Author's Note: This is a divergent fork in the road – the set up for an AU from canon. One scene in book four always made me wonder what might have happened if JKR took the character of Draco in another direction. What if his warning had been heartfelt instead of sarcastic? I now have a new AU playing in my head and I'm considering following up on it. We shall see.
Hermione lost track of the others as the crowd of people pushed and pulled at each other in their desperate attempts to escape the masked figures. She finally managed to push free of a group and fled into the trees. Stopping to catch her breath, she looked back towards the burning tents.
"Shouldn't you be moving on, Granger?" a haughty, drawling voice came from behind her.
She spun around. Draco Malfoy, of all people, lounged against a nearby tree. A hint of mocking humor rested on his face even as he lifted a disdainful eyebrow. Her chin came up and she replied coolly. "I suppose you have nothing to fear?"
"Depends on where I stand and wait," he shrugged lightly. "At least here I can watch."
Her mouth dropped open slightly before a light flush of anger tinged her cheeks. "That's-"
Snapping branches interrupted her and Draco grabbed her arm. He pulled her into the shadows behind him, hissing, "Stay quiet! And don't move!"
She cringed against the tree as a handful of the masked people came striding into the little clearing. One of them started to point his wand at Draco, but another slapped his hand down. "Don't be stupid," came the hollow sounding voice. "That's the Malfoy heir. If the Ministry doesn't skin you, his parents will."
"Oh, please, do," Draco sneered, contempt dripping with every word. "My father would so enjoy the opportunity to deal with you."
One of them snorted. "He wouldn't know who it was."
"Then go ahead," the blond boy responded, straightening and holding out his arms, almost daring the man.
"Idiot!" hissed a woman's voice. "You're talking about Lucius Malfoy!"
"He's not-"
"Not what?" The silky threat came from a newcomer to the clearing. Lucius Malfoy strode into the crowd wearing a deep green robe and carrying an unsheathed wand. No one spoke and his eyebrow lifted in a slow motion of superior disdain. "Well, if none of you have any desire to step up and speak, take yourselves elsewhere."
The group milled for a moment before they disappeared back towards the burning circle of tents. Hermione remained still until Draco glanced back over his shoulder. "You can come out now," he told her. She slipped out from behind him to find his father gazing at both of them with a curious air.
"And this is?" he asked his son.
"Hermione Granger," Draco replied with a shrug.
Hermione lifted her chin as cool gray eyes combed over her. Lucius glanced at his son, who lifted a single shoulder in a shrug, before he gave a deep sigh. "Very well, then," he pronounced. "Come along both of you. This location is quite obviously unsafe for you to remain. We shall have to find you somewhere else to wait out the disturbance." A new eruption of screams punctuated his statement. Hermione hesitated, but a nearby explosion prompted her to follow as Lucius led them further into the trees. Upon reaching a new clearing, he did a thorough search, setting up wards around it as he went. Finally he nodded. "Draco," he started and then paused, once more eyeing Hermione before continuing, "Miss Granger, wait here. The wards should keep anyone from bothering you, but it will not be safe to wander."
Draco nodded, with Hermione doing the same a couple of seconds later. Lucius nodded in return before sweeping out of the clearing. Hermione's lips twitched.
"What?" Draco asked, a frown hovering over his lips.
She gave him a quick glance before a smile tried to creep over her face. "I just thought…" She hesitated and then continued, "I just thought how much like Professor Snape that looked."
Draco glanced over to the spot where his father disappeared and he smirked. "So very dramatic," he drawled out with a casual wave of his hand. "A generational thing, no doubt." His eyes glanced around before he moved over to sit on a downed tree.
"Why?" The word escaped her before she could draw it back. He raised an eyebrow at her and she gave a small lift of her shoulders. "Why are you both helping me? It doesn't seem… Well, I mean-"
"I know what you mean," he interrupted abruptly. "You're thinking you expected us to leave you to the Death Eaters, right? Leave the little mudblood to her fate?" His sneer returned in full force.
"Well, yes," she admitted slowly. "This just doesn't seem…" Her voice trailed away.
"Like something a Malfoy would do?" He picked it up for her, rising abruptly to pace the clearing. "Think only Potter and Weasley can do something 'good'?" The sardonic amusement dripping from his tone caused her to flush.
