."

— "And how did he end up ?" retorted the blond.

— "You're not going to start that again !" interposed Snape in an annoyed voice. "Draco is right, I have repeatedly warned you to stop calling the Dark Lord by his name. He has set up a sort of trail on his own name to flush out his enemies. Haven't we lost enough members as it is ?"

Severus knew just the right words to keep this conversation from turning into a fistfight. Harry looked down imperceptibly at the table. The Potions Master was right, long before he had confirmation of this information, the members of the Order had come to the conclusion that the name of the Dark Lord should be taboo again.

— "We will set a trap for the Order of the Phoenix to lure the Dark Lord away from the fortress. That way, I can act and free Granger."

— "And you think I'm going to go along with that ? Lose any more of our people to this insane plan ? Who's to say that... that the Dark Lord is going to go in there himself and leave his fortress unguarded ?"

— "It's never unguarded, Potter. We're not idiots !" the blond exclaimed dismissively.

— "And how do you plan to convince your master to leave his precious domain ?" the Survivor asked sarcastically.

— "That's where I'll come in, Potter," Severus announced in a deep voice. "I will give the Order the information that Miss Granger is a prisoner in a certain place. This revelation will cause a rescue mission to be mounted. Once this is established, I will confirm it to the Dark Lord, who will certainly participate."

— "That sounds far too simple," Potter shook his head in incomprehension.

— "Kingsley will have to go. That's the whole point of this diversion."

Snape had announced this with such coldness that Harry felt a chill run through his body. He had to agree to sacrifice one of their best wizards to save his best friend. How awful war could be ! Potter shuddered at the realization, but did he have any other choice ?

— "While the Dark Lord and his troops make their way to the rendezvous point, I'll still be in the fortress," the Potions Master added, unconcerned with the Survivor's internal questioning. "Draco will have free rein to enter the dungeons and free Miss Granger."

— "But what guarantee is there that Malfoy will do what he says ?" he asked, glaring at the blond.

Malfoy did not blink when Potter asked this last question. He made a slow gesture to grab his wand from his cloak.

— "Come here Potter and give me your right hand !"

The Survivor rounded the table and stepped forward warily, but a glance at the Potions Master told him that he had nothing to fear. He found himself facing Draco and held out his right hand. The two men clutched each other vigorously and never took their eyes off each other.

— "Severus ?" asked Draco.

— "Are you sure, Draco ? There is no turning back, you know that."

— "My mind is made up and if this is the only way Holy Potter will believe in my intentions towards Granger, I will not back down."

— "So be it," replied the Potions Master, pulling out his wand. "Potter, it is up to you to take the vows of the Unbreakable Oath, I am merely the witness to that oath. Think carefully about what you are about to say, your friend's life depends on it."

Harry felt a great responsibility fall on his shoulders. He had never used this spell before, although he knew how it worked. He didn't understand why the blond was doing this, but if he was willing to use this magic, it was part of the proof that he was right to save Hermione. The Survivor took a deep breath and began :

— "Draco, will you do everything in your power not to tell the Dark Lord of your plans ?"

— "I will."

— "Draco, will you do everything in your power to save and protect Hermione Granger even if it means losing your life ?"

— "I will."

With each sentence Draco spoke, a stream of light came from Snape's wand and wrapped around the two wizards' clasped hands. Once the oath had been taken and the magical bond established, the two men parted.

— "Tomorrow night ! It has to be tomorrow night," Draco announced as he headed for the exit.

No sooner had he reached the door than Harry asked one last question :

— "Why !?"

The blond man with his hand on the handle stopped and turned back to the dark-haired man. He stared at him intently before simply answering :

— "Because I love her."

At the same time Hermione was thrown out of the room. She was in total bewilderment, her legs cut off. This discussion had taken place not even twenty-four hours before. She staggered slightly and met her best friend's weary gaze and the only thing she managed to say was :

— "Why !?"