"A few days."

Her blood turned to ice. "Days?" She fumbled to toss off the bed sheets, but Ginny was next to her in an instant.

"Rest." Her mouth was thin as she pushed Hermione back down. "I'm sure you have questions. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

A knot formed in Hermione's chest as she watched Ginny sit down again. It had been three days since Draco vanished from her grasp. Three days since she'd seen Narcissa, broken and desperate on the floor.

Her mind whirred, clicking through images of clouded marbles and cold blue eyes. A red Stunning Spell shot at her chest.

The room felt tighter, hotter. Hermione forced herself to breathe.

Her friends had made a mistake. But they'd been under immense pressure. She'd also made mistakes in the heat of the moment.

She willed her heart to stop racing.

It was just Ginny, and she could trust her. Once she had answers, she could tell her about the Malfoys. She could ask her for her help, and formulate a plan.

When she looked up, she found Ginny watching her.

"Alright," Hermione finally managed. "Where is Narcissa?"

"They took her to Azkaban at first, but the cells were overflowing by yesterday. They brought her back to Malfoy Manor last night. She's under guard there for now."

Hermione struggled to swallow. "So they've decided she isn't a threat?"

Ginny gave a tense shrug. "She's just not a high priority prisoner. She doesn't know much. They've already interrogated her."

Hermione's fingers twisted in the sheets. Narcissa was capable of deceiving even the most skilled Legilimens, but she couldn't tell Ginny that. Not yet.

Ginny shifted to pocket her wand, and Hermione's breath caught at the sight of its familiar markings.

The Elder Wand.

Ginny had killed Voldemort. But how?

Hermione's head swam as she glanced down at her arm. The tattoo had disappeared. Only Bellatrix's marks. She quickly glanced up at Ginny, who held her arm up with a raised brow. Clear as well.

But of course it would be. The True Order had gotten the antidote to Ginny and Ron that night.

"I'm told there was a potion in the champagne. At Edinburgh," Ginny said.

Hermione stared at her. She thought of Charlotte winding through the crowd, passing out flutes to every man, woman, and Lot.

"It had a delayed onset. Four hours, give or take."

The toast had been just after ten.

Ginny watched her piece it all together, an impassive expression on her face.

"Tell me everything." Hermione didn't have to elaborate. Nodding, Ginny pulled her knees up to her chest. She took a sharp breath.

"It couldn't have been more than an hour after Avery and I left Edinburgh. I was lying in bed, waiting for him to fall asleep so I could return to my quarters."

Something twisted through Hermione's belly.

"And I felt something… spark. Inside of me. My magic was back." The corner of her mouth tugged, then quickly fell. "Before I could decide what to do, something appeared next to me. I looked down, and the Sword of Gryffindor was laying on the mattress."