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The Return of Draco Malfoy
Chapter One
The hair was unmistakable; fine, silver blond, each strand perfectly placed. Yes, that was definitely Draco Malfoy. The very same Malfoy who hadn't been seen since he was outed as a spy during the final battle. He had been instrumental in the elimination of Voldemort and many of his followers nearly ten years ago.
During the years following his disappearance, Hermione had thought of him frequently, hoping, in fact, that he was still alive somewhere. She couldn't help wondering what precisely had happened to the boy whom she had just begun to get to know. As rumour had it, he had been taken by the remaining rogue Death Eaters, directly from the battle, and was then tortured for days until his unceremonious and inevitable death. This was pure speculation, as no body was ever found and there were no evil wizards with ready confessions. The post-war recovery and rebuilding had consumed many months; and by the time she really began to question the validity of the rumour, the trail had gone cold.
Before the final battle, only a select few Order members had been aware that Draco was a spy working for Dumbledore. It was just a given, due to his family name, that he was a Death Eater and a very loyal servant of the Dark Lord. His position came to light during a fierce confrontation between Harry and Voldemort, while everyone else was trying to fend off the minions who were closing ranks to assist their Master. Almost all at the scene were shocked to see Draco Malfoy remove his mask, step from the ranks of evil, and begin cursing his fellow henchmen. He was, without question, one of the most determined soldiers that day; his courage never wavered as the dark wizards tried to kill the traitor to their cause.
Hermione had been entrusted with the truth about Draco's loyalty to ensure that the knowledge of his allegiance would come to light, should both Dumbledore and Snape perish before the end of the war. They were brought together frequently and in secret to plan out modes of attack and to work on the spell that would eventually bring about the demise of the most evil wizard since Grindelwald. It had been difficult at first for them to work together; Hermione had been called a filthy Mudblood one to many times, and Draco didn't feel that he could trust one of the Golden Trio.
She was surprised by the vast knowledge that Draco brought to the table, and her intellectual curiosity was piqued by his apparent brilliance in the field of research and the formulation of new spells. The Dark Lord had had him trained for use in this capacity. They worked tirelessly for months while she lied to her closest friends about what was keeping her busy nearly every evening. Harry and Ron would not have been so easily swayed into thinking of the ferret as a loyal follower of the light. They would certainly have vehemently opposed her association with the self-proclaimed leader of Slytherin house.
Now, ten years later, Hermione was assigned to meet Draco at the portkey station upon his return to England from an undisclosed foreign land. She was dumbstruck when the head of her department told her that not only was Draco Malfoy still alive, he had been given a position in the Department of Mysteries alongside of her. So much time had passed that she assumed the rumors of his death must be true, and the revelation of his continued existence was quite a shock.
Draco had contacted the Ministry three months ago, she was told, and several of the top aurors had been sent to debrief him. It could be assumed that this took place under the influence of liberal amounts of Veritaserum. Once they had been sufficiently assured that he wished to return to the Wizarding world as one of the good guys, he was offered a position as an Unspeakable. This was due to his knowledge of and experience with dark artifacts, many of which now held permanent residence in the Department of Mysteries.
Hermione, also an Unspeakable, was to escort Draco back to the Ministry where he could be introduced in person to the heads of the department. She was informed of this only yesterday and was feeling a bit out of sorts, and if she were to admit the truth, she was also slightly excited at the prospect of seeing him again.
"Right over here, Malfoy." she called while waving her hand over her head. Hermione was taken aback by the sight of him when he turned in her direction.
The previous decade had been good to him; he had always been one of the most attractive boys at Hogwarts, but now he was stunning. His aristocratic face had filled in just a bit and his very fair skin sported a touch of sun, while still remaining flawless. He retained a thin build and moved his body across the room with elegance and grace. The biggest difference was in his eyes; they were still the same steely grey, but the cold calculating look had vanished. Maturity was one trait that would not have been ascribed to him before, but now he seemed to exude it.
He strode forward putting his hand out, first to Hermione, and then to the auror assigned to accompany her. "Thank you for meeting me." He said. "It is so lovely to see you again, Ms Granger. It is still Ms. Granger, is it not?"
Was that a polite inquiry, actual curiosity, or an underhanded attempt to point out her lack of marriageability? Berating herself for instantly thinking negatively of his motives, she replied. "Yes, it is still Ms Granger. A career as an Unspeakable lends little to your personal life, and I really haven't the time or inclination to go in search of a spouse. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, after all." She wondered, fleetingly, why she was unable to control the defensive edge her voice had taken
With a forced smile, she turned on her heel and headed toward the floo connections. "Follow me, please." She hadn't intended to sound so abrupt, but being just a little nervous always brought out the less congenial side of her personality.
Draco followed obediently, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, and the auror brought up the rear. His expression was quickly schooled when she swung back around, holding out a pot of floo powder.
"Ladies first, of course, Ms. Granger." He bowed his head, ever so slightly, as he motioned her towards the hearth.
With an upraised eyebrow, she gave him an appraising look. Without a word, she handed him the pot, took a handful of dust, and stepped into the floo. "Director Park's office – Ministry of Magic."
After being dismissed from Director Park's office, Hermione realized that she was feeling exceptionally tense. With the door firmly shut behind her, she stood there for a few seconds, inhaling deeply and trying to bury the feeling of betrayal. Why had he vanished without at least sending word that he was still alive and well? It was simply cruel to let her, and all the others, imagine him dead for the last ten years. The bigger question, however, was why did Hermione care?