"No, it's not...maybe…it just doesn't fit!" Hermione's voice rushed out in a huff.
"The public image? The way we behave when everyone is watching?" Draco's voice sounded tired. "Honestly Granger, I thought you would have learned by now that nothing is ever what it seems. Unlike the Weasleys or Lestranges of the world, not everyone shows everything. Almost everyone wears a mask."
"You hate me," she insisted, though her assurance of that grew weaker.
"I'm a Malfoy, a Slytherin," he pointed out. "There are certain ways we have to-"
"Why do you 'have to'?" she interrupted.
He rubbed at his forehead with one hand. "You still don't understand some of our world," he muttered. "Do you think the Dark Lord was the only danger? That once he was gone everything was lollipops and rainbows? Not everyone can be the saintly pure white Potter or even the tarnished gray Dumbledore." She frowned in confusion and he rolled his eyes. "Do you know who the Dark Lord was before he changed his name?"
"Tom Riddle," she answered promptly.
"And what of Gellert Grindelwald? What do you know of him?"
"One of the most powerful Dark Wizards of all time, second only to Vol-" Draco cleared his throat and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Voldemort," she continued doggedly. "Professor Dumbledore faced him in a legendary duel and defeated him. He is currently imprisoned."
"Yes, yes," he waved that off. "That's what everyone knows. What about before that? Before he became a dark wizard? What do you know of him from before?"
"I…I haven't really looked into it," she admitted with a slight grimace.
"You should," he pointed out. "His greatest rival ended up being Dumbledore, obviously, but when he lived in England, do you know who his best friend and ally just happened to be?"
Hermione's eyes went wide. "No," she said softly, one hand coming to her mouth.
"Oh, yes," Draco replied seriously, coming to a stop right in front of her. His eyes pierced hers as he stared down at her. "Dumbledore's hands are far from clean." One corner of his mouth ticked up in a near smile. "Potter got very, very lucky in his choice of companions. Imagine the last few years if the 'Golden Trio' hadn't existed." She blanched. "Exactly," he nodded.
"Why?" she asked, her wide eyes focusing on him intently, a demand for answers in every line of her face. "Why do you act like such a…a…?"
"Bastard?" he finished for her. "Because anything different would draw attention. People expect me to be arrogant and self-important. If I give them what they expect, then they don't look any deeper."
"But-"
"Granger, between the three of you, you've got Gryffindor's insane bravery, Hufflepuff's loyalty, and Merlin only knows you give them Ravenclaw's intelligence. What you don't have is Slytherin's cunning. If Potter and Weasley didn't have to worry about me 'finding out' what you were up to, how careful would they have been? Honestly?"
She winced. "I see your point. You could have helped without being so difficult though."
"You're still thinking too much like a Gryffindor," he pointed out. "Have you never played any form of strategy game? One thing you never do is reveal all of your assets. You keep some of your forces carefully hidden and when the time is right you spring a trap."
"Hmm," Hermione's eyes narrowed as she considered his words. "I can see that, but how were we supposed to find out you were actually not the bad guy you appeared to be? I mean with everything you've done?"
"What haven't I done?" he countered. "I knew Lupin was a werewolf from the beginning of term last year. Father knew obviously and informed me. I never revealed it…not even there at the end. That was Snape's doing. Yes, Father issued the complaint about Buckbeak, but again-"
"It would have been expected," she finished with a nod. "I see that…but I don't regret hitting you."
He chuckled. "Don't bother. It certainly gave your reputation a bit of a boost." He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Even if mine took a bit of dive – getting hit by a girl." A laugh spilled out of her and his eyes softened. "That's better. You don't laugh enough."
"I laugh," she protested.
"But not enough," he argued. "You're much too serious about school." He held his hands up. "Not saying that's a bad thing, but you could do with a little less drive and a little more fun in your life."
"Someone's got to be the smart one," she pointed out, her chin going up slightly.
"You couldn't be the dumb one if you tried," he snickered. "You just need to learn to lighten up and enjoy-"
A sudden burst of light overhead interrupted him and both of them turned to stare at the image being broadcast into the sky. A green skull with a snake coming out of it mouth floated above the woods, hovering like a portent of doom. Without realizing it, Hermione slid a little closer to Draco. His arm came around her shoulders without a word. They stood together looking at the specter for several long moments, hearing the screams and shouts from the woods around them. No one bothered them however – they remained safe and secluded in their private clearing.
