I Am the Resurrection
By Tammyfait69
Notes: I do not own HP. This story is just for fun.
Rating M for sex, language and graphic violence
Pairing: Draco M. & Hermione G.
Story Premise: Ten years after war ended, Draco and Hermione are Aurors working to solve a string of grisly serial murders when Draco suddenly disappears one night. Three months later, Hermione is in a muggle coffee shop and, to her surprise, she finds Draco, but he thinks he is an actor named Tom Felton who played the role of Draco Malfoy in a series of Harry Potter movies. With the witch case still unsolved and more murders happening, the race is on to return Draco's memories and discover who wanted him out of the way so badly, they created an AU within his mind to do so. Had Draco unmasked the killer? And will the killer try again with so much at stake? And how will Hermione react when confronted with a charming amnesiac rather than a snarky, haughty pureblood?
Okay, so this is now my 2nd story. I was excited by the reaction my 1st story had so I immediately set out to write this plot bunny. :) Hope y'all enjoy.
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Chapter 1.
July 22nd, 2009
He enjoyed their screams.
A series of silencing charms ensured his test subjects could cry, beg and plead for their lives freely and for days without the danger of being discovered.
His first kill had been the hardest, but it had been a necessity. This was his fourth. It wasn't just easier, it had become exciting. Through his work, he had discovered a side of himself he had not known existed…until now.
He got a thrill from watching someone die.
Good thing old snake face hadn't realized his potential for darkness ten years ago, he probably wouldn't have survived the bloody war.
That would have been a true shame, for then he would have never fallen in love with her and begun his work.
He so enjoyed his work.
He picked up the muggle surgery scalpel. An ingenious tool designed to save lives, he preferred to use it to take them.
"You can scream all you want, Jeanne," he said softly, advancing on the sobbing witch. "No one can hear you." He held up the scalpel, enjoying how the steel of the blade caught the light. "No one will ever hear you again."
He was the Resurrection and he had an important job to do. Nothing would stop him from completing his task.
XXOOXX
Budleigh Babberton: July 24th, 2009: 2am
This made four. Draco Malfoy felt the weariness in his bones as he squatted down to get a closer look at the latest victim. He ran a hand down his face. Four young witches butchered by some maniac. Bloody hell! When would he catch this sodding bastard? Malfoy felt especially responsible because he was the lead Auror assigned to the homicides. He closed his eyes and breathed a deep calming breath at the sight before him. Draco opened his eyes. Salazar! This one was, by far, the worst yet; the poor girl's face was frozen in an expression of terror the likes of which Draco had not seen since Voldemort used to torture muggles for fun at the dining room table at Malfoy Manor. And like the Dark Bastard, it was obvious this killer took a depraved pleasure in his victims suffering; it sickened the blond Auror.
"Do we know who she is?" He asked, resisting to urge to close the girl's frightened blue eyes. He knew better than to contaminate a crime scene, but her eyes…Draco knew he would not forget the look in her eyes.
"Name's Jeanne Grayson; just celebrated her 20th birthday last month," Michael Corner, one of the magical crime scene investigators said, handing Malfoy a small clutch and a magical Hogwarts identification card.
Malfoy stood to his full height and took the small purse and id. "Thanks Corner," Draco said, examining the items. He scowled at the moving picture on the identification. Young Jeanne Grayson looked so happy as she smiled and waved to him. How did she meet the monster who would take her life in such a despicable manner? His gaze drifted to where her body was. It was a ghastly scene despite the absence of blood at the body site. The manner with which the young woman was killed and the way she was posed would haunt the nightmares of every Auror and magical crime scene investigator (MCSI) working the case.
The air felt thick. Draco recognized it. The Manor used to feel like that when fucking Voldemort had lived there. "Magical traces?" he questioned.
"Copious amounts of dark magic residue on the victim and surrounding the scene," Corner, the lead MCSI, confirmed.
It was as he expected. The MLE had been chasing this psychotic nutter for months and each scene had been the same, until now. The witch's heart had been removed just like the rest, but this murder was far more gruesome than the other three. Jeanne Grayson had been gutted, her entrails pulled out and posed right in front of the war memorial. Draco made a face, icy rage bubbling just under the surface at his inability to stop the madman responsible for the grisly murders. He wanted to scream, yell and thrash something or someone, however, he couldn't let his temper guide him, not tonight. He needed a clear head, so he forced himself to tamp down his anger and maintain a clinical detachment while investigating the immediate scene, looking for any clue as to the identity of the sick bastard behind the killings.
