He looked around them, almost like searching for enemies in the wind, and said, "The Italian Magical community knows exactly what happened to Bravieri, despite Skeeter's attempt to spin it differently. It wasn't a walk in the park."

He took her elbow and spun them to the signpost outside of Edinburgh Castle. She allowed the long walk up to the gates to center her mind, the breeze to cool her emotions, and the sound of her footsteps to confirm that it was truly happening again.

The werewolves howled, the guards smacked their lips, and the crowd of Death Eaters in the courtyard whistled. She ignored them all, hardly registering their jeers about her bare legs as she focused on a lake with still waters.

Draco was putting on a show of being quite relaxed. During their first walk into Edinburgh, he was rushed and anxious. This time, he was shouting back at the crowd with a laugh, stopping to chat with someone at the top of the stairs, and teasing someone who was coughing on their cigar. But when the spectators vanished and it was only the two of them, she watched his face fall, an empty expression in his eyes.

He led her through the doors to the Great Hall, and Hermione's breath caught to see Charlotte turning to them with a tray of champagne.

"Master Malfoy," she said with a flirty grin. "Good evening. And Miss Granger."

Charlotte's eyes met hers briefly before offering her champagne. Hermione reached for her own glass this time, hoping to draw Charlotte's eyes, but she was already reaching for the curtain and letting them into the Great Hall.

The music and the chatter hit her like a wall, stirring her memories of two weeks ago. She was flooded with terror for a freezing moment before feeling Draco's hand on her back, warm and steadying.

He stopped to talk with people as they sipped their champagne. Hermione tried to catalog the guests and conversations more fastidiously this time. Two weeks ago, she was far more focused on the girls. This time she needed to listen to the whispered jokes and unspoken clues.

Draco greeted Rabastan Lestrange while he was mid-conversation, a quick tap on his shoulder and a few polite words while Lestrange's eyes wandered down Hermione's waist and hips. He led her to a quick conversation with Mulciber, who did not have Cho hanging off of his elbow — Hermione's eyes scanned for her as inconspicuously as possible, but with no luck. She and Draco passed a pale-faced Jugson with a nod, and she noticed that he was missing a hand.

"Draco," a slimy voice called out behind them, Hermione felt a nauseous dread sliding through her veins. They turned and found Nott Sr. approaching with Theo at his side. "I didn't expect you back so soon."

"Sir." Draco shook Nott's hand and gave Theo a careless nod. "We were able to resolve the situation quickly. Yaxley is staying for another week, and Dolohov joined him as we were leaving."