Remus stared at his companion incredulously before glancing at the woman they had found bound inside her own carriage. Her full lips quirked into a curious half-smile before she addressed Sirius once more.

"We're going to have to plan this out thoroughly, just so we're clear," she stated imperiously.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Of course we are! Do you take me for a fool, milady?"

"Yes," interjected Remus. "That's exactly what I take you for. Offering sanctuary is all well and good, but you cannot simply begin some hare-brained scheme without thinking of the consequences!"

His voice descended into a low growl, and Harry moved forward to place his hand on Remus' arm. Remus looked at him briefly before addressing the Lady.

"Lady Hermione, I am truly sorry for your unfortunate situation, and I would like to apologize for my companion's haste."

"Oh?" She looked at him questioningly before her gaze flicked to Harry, who was standing half behind him. Green eyes met brown for a moment before his cheeks reddened and he focused on the ground.

"Though I'm sure we'll be able to offer you some kind of sanctuary, we cannot overly endanger our home. It was wrong of Sirius to imply that we could implement some sort of rescue mission for your sister."

Here, he glared at Sirius, who shrank back in the face of his hard glare, affronted. He opened his mouth to retort, but was interrupted by Remus.

"Excuse me a moment, Lady." He gave her a quick nod before grabbing Sirius by the upper arm and marching him into the treeline and out of sight.

Hermione looked after them, bemused. She turned back to Harry and observed him silently. He too was looking after them, his green eyes wide. It was a vibrant green that she had never seen before, complementing his fawn brown skin and deep blue-black hair. She noticed that there was a smattering of freckles on the bridge of his nose and across his cheeks, extending all the way to his ears.

He looked… young. Maybe about her age, she thought. And with thought, sparked an idea. She spoke.

"Do you agree?"

He focused on her, startled. He stared at her in silence, his gaze unreadable.

"Do you agree with your friend? That you cannot help to rescue my sister?"

His eyes clouded as he thought, taking in her stubborn expression, her dress of fine but worn cloth, her up-tilted chin, her defiant chestnut eyes. The rope marks stood out against her deep brown skin, reddened and bruised from the force with which they had been tied. Her brown curly hair stood in a halo around her head, ruffled by the slight forest breeze.

He spoke, his voice quiet. "I don't agree."

"Will you help me?"

He sighed. "I'll do everything I can. Nobody deserves the fate that would await them as Dursley's wife."

"Thank you. Truly."

Hermione moved forward to take his hands, their warmth a shock against his own cold digits. He looked down at their joined hands, his cheeks aflame. This close, he marvelled at her unmarked skin and the depth of her eyes – a slight golden tinge now visible.

"I would not ask anyone to risk their lives, or their homes. But my sister is a joyful soul. I cannot bear to see that light leave her. It would be a desecration of all that she is."

Her gaze was searing, and Harry knew that he couldn't stand by while Remus talked Sirius out of his plan. He couldn't let this girl, who couldn't be that much older than him, fend for herself and most likely lose her life trying to save her kin. He would help her.

"Come with me," Harry said as he let go of one of her hands, leading her to woods opposite where Sirius and Remus had gone. She followed close behind him, wondering for a moment what would happen to her horse and driver. Harry saw her pause.

"They'll be taken care of. The man will not remember much, and Sirius and Remus will bring your horse back," he reassured her.

"Will we be able to fake my death?"

"I'm sure if we put our minds to it we can find a way," he replied as he led her into the trees. He seemed at home under their boughs, the dappled light playing on his skin and clothes as he walked. His footsteps were silent, and Hermione was suddenly very conscious of her own loud steps, leaves seeming to crunch underfoot no matter what she did. Even her breath seemed too noisy in the silence of the forest.

Harry stopped suddenly, Hermione almost walking right into him. He turned to her, embarrassed, before speaking quietly.

"I'm sorry, I should have thought of this earlier. But I'm going to have to blindfold you."

His words were sheepish, and she stared at him in surprise before responding.

"Of course. There are others," she said numbly. "A secret community?" Her brain was firing as she thought through the implications.

"I really shouldn't say anything until we get there."

They stared at each other a moment, and Harry let go of her hand.

"Alright then." Hermione crouched down, and quickly fisted both hands in the bottom of her dress, tearing off a good portion of it. "This shall work well for the blindfold."

Harry looked at her a moment, dumbfounded, before laughing. The sound bubbled through the trees, and Hermione smiled in response.

"Yes, I think it shall work quite well." He held out his hand, eyebrow quirked, and she handed him the piece of tattered fabric. It was soft in his hands, the once fine material clearly worn but well cared for. It was a deep blue, adorned by a simple raised pattern of flowers. Hermione turned her back to him and he quickly fitted the fabric over her eyes, tying a secure knot behind her head.

Harry rested his hand gently on the young woman's shoulder, before slowly taking her hand once more and leading her through the trees. She went without protest, but not in silence.

"Can I trust you, Harry?"

Such a simple question. Yet Harry knew its importance. He could feel it in the air, could almost taste her anxiety on his tongue. He swallowed loudly.

"Yes. You can trust me."

"Why?"

He kept walking with her hand in his, though his thoughts were briefly stymied.

"I may not know you, but I know that helping you is the right thing to do. And I've already said that I would do that."

Hermione cocked her head at his response. He sounded so sure of himself. It was such a simple perspective… but it was refreshing as well. Doing something only because it was the right thing to do? She was certain that she hadn't encountered a man that had expressed that view before. But was he sincere?

She couldn't really do more than hope so.

"I'm sorry about the blindfold," Harry said, at a loss.

"It's no trouble. I understand that you must protect your home."

"Still. If there was another way to do this, I would do it," he mused. "I can't imagine that my mother will be too happy about this."

"What's she like?"

"My mother?" Harry thought for a moment. "She's clever and kind. She won't be happy with either Sirius or Remus about this, I should think."

"And your father?"

Harry said nothing, as Hermione once more became conscious of her footsteps in the undergrowth. His hand tightened on hers for a moment, before he spoke, voice oddly flat.

"My father is dead."

Hermione was taken aback by his tone, and squeezed his hand as they continued their journey through the trees. They walked for what seemed like an age, Hermione becoming aware of the sounds of the woods around her. Birds sang close-by, and small animals rustled in the leaves and on the ground. There was even was sounded like a stream after a while. It got louder as they walked, and soon she realized that Harry was leading her towards it.

As grass and leaves gave way to earth under her worn slippers, Harry halted and let go of her hand. His palm settled on her shoulder for a moment.

"Please have a seat here. I can't remove our blindfold yet, so I'll ask you to keep it on until I return. You'll be safe here."

Hermione did as he said, settling on the ground in a rustling of skirts, her legs folded under her. She said nothing as she heard Harry's quiet footsteps receding, and only hoped that she was doing the right thing by trusting him.