“You went to Malfoy.” Kingsley walked around the table as he stared at her.
“The information Harry had came from Snatchers. I tried to warn him it was a trap, but he was going to go. I considered revealing Malfoy, but I didn't think it would stop them. I thought if I could contact Dra-Malfoy, he might be able to offer new information I could take back to Harry and Remus. I thought if there were conflicting reports, it might buy time. But Malfoy didn't come while I was there. I left him a note with all the information I had.”
“It was a trap.”
Hermione gave a short nod. “Apparently they didn't even expect us to fall for it.”
“And then?”
“We were outnumbered. I don't think many of the Death Eaters there were experienced in combat. Draco said it was mostly trainees. But there was a werewolf, and the numbers were absurd.”
Hermione looked down and gave a low sigh before looking back up. “Rabastan Lestrange is dead. The trap was his idea. Malfoy showed up a few minutes after Ron was mauled.”
Kingsley's expression showed no surprise. “How did he kill everyone?”
“He killed at least a third of them dueling. Then he — he had some kind of vacuum curse contained in an artifact. He came across the field and activated it once he had hold of me. The curse didn't affect the wielder, and the protection was extended to me through contact. He suffocated everyone, revived and obliviated Harry and the others, and then left them outside the wards. He didn't let me stay to check any of them.”
“What happened to you?” Kingsley was studying her carefully; his eyes landed on her scarred wrist.
Hermione pulled her sleeve down. “Nothing that couldn't be healed. I used the Carbonescere curse to kill the werewolf. When I was dealing with the initial backlash in my magic, someone stabbed me.” She looked away and pressed her lips together for a moment. “Harry hadn't expected it to be a trap, so I wasn't given a partner. I think he thought Ron would be with me, but — well, Ron is Harry's partner. As soon as the Death Eaters appeared, everyone got into their default pairings, so I was fighting solo.” Hurt cut into her tone as she said it, and she looked down at her feet. “Which was probably for the best. Draco never trained me to fight with a partner anyway.”
There was still blood on her shoes. She drew a deep breath. “Draco — Malfoy said to tell Moody that his aid is conditional on my survival.”
“I am already aware of that.” Kingsley's voice was hard. “You will not ever go on another mission; I don't care if someone asks you to go save Harry himself. You will not forage. You will not leave the safe houses unless it's to liaise. Your job, Granger, is to stay alive and keep Malfoy in line.”
Hermione drew a short breath and felt rebellious rage burn across her chest. She glared at him for several seconds before she forced her occlumency walls into place and swallowed all she wanted to spit at him.
She rolled her jaw and looked away. “Tonks is asking questions about my disappearance and training. I told her to speak to Moody.”
“I'll take care of it.” Kingsley straightened his robes.
Hermione gave a small, resigned nod and gripped the door frame, feeling the grain of the wood under her fingers. “Ron was badly mauled. He needs to be isolated tonight.”
“We're dealing with a larger situation. He was tagged. There's a trace on his right wrist that we can't remove.”
Hermione's skin prickled, and there was a dropping sensation in her stomach. “The shackle? It's the shackle on him, isn't it? I tried to remove it when I was healing him. Is that — do you think that's what Sussex has been developing?”
“It seems likely. It explains why they had him there rather than luring Harry to an empty building. It's fortunate we knew there was a chance of it, and Remus at least had the sense not to bring Ron to Grimmauld Place. Alastor is monitoring the situation. It seems the Death Eaters know the approximate location of the Tonks house because of it. Until we can get the trace off, we'll be compromising our safe houses. If they're somehow using dark beings to break through Fidelius, we're on borrowed time.”
Hermione swallowed hard. “Have you contacted Severus? Who's run analysis on the shackle? I didn't — yesterday. I should have. It was careless of me. I can go back.”
Kingsley shook his head sharply. “You will not go near that house again. Severus is on shift in the labs. He'll be here in an hour for an Order meeting.”
“Alright. Do you need anything else?”
Kingsley looked back down at the table. “No. You can give a full report to Alastor later.”
Hermione turned to leave. She was halfway through the door when Kingsley spoke.
“Granger.”
She turned and found Kingsley staring at her.
“You're alright?”
She shrugged. “I'm alright.”
“I'm glad to hear it. I would never have forgiven Harry if he'd gotten you killed to save Ron.”
Hermione gave a bitter smile, and her hold on the doorknob tightened. “Draco is vital, I know. I'll be more careful.”
Kingsley's expression flickered. “That's not what I mean. When Remus reported that they thought you'd been captured—” Kingsley drew a deep breath and looked away from her. “I would have mourned your loss; more than I would have mourned anyone else in the Order.”
Hermione tilted her head to the side and didn't believe him. The corner of her mouth quirked slightly, and she raised an eyebrow. “Would you now?” She snorted, shaking her head. “Is that why you call me Granger then? Because I'm so important to you?”
Kingsley gave her a sad smile. “I call you Granger to remind myself that I am responsible for more people than simply the ones that I like.” He sighed and stared down at the table for a moment before looking back up at her. “It would have been a privilege to have been friends with you in another life, Hermione Granger.”
Hermione studied him for several seconds. “Maybe — in another life we could have been friends. But — I don't think I'll ever forgive you in this one.”
Kingsley nodded slowly and looked away from her. “In case the opportunity never comes to say it later, I am sorry — for everything I've asked of you.”
Hermione was silent for several seconds before she gave a low sigh. “If you hadn't asked, I would have offered.” She shrugged. “You never forced me. I am culpable for my choices.”
She stepped through the door and headed down the hall.
Severus brought a report on the shackle a few hours later. It was a new prototype. It required a Dark Mark to remove. There were more complex designs being developed.
There was a long silence at the revelation.
“Well, that's not — it could be worse,” Charlie said after a minute. “Snape can get it off then. Or one of our prisoners. A few of them are marked, right?”
“I can remove Ron Weasley's, but when I do, Sussex will know, and the next shackle they release may require a more elaborate mechanism.” Severus sneered contemptuously at Charlie.
“Got a better idea?” Charlie jutted his chin up and glared at Severus.
“We'll remove the trace on Ron.” Kingsley said, resting his fingers on the edge and tapping thoughtfully. “However, until we have better information on the shackles, there will be no further rescues. We can't afford to lose more safe houses.”
“Well, shouldn't Snape know? Since he works there? I thought that was the whole reason we kept him.”