Narcissa scoffed. "As if you can trust either of them."

"I have no choice." A long pause. "He's made it this far, Cissa. He's stronger than you give him credit for—"

"He's a boy. A boy you're leaving alone with a pack of wolves."

She heard Narcissa pacing.

"I need to go," said Lucius, his voice low and regretful. "I just wanted to assure you we are both safe at present, and…" Narcissa's heels paused on the marble. "But I need to go. I've already stayed too long."

She heard the fireplace roar to life.

"Lucius!" Narcissa's voice bounced across the beams and banisters, as lost and helpless as a child.

Hermione looked around the staircase before she could stop herself. Narcissa's arms were flung around his shoulders, her lips hungry and desperate against his. Floo powder dripped from his fingers as he crushed her lithe body to him.

Hermione pulled back with a silent gasp. Her own parents were in love, she knew. But Hermione couldn't be certain that Henry and Jean Granger had ever clung to each other like this.

It was over quickly. Hermione peeked around the stairs just in time to see Lucius pushing his wife back and tossing the powder into the flames. Narcissa's fingertips pressed against her lips, her arm wrapping around her middle.

"Be safe," she whispered.

His lips pulled in the semblance of a smirk. "Alright. Just because you asked."

He stepped through, and the flames took him away. Narcissa stared at the fireplace for a long moment.

Hermione sank back into the shadows, not wanting to disturb her.

A few days. No more.

Draco would be alone in Zürich with Bellatrix, and Nott Sr., and countless other monsters. And his mother was scared for him.

She went back to her room for the night and drank a dose and a half of Dreamless Sleep potion, slipping between the sheets without touching her dinner.

The next two days passed without any news. Narcissa joined her for breakfast, but she was skittish and distracted. Hermione continued her research in an Occluded haze, making little progress. But on the third morning, she woke up to a breakfast tray and copy of the Daily Prophet announcing:

VICTORY IN SWITZERLAND!
by Rita Skeeter

The Great Order is victorious at last against the rebel mercenaries in Zürich! After months of skirmishes in Basel, Geneva, Bern, and Zürich, the Dark Lord's army has beaten back the French and Swiss insurgents once and for all, thanks to the ingenuity of General Theodore Nott and the dedicated work of the countless other officials and soldiers.

Last night's decisive blow illustrates the magical might of the Great Order and those closest to the Dark Lord. Developed in recent months by General Nott, a novel magical weapon was released on the frontlines last night, first to defeat the rebel forces in Zürich, and then dispatched immediately to Bern and Geneva. By dawn, the insurgents had fled, leaving Switzerland in the hands of its rightful owners.