Disclaimer: Don't own or profit . . .
Author's Notes: Sorry it is a day late, but is extra long so hopefully that will make up for the delay! And just a reminder, the italics are the conversations between Draco and Emma thanks to their bond : )
Chapter 1: Livin' It Up In SoCal
Emma and her father apparated back to their home where dinner was waiting for them. "My first stop is in America, so we can see if the Americans will be aiding us. I thought you might like to join me for it," Riley said as they sat down.
"Oh, yes! It has been so long since I have seen Jane properly," Emma said enthusiastically.
"Now, tell me about this ministry fight I heard about," Riley said sternly. Emma recounted the battle in detail, while skipping over the majority of dangerous points (so the retelling sounded like "we arrived at the ministry, found the prophecy room but it had death eaters, we ran like it was the banshee chasing us, the order arrived, and Sirius died").
"The worse part of the year was that wretched woman, Umbridge, teaching us. She made life horrible for Harry and I, and lots of others," Emma said angrily.
"I'll see to her, don't worry. Fudge won't be in office much longer anyways," Riley said with a laugh. " 'bout time too. Everyone in the wizarding community is calling for his resignation."
"Who are they trying to elect?" Emma asked. "Dumbledore again?"
"Well, they certainly would feel safe with Dumbledore, that's for sure. Some in the ministry have mentioned my name as well, but I told them I cannot run right now. My work would be better suited for the Order," Riley said.
"Who better to fight against Voldemort openly than you Da?" Emma asked.
"Right now I want to be more of a fighter than a politician, Emma," Riley said. "I don't want to have to worry about all the other issues that come with being Minister." Emma nodded.
"I'm pretty sure anyone is an improvement over Fudge. I just thought, well, you can do anything," Emma said with a smile, "and, having someone in the Order might be beneficial as well."
"That is a fair point, but it will have to be someone other than me," Riley said as he polished off his dessert. "I leave for America tomorrow afternoon, so you need to pack what you need for the short trip. I'll bring you back in a week, so only bring what is necessary. No more than 3 trunks," he teased. Emma rushed up to pack. Riley came in later to say goodnight.
Emma waited until 11:30, and then walked down to the kitchen where she then apparated to Privet Drive. Emma walked, hidden in the shadows, to the Dursley's residence. Emma made herself comfortable on the lawn away from prying eyes. It wasn't hard to find Harry's room. His was the one with dreams of Sirius' death.
At midnight Draco woke up to someone shaking him. 'Ah, Emma! No, it can't be . . .I just got back!' he thought desperately. "Draco, get yourself up. And put some clothes on, now!" Bellatrix hissed. Waiting only a second for Draco to pull a shirt and pants on, she grabbed his arm and apparated both of them somewhere.
"Ah, the young Malfoy," Voldemort said. "Let us hope you are an improvement over your father." 'I like to think I'm better than my father,' Draco thought. 'You are,' Emma reassured nervously from where she was sitting on the lawn.
"It is an honor to be chosen to serve you, lord," Draco said. He and Emma could sense Voldemort trying to poke around.
"Pretty words, just like your father. Let us hope you do not embarrass me as he has," Voldemort said.
"I am eager to serve you, and redeem the Malfoy name," Draco said determinedly. Only Emma and Draco knew he wanted nothing of the sort 'I can't believe that just came out of my mouth. It seems as if I've been well trained.'
"Hold out your arm," Voldemort said. He muttered something as he held his wand tip to Draco's left forearm. Draco cried out mentally as the pain and burning sensation engulfed him, but he refused to cry out loud. "A promising start, young Malfoy. You are eager to prove yourself, I see this," Voldemort said. 'Thank Merlin he doesn't see the truth Emma' "And I have just the thing for you to prove to me whether or not your are worthy."
"Anything, my lord. I am most eager to serve you." Draco said. 'Yeah, about as eager as I am to take swimming lessons with the giant squid.'
Voldemort cackled. "Let us hope that this generation of Malfoy's proves to be more successful than your father. I do have something for you to do. You, in Hogwarts, are situated perfectly for this, and from what Bellatrix tells me, you have become a most accomplished wizard."
"And know this, young Malfoy." Voldemort added. "If you displease me, as your father has, you will not be the only one to suffer my displeasure. I can reach out to your mother and father anytime I wish," Voldemort threatened.
"Yes, I understand master," Draco spat out the last word as Bellatrix jabbed him.
"He learns quickly. Perhaps you won't be a disappointment after all. Go." Bellatrix apparated them back to Malfoy manor at that point.
Emma rubbed her left forearm. She felt a burning, prickling feeling and knew Draco had been marked. Emma shut her eyes and opened them cautiously, thinking of how the best way to hide the mark from her father. Deep breaths, deep breaths. Emma peered down at her arm nervously to see a shocking surprise. Instead of the dark mark staring back at her, she saw the claddagh over a large four leaf clover. A few tears fell from her eyes.
Draco waited until 3 am when he knew Emma had apparated back to her house. He apparated to her room as quietly as he could. "Hey," Emma whispered from her bed. Draco walked over and she patted the bed next to her. Draco got in bed next to her.