"That's not good," Hermione murmured.
Draco's voice was whisper-soft. "No, no it's really not." He looked down at her. "This year's not off to a good start and we're not even at Hogwarts." A bemused look entered her eyes as she turned to look at him and he tilted his head at the floating skull. "Death Eaters at the World Cup, the Dark Lord's sign, and the…" He trailed off.
"What?" she asked.
"I can't tell you everything," he replied slowly. "I gave Father my word, but…there's going to be something major happening at the school this year. With that plus all of this? Make sure Potter keeps his head down."
She opened her mouth to argue, but then slowly closed it. Her gaze examined his face before she sighed. "You're not going to tell me," she stated as opposed to asking. "And I guess you'll still be the snarky Draco Malfoy everyone loves to hate this year too, won't you?"
"No choice," he shook his head, "especially not now, not with that hanging around." He glanced up at the skull once more before looking down at her. "I'll do what I can, but…no promises."
"Well at least I know you don't hate me," she muttered.
"No," he said slowly. "I definitely wouldn't say hate."
Their gazes locked. Something seemed to pass between them and a little smile settled on his lips.
"Such a lovely picture."
A new voice entered the clearing and they jerked apart, eyes darting over to see Narcissa Malfoy gliding over to them. Her eyes combed over them before a formal, but real smile touched her lips. She touched Draco's shoulder briefly before turning to Hermione. "Miss Granger, I believe?" Hermione nodded and Narcissa continued. "I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance. I have been informed you are likely the cleverest witch Hogwarts has seen in quite some time."
Hermione blushed and looked down, murmuring disclaimers.
"Come now," Narcissa patted her shoulder. "Your humility does you credit, but never let it steal your achievements." Her gaze moved between the two teenagers and a hint of caution entered her voice. "Both of you need to be extra careful this year," she pointed out, her eyes moving pointedly to the specter over their heads. Then she straightened and adopted a more formal tone. "Come along then, children. It appears as though the…fuss is quite finished and I would prefer to get you both out of these woods." Now her gaze scanned the nearby trees before turning to Hermione once more. "I believe you are currently under the care of Arthur Weasley?"
"Yes, ma'am," Hermione replied politely.
"Such manners," Narcissa noted approvingly. "Would that more of your age group possessed them." Draco cleared his throat self-consciously as his mother lifted an eyebrow at him. "Never mind that for now. Draco and I shall escort you back to the Weasleys."
"I will accompany you," Lucius stepped into the clearing. "They seem to believe they caught the…culprit responsible for that." He gestured towards the sky. Narcissa's eyebrows rose in question and he lifted his shoulders in a graceful shrug. "Crouch's house-elf."
"His house-elf?" Narcissa blinked in amazement. "How in Merlin's name would she-" The woman cut herself off and shook her head. She glanced at the intently listening teens. "Never mind for now. We need to return Miss Granger to her guardians before anyone panics."
"Shall we go then?" Lucius offered his arm to his wife and then led the small group towards the edge of a clearing. He glanced over his shoulder. "Do be careful this year, won't you?"
Hermione nodded and then glanced at Draco. "Now I'm getting nervous," she whispered.
He repressed a laugh. "Granger, if you are just now beginning to get nervous…" A huff of amusement escaped from him. "You are so very much a Gryffindor, aren't you?"
She shrugged, but hid a smile. "If the shoe fits…"
"Oh, this year should be interesting," he noted, giving her a quick wink before sliding sideways as they left the clearing to leave a decent space between them.
Hermione considered his words even as she forced a put-upon expression on her face. This new side of the Malfoys gave her a lot to think over. What else had she misjudged about the Wizarding world? Dumbledore, the Malfoys, Draco in particular? She needed to set up a whole new study and really start looking into the shadowy nuances of the world she was now a part of – she had no intention of getting caught off guard again. Her eyes slipped to the boy walking beside her.
She had to wonder. What other surprises does Draco Malfoy hold? Even as they came in sight of a panicked knot of Weasleys, she could not deny the new and tempting thread of interest winding its way through her mind. She could feel it burrowing into her curiosity, becoming a lure she was sure she would not be able to resist. I want to know more.