The sodding devil had to be a dark wizard, but he never left more than a distorted magical trace and nothing more. Much to Draco's dismay, the Grayson scene was just as bereft of evidence as the previous three, except for one glaring difference; Grayson was posed, not just dumped. Their killer was growing bold. This was a message and Draco heard it loud and clear.
'Catch me if you can.' It was a taunt and Malfoy didn't like being taunted.
"This victim was tortured, Malfoy,' Corner said. "He didn't just take her heart like the others. Why the change in his modus operandi?"
Draco rubbed the back of his neck, massaging the stiffness there. "He's starting to like it," he replied softly.
Corner's eyes widened. "Merlin Malfoy, I think that's the most chilling thing you've ever said to me."
Draco shrugged as if to apologize without actually saying the words.
Corner's eyes went to the young witch and he grimaced. "Unfortunately, I think you're right."
"Yeah," Draco muttered. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure he was too.
Draco turned when heard the loud crack of an apparition and looked up to see Harry Potter, Head Auror for the Magical Law Enforcement Division and Hermione Granger, Head of the Research Department for the MLE heading his way.
"Let me know if you find anything else, Corner." The MCSI tech nodded and Malfoy moved away from the scene, stepping over the magical "do not cross" barrier to meet the newest arrivals.
When they reached him, Draco didn't bother with greetings, he was more interested to know why Potter had brought Granger to an active crime scene. She was books and research, not field work.
"Potter," he gritted out. "A word if you don't mind." Without waiting for the Head Auror to respond, Draco strode several feet away from the two war heroes, knowing Potter would follow.
Harry did. "Is it our killer?" He asked before Malfoy had a chance to explode.
Draco nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "It is. And he's escalating."
"He is? How?"
Draco made a face, thinking of the brutality of this latest victim. "You'll see soon enough when you get a look at the body."
Malfoy ran a weary hand down his face. He was shattered, this case was gutting him. The body count continued to rise, and he had no viable leads to track back to a suspect. The last thing he needed was to deal with Ministry politics on top of the stress he was already under. "Look Potter, what the bloody hell are you thinking bringing Granger here?"
"I know what you're going to say…" Harry started, but Malfoy cut him off.
"Do you?" he asked, a curl to his lip and his skepticism apparent. "Well then, if you are that familiar with my thoughts, can you explain me having to ask why you've brought an Auror with no field training to my crime scene?" He scowled. "Since you know me so well, surely you knew I wouldn't appreciate it."
Harry ignored the blond Auror's sarcasm. "I brought Hermione in on this case because this bloke has killed four witches in as many months, and I thought a fresh perspective might help."
Draco narrowed his eyes and when he spoke his voice was low and angry. "Are you trying to say I can't do my job?"
Harry sighed. "Not at all, but I know you've been running yourself ragged over this case. Putting in eighteen-hour days… and after what you went through a few months ago I—"
Draco bared his teeth in anger. "Don't bring that shite up, Potter!" he snarled. "We agreed never to speak of it again after I was cleared by that mind healer to return to active field work." His mouth twisted into the sneer he was infamous for in Hogwarts. "Keep your sodding word, yeah?"
Harry heaved another sigh. "Fine, but I still think Hermione can help. You know she's bright."
"Brightest witch of her age. Yeah. I know the hype," he replied with a roll of his silver eyes. "But she's had no field training. Why in the name of Merlin would you want her to get her first taste of it on a case like this?"
'Because she's brilliant, observant—"
"She's a bloody bookworm!"
From behind them, Hermione suddenly chimed in. "She is right here, and she can hear you." When Draco's head snapped up and he glared at the young witch, Hermione shrugged. "Perhaps a silencing charm might help if you don't intend for me to hear you insult my worth."
Harry tried and failed to wipe the smile from his face when Malfoy returned his attention to the young war hero turned Auror.
"I can't work with her," Draco announced.
"You can. You just don't want to," Harry countered.
"And why should I?"
Potter ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair. "Malfoy I'm not saying you aren't good at your job. You're the best Auror in the MLE, which is why you were assigned this case to begin with, but this lunatic has killed four witches. If you're right, and he's escalating, then he isn't going to stop until we stop him. Is it really such an ordeal to have a fresh set of eyes? Or is your ego more important to you than solving these murders?"
Draco clenched his jaw. "Fuck!" he muttered under his breath. He hated to admit, but Potter made a valid point. He was exhausted, perhaps having use of Granger's talents might help. She was bloody brilliant, Draco knew it to be true. If only she wasn't a bossy, know it all swot! Draco rubbed the bridge of his nose, he could already feel the headache coming on that working with Granger would cause.