"Mine is prettier than yours," Emma whispered making Draco smile slightly.
"You didn't think I would actually let you go and be marked, condemned, did you?" Draco said.
Emma shook her head. "No. I'm sorry this had to happen at all."
"My mother was furious. She knows what we do, that I am being chosen to punish Lucius and I just know that whatever he asks me to do is going to be a suicidal mission."
"We'll get through whatever it is," Emma soothed. "We'll figure something out." Since it was close to four am they fell asleep. A few hours later Emma woke up and snuck out of bed to go to breakfast and let Draco sleep.
"Morning, sweetie. I have to finalize a few things at the office before we leave, but I'll be back around lunch. We'll leave around 2," Riley said.
"Okay. Tell John I said hi," Emma said as she kissed her father good bye. Emma took a tray up to her room for Draco.
"Hey, morning," Emma said. "I brought you breakfast."
"Breakfast in bed? Isn't that something I should be doing for you?"
"We'll have plenty of time for that," Emma teased with a matter-of-fact tone.
"I hope." Draco stayed until around lunchtime when he apparated back home. Emma grabbed her bags and met her father in the parlor.
"All ready then? I had an owl from President Johnson, and Jane is very eager to see you," Riley said. He shrank their luggage to fit into his pocket, and then turned his handkerchief into a portkey.
A second later Emma found herself standing in the entrance hall of what she remembered as the American Wizard Presidential house. "Welcome, Minister O'Neill. Always on time, Riley." A voice said.
Riley bowed. "Madam President, it is always a pleasure to see you. As always, you look lovely Annie."
"Emma!" Jane called and rushed to hug her. "I'll show you to your room," She rushed and the two girls walked off chatting. "The state dinner is tonight. Let me guess, your father is eager for you to use your 'people-person skills,' Right?"
"Of course. Now, with Voldemort back, it is more important than ever to get people on our side," Emma said.
"I heard you had a fight too! How exciting. I want so badly to do something. And who is this boy?" Jane asked.
Emma laughed. "How do you know?"
"Something has changed about you since I saw you at the quidditch world cup. You seem . . .complete," Jane said. "Is it that blonde?" She asked hopefully. Emma nodded. They talked until around 3pm when Jane had to go tend to some things. "If my father asks, I am going to take a short nap before the dinner," Emma said. She then made a portkey, and arrived on Privet Drive. Emma guarded over Harry until around 3 am in Britain, and then used the Portkey to return to her room in America. It was 7 pm west coast time which left Emma an hour to get ready for the state dinner.
"You look lovely, dear," Riley said as he escorted her to the dinning hall. Emma and Riley sat during a delicious dinner which was followed by dancing.
"May I have this dance?" Emma heard a voice.
"Enrique, that would be lovely," Emma said. "How are you? I am afraid we didn't get much time to get to know each other at the world cup." (A/N: Enrique is the son of the Mexican Ambassadar to the US; he came with Jane to the quidditch world cup).
"Well, nothing as exciting as what I hear you are going through," he joked with a slight accent. "President Johnson has been kind to help me get some work now that I graduated. How are you?"
"Worried," Emma laughed. "We're in a war."
Enrique smiled. "So I have heard." The dance ended and the stepson of the Canadian ambassador danced with Emma.
Emma found her father a little later. "Are you having a nice time?" He asked.
Emma nodded. "I am. I think you will find a sympathetic ear with the Mexican and Canadian delegates, with the exception of the Canadian minister of misinformation. He is a little in denial."
Riley nodded. "You look tired. Why don't you go and get some rest?" Emma nodded and went back to her room. She felt like she had been up for forty-eight hours straight.
Emma woke up the next morning and Jane joined her in her suite for breakfast. "Some of us are going to the beach, and I am dragging you along," she said happily.
They piled into a hummer that was stretched (magically) to fit the entire group and Enrique drove them to Santa Monica. Emma sat in a chair thinking, and tanning unsuccessfully (more like turning a rather light shade of pink) as she watched Jane and the others surf. Afterwards they went and found an outdoor café where they got lunch.
"You miss him," Jane said. Emma nodded. "You know, at the Cup I knew there was something between the two of you. Your aura's were intermingled." She smiled.
"Of course I miss him, and I am worried. Things had gotten really bad right when I left," Emma said. She was really worried about Draco and really missed him. He was never far from her thoughts these days. Emma also knew Draco felt the exact same way.
"Tell us about. . .whoa!" A girl named Aimee shouted and they all jumped as suddenly Draco appeared right before them.
"Draco?" Emma said surprised. "How on earth?"
'I was thinking about you, wishing I was here,' Draco started.
'I was doing the same thing,' Emma admitted.
'And I just felt a tug, and here I am.'
'A good consequence of the bond, I guess.' Emma laughed mentally. "Everyone, this is Draco, my boyfriend." Emma said happily. Draco took a seat. After the initial shock wore off, everyone started talking amicably.
"So, Enrique, now you are done with school, what are you going to do? What is it President Johnson helped you with?" Emma asked.