Chapter Two
Hermione was very ready to go when the clock struck half five. After she left Malfoy in Park's office, she just couldn't get her mind focused on work. The assignment currently allocated to her department required every bit of her capable brain, and parts of it were otherwise occupied. She told herself that it was simple curiosity; she merely wished to know what he had been doing with himself for ten years because he had so effectively evaded notice for so long. She was very rarely unable to concentrate when she worked. The fact that Malfoy was the cause of her distraction set her on edge.
Hermione tidied up her desk and the workstation she was using in the adjoining lab, not even noticing that someone had walked in and was currently standing just inside the doorway. Turning and nearly running right into him, she gasped as her hand flew to her chest.
"Oh, bloody hell, you scared the life out of me, Malfoy!" she railed as she moved her hands to smooth nonexistent wrinkles from her skirt – a nervous habit she had acquired some years ago.
"You have my apologies, Ms. Granger, I'm afraid I inherited the Slytherin stealth." He replied, sounding sincere enough. "I wonder if you would be so kind as to join me for dinner this evening, I have some questions about my new position and assume you would have the answers?"
Hermione did not feel up to it this evening and she had already told Lavender she would come over to help her with plans for the upcoming "Tenth Annual Celebration of Peace" party. Lavender had volunteered to head up the Remembrance committee and was feeling quite overwhelmed, as she had never been the best organizer.
"I assure you that I can adequately answer any questions you have, tomorrow, when you arrive at work, Mr. Malfoy."
She thought she caught a hint of the old Malfoy smirk ghost across his face before he spoke.
"I'm certain you can, Ms. Granger. I won't keep you." he said politely, as he stepped aside to let her through the doorway. "Until tomorrow, then."
"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy." She said, wondering why she felt the need to behave so formally towards a person she had once spent a fair amount of time alone with.
"Good evening."
Hermione left quickly, trying not to worry that Malfoy might be dining alone on his first night back – it was really none of her concern. She made her way to the Apparation point and popped out of sight.
Arriving in front of Lavender's flat, Hermione took a brief moment to gather her wits about her before knocking on the door. She promised herself that she would make it through this evening without thinking of the infuriating man. Infuriating? What had he done to warrant that description? With a shake of her head she dismissed that train of thought as Lavender opened the door.
"I'm so glad you're here! This is just all too much, what was I thinking? I'm no good at this sort of thing. Why, oh, why did I volunteer?" Lavender asked herself more than her friend as she took Hermione's arm and led her over the threshold into her disheveled flat.
"Probably because you wanted the glory of being the party coordinator while at the same time knowing full well that you could depend on me to do all of the actual work." There was no malice in her statement, she merely knew her friend well enough to guess.
"Well, 'glory' may be overstating the matter a bit, but I know that I can depend on you no matter what I get myself into. Don't think I'm unappreciative of that fact either, I'll repay you," a broad grin spread across her face, " with a make over!" Lavender replied, as she made a place for Hermione on the sofa with a simple flick of her wand. "Have a seat."
For the next two hours, they sat together on the sofa with papers and brochures scattered on the low table in front of them. Hermione was shuffling through the different offers from bands that wished to provide the musical entertainment. Lavender was sitting back, relaxed and curling a strand of her hair around her finger.
"You could at least appear to be helping, you know," Hermione said as she threw a sideways glance at her friend.
"I was just thinking, I heard that Draco Malfoy is back. I can't believe he's still alive after all this time." She put her hands out in front of her to inspect her manicure. "Do you think he's single?"
"Now, why in Merlin's name would you want to know that, Lavender Brown?" Hermione turned a questioning glare at Lavender. Her friend was very fickle when it came to men and had dated most of the eligible wizards in Britain.
"He was always very good looking, and I can imagine that he held on to a fair bit of his family wealth. Besides, after he disappeared, you told all of us about the time you spent with him, you said that he could actually be...'quite tolerable', I believe were your words." Lavender grinned as she always did when she was able to use Hermione's own statements against her.
After looking at her friend with an upraised eyebrow for a moment she said, "I did actually see him today; in fact, he invited me to dinner." Hermione wished she hadn't said it the moment the sentence left her lips. "Damn!" She uttered under her breath as Lavender's face lit up.
"Why have you been sitting here with me? Surely he expected you hours ago." She jumped off of the sofa, pulling Hermione up by the hand. "We need to do SOMETHING with your hair if you're going on a date." She was pushing up one side of the unmanageable mass and frowning.
Hermione slapped her hand away playfully. "I turned him down."
Lavender's eyes looked like they would pop right out of her head and she adopted her most scandalized tone. "What! This is the first time someone has asked you out in years! Oh... not that there aren't wizards who want to ask you out, you've just turned them all down so they've given up," she backtracked, when Hermione looked offended.
"I had already promised to meet you, hadn't I? It wasn't that sort of invitation anyway; he said he had some questions about the Department."
"Sure he did. You're hopeless." Lavender threw her hands up in mock frustration. "If he asks you again, you will say 'yes', do you understand!" She was now poking her index finger into Hermione's sternum.
"Ouch, stop that!" She backed away to get out of Lavender's reach. "If you don't mind, I would like to review what we've accomplished tonight so that I know how much more time I'll need to invest in your project."
"I thought we were done. We decided on the band, the food, the decorations, the order in which each speaker would be presented