After a long, tense moment, he gave a curt nod. "Fine, I'll make it work, but I'm senior Auror on the case, yeah?" Potter nodded, his smile returning. Malfoy grimaced at the sight of Potter's small grin. "And I won't tolerate her bitching about my manners or lack thereof either, Potter."
"Duly noted, Malfoy," Harry said.
The blond Auror turned his attention to the witch in question. Granger was a war heroine and had seen more than her share of death, Draco knew this, but the wizard they were dealing with in this case gave new meaning to the word monster. "Are you sure she's up to this?"
Harry clapped Draco on the shoulder. "I appreciate it, Malfoy, and yeah, Hermione will be brilliant. You'll see."
Draco looked down his nose at the offending appendage resting on his shoulder and Harry promptly removed it with an eye roll.
Draco Malfoy was not the touchy-feely kind of wizard.
"You won't regret it," Harry said, pleased Malfoy had agreed without being ordered to accept Hermione on his team; which had been the next step if the blond refused.
"I already do," Malfoy muttered under his breath as he trailed after Potter.
The two wizards returned to where Hermione was waiting.
She smiled. "Are we okay then?"
Draco felt the need to warn Hermione as they made there way to the body. "Brace yourself. He's outdone himself with this one."
"What do you—" Granger's words died in her throat when she got her first good view of the witch posed in such a macabre fashion. Jeanne Grayson had probably been pretty in life, but with a terrorized death mask forever distorting her features, one would never know it. She was propped up against the war memorial, legs splayed and outstretched, arms limp by her sides with the palms up. There was a gaping hole in her chest where her heart was cut out, and the final (newest) touch from the killer was a clean slice across the abdomen from which her intestines had been pulled to lay in a pile upon her lap.
Hermione resisted the urge to gag. "Merlin," she breathed, horrified.
"Blimey," Harry said, his green eyes taking in the grisly scene. "It looks like something from Jack the Ripper."
Draco's head whipped about to stare at Harry. "Just a sodding minute! You've seen crimes of this nature before and you're just mentioning it now?"
"No," Potter replied absently as he studied the brutal display before him. "It was a hundred years ago. They're not related."
"What?" Draco said, confused.
"Jack the Ripper was a muggle serial killer that terrorized Whitechapel in 1888," Hermione explained. "There can't be a connection. It's just…the gruesomeness of the crimes are similar. That's all."
Draco didn't comment, instead he began to relay what he knew so far. "There were traces of dark magic surrounding the memorial when we first arrived and there were magical charms in place to keep muggles from seeing the body. The wound to her abdomen was done with precision. Corner thinks it may be some sort of muggle surgical instrument that made the cut since there are no traces of magic on the wound itself."
"There's no blood. It's obviously a body dump," Hermione commented looking around the scene.
"Like the last three," Malfoy said. "He obviously has a location where he kills them. These aren't crimes of opportunity. He plans them very carefully. Maybe even—"
"Stalks them and/or get's to know them personally," Hermione finished.
Draco was surprised, and it showed. "Yes. What makes you think that as well?"
"Well, I was going over the files earlier and the first victim, Louise Fletcher. Her neighbor said she had recently started dating a man. But there wasn't any evidence in her house about him. Nothing. Not a picture, an owl message…nothing. And the second victim, she was a Death Eaters daughter…"
"Lizette La Crombe," Draco said. "I knew Lizette. She was careful. She wouldn't have allowed just anyone to get close to her." Malfoy looked pensive for a moment. "You have to be careful when your parents were associated with the darkest wizard of our time. People tend to transfer the hate."
Hermione empathized but didn't allow her compassion to show. "Exactly," she said instead, maintaining her professionalism. "So, our killer got past her defenses somehow."
"So, you think he knows his victims?" Harry asked.
"Knows them or gets to know them, yes," Draco said, eyeing Granger. Perhaps having her working the case with him wouldn't be the disaster he'd first thought.
"Do we know who she is yet?" Hermione asked, leaning down to look at the poor girl. She was young. No more than twenty. "Maybe she was a student at Hogwarts."
"Former student," Draco said. "Her name was Jeanne Grayson. She graduated two years ago." He handed Harry her Hogwarts identification card.
Harry glanced down, his face saddened as he watched a young Jeanne smile and wave at him. "Bloody hell. You're right, Malfoy. He's escalating."
"He's starting to like it, Potter," Draco said, chilling everyone with his words.
"He's taunting us," Hermione added. "He's becoming bolder as if daring us to find him."
Draco's gaze shot to her, he looked both surprised and pleased by her insight. "I agree." He waved a hand at poor Jeanne Grayson's body. "This was a challenge." His jaw tightened, and that old Malfoy sneer reappeared. "I'd like to give the wanker what he's after, Granger."
She nodded. "So, would I, Malfoy."
"Then let's get to work. It's half past three (am)," Draco said. "There's nothing further to be found here. I'm for home to try and get at least a couple hours' sleep. Let's meet back in my office in the morning, yeah? We can go over the case files together."
Hermione nodded. "I'll be there."
Harry had to stay at the scene until the MCSI team were finished logging in the evidence. "Let's all meet with Shacklebolt tomorrow morning at nine first. He's been owling me every day, chomping at the bit for an update. Let's give him these new theories."
Draco snorted. "Why? So, he can see we're not just sitting around twiddling our wands?"
Hermione chuckled softly. "I understand you reluctance to play Ministry politics, Malfoy, but if we have Kingsley's backing, funding for whatever we need won't be hard to come by. It's better to have him on our side than opposing us."
Draco could see the logic behind that. "Fine. Granger, I'll see you in my office at eight then we can meet with you, Potter at Shacklebolt's office at nine."
With that agreed upon, the blond wizard apparated out, leaving the two thirds of the Golden Trio behind.
After Malfoy had departed, Harry turned to Hermione. "Still think you can't work with him?" he asked with a smirk.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the chuffed expression on her friend's face. "Fine. He's far more accommodating than I gave him credit for."
"We need to catch this maniac, 'Mione. Please play nice with him and help us stop these killings. If I didn't think you could be a valuable member of the investigation team, I wouldn't have agreed to your request, but you have to work with Malfoy. And by work, I don't mean argue and bicker."
Hermione gave her oldest and dearest friend a smile. "I will, Harry, although I think asking us not to bicker might be too much, However," she added before he could comment, "shockingly, after seeing him in action, I'm actually looking forward to working with him." She frowned. "Looking forward to working with Draco Malfoy…" She shook her head. "Words I never thought to utter."
Harry laughed softly. "I can imagine…as well as relate."
They hugged briefly before Hermione apparated away.
XXOOXX
Draco hesitated outside her small house a moment before knocking. Even if it wasn't a ridiculously late (or was it early) time to be calling, he knew he shouldn't be there. He had ended things between them, but he just…he didn't want to be alone. Call it selfish. Call it desperate. He wasn't sure really. He just needed to lose himself in her warmth.
The door opened quietly, and she blinked sleepy eyes at him. Her dark hair was messy, and it was rather obvious he had gotten her out of bed. She was dressed in a cotton robe belted at her slender waist and looked none too thrilled to have him appearing at her doorstep at four in the morning.
He didn't blame her.
"What are you doing here, Draco?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning a hip against her doorjamb. "I thought you said it was over."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know. I'm sorry. I just… tonight…"
"You found another body?"
His shoulders slumped, and he nodded. "I can't seem to stop him."
She sighed, pausing as if unsure what she should do before she made her decision and reached for his hand. Without another word she led him inside and to her bedroom.
His hands were rough as he pushed her robe off and tugged away her knickers and nightgown. She was far gentler as she helped him undress in silence and, when they fell onto the bed in a tangle of naked arms and legs, Draco buried his hands in her hair, kissing her as he took refuge in the comfort she offered. He braced himself above her, watching her face as he thrust into her body with deep, forceful strokes, making her scream his name as she came around his driving cock. She was always so expressive in her pleasure, he was not, but it was one of the things he enjoyed about her. And, when she said she loved him, he was reminded why he shouldn't be here. He was only going to hurt her again. He gave her two more orgasms (as if that would make it right), before he quietly sought his own relief, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood to remain silent as he spilled himself within her wet heat.
Afterwards, she curled up beside him, wanting to cuddle, and this time, he let her. On a night like tonight, he found it easier to allow her to cling to him; maybe even welcomed it just a tad. He knew he should leave and take his problems with him, but he couldn't. He needed her. Needed her to make him feel something in a world that felt empty presently.
Salazar he was a selfish bastard. He knew it but knowing his flaws didn't stop him from rolling her under him once more as the first light of dawn broke to take what she gave—a moment of peace in a world that had turned increasingly savage with each death he could not solve.
She'd said she loved him again. He could not say it back. Once more, they were at an impasse.
He could hear her soft cries following him from her bedroom as he left her flat, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. He thought slamming the door shut would be more appropriate for the finality of it all, but he wasn't angry. He was empty. He knew he shouldn't have come; he also knew he would not be back.
XXOOXX
Okay, so here's the 1st chapter of a new story. It is about 10 chapters and I have all but the final 2 written. I'll be posting a chapter a week on Sundays. :) Hope ya'll enjoy. Reviews make my muse happy; please feed her. Tee Hee! :)