"I am joining the Wizard's Assassin Guild. It's like the wizard version of the secret service here in the US," He explained to Draco.
"Something I don't get, I thought the muggle president and government was on the east coast? DC, right?" Draco said. "Why are we in California?"
"The Wizards established their government on the west coast. We wanted to be separate from the muggle government, and, more importantly, the west wasn't as settled as the east when the US was established. It was still a colonial government under the British so we had to establish it out of the Colonies. We like California," Jane added.
"I do too," Emma grinned. "I always loved it when Da had business here." 'I like any place that isn't with Voldemort right now,' Draco thought. Emma agreed mentally. When they had finished eating, Emma and Draco walked along the beach. "It's weird being here. Everything seems like it's so far away, all the problems," Draco said.
"Technically, they are," Emma joked. "This is the first time we have been able to be together, holding hands and everything in front of other people," she realized.
Draco laughed. "We just had to come to America to do it. I guess it isn't that bad after all then," Jane laughed at that comment. They joined everyone else at the Hummer.
"Is it true you know how to drive?" Enrique asked.
Emma nodded. "John taught me. He use to be my chauffeur before he became my father's second in command."
"We are going clubbing tonight. If your parents don't mind you staying till tomorrow, we would like you to come," Jane told Draco. "Actually, if you could, you should stay the entire time here with us and with Emma," she said giving them a knowing look. "We have a ton of stuff planned for you guys. 'I have to go back and guard Harry now, so what do you want to do?' Emma asked.
'I'll go back with you and maybe come back too,' Draco said.
"We'll be back in a little bit. We have a couple of things that we have to do, but we'll meet up with you again tonight." Emma made a portkey taking them to Privet Drive.
'How is it you made a portkey?' Draco asked.
'In America, you are allowed to do minor spells and minor transportation spells, including making a portkey once you are sixteen. Then, once you are 18 you are considered legal, and you are allowed to do everything including Apparating as long as it doesn't go against the law,' Emma explained.
'Plus, you get diplomatic immunity' he pointed out. Emma and Draco sat in the backyard against the tree (the one Ripper has chased Harry up on a few occasions). Then, at three am, they took the portkey back to the US (after Draco left a note for his mom saying not to ask questions-- they knew she would think it had something to do with Voldemort).
"Hey! We thought you might run off and forget about us," Jane teased. "Hungry? We're grabbing a bite to eat and then hitting the clubs." They all went out to get muggle fast food and then went to a muggle underground club. 'Voldemort would strike me dead if he saw me here,' Draco thought with a laugh.
They stayed out really late and didn't get back til some time after two. (They knew the W.A.G. guards saw them, but they pretended they snuck back in).
Jane walked with Emma to her suite (Draco was going to bunk with Enrique to avoid any questions). "You guys are really close," She said. "I think there is more than what you are telling me," She accused. "Your auras are intertwined. . . they are actually identical."
"Good night, Jane," Emma said with a devious grin.
The entire 4 day trip in America was filled with trips for Emma and Draco. The next night Emma drove them to Disneyland. After park hours, the park was used by Wizards who didn't feel comfortable around muggles (not as many as Draco thought. It was mostly Wizards from out of the country. Turns out, American wizards blend in better with Muggles). On the third, and last night, they were in America Enrique, Jane, and Aimee took them to a drag racing competition. "Is it all muggle cars?" Emma asked intrigued.
"This one is. Some wizards take pride in keeping up their muggle cars, although others do make magical alterations, but the gaming department makes strict rules they can not compete in strictly muggle competitions. If you would be here next week I'd take you to one of those!" Jane said, happy to see that Emma and Draco were enjoying themselves. She had the feeling they weren't getting much of it back home.
After four days Emma and Riley traveled on to Germany and Draco returned to Malfoy manor. Emma decided she was going to have a major case of jetlag by the time she got back.
They had left California early that morning, which meant it was mid-afternoon when they arrived in Germany. The Wizard chancellor was there with his son and advisors to greet them.
"Guten tag, frauline Emma," Gunter, the son of the German wizard chancellor said with a bow when they arrived. Emma hadn't seen him in years, and was surprised to feel that he found her attractive.
"Guten Tag, Herr Gunter" Emma said with a curtsey. Riley chuckled softly behind her. They were shown to their rooms. A knock was heard and Gunter was there to escort her to dinner.
"How are you, Emma? I have not seen you since you were but a little child," He said.
"I am well, thank you. And you?" Emma asked. They chatted until they reached the dinning room.
Don't lead him on, Emma, or I will pop up during dinner to make sure he understands. Draco warned making Emma mentally laugh.
That night, Emma waited until 1am Germany time to take a portkey to Privet Drive. She arrived back at 5 am to catch a few hours of sleep. Thankfully, her father let her sleep in to catch up on her jetlag.
Emma spent the day trying to avoid Gunter, but being polite when he did find her. Emma managed to slip in the conversation the fact she had a boyfriend back home. "I hope we can still be friends, then," Gunter said.
Emma smiled. "I would like that very much."
Emma and Riley stayed in Germany for three days. Emma spent most of it with Gunter and the other younger people found in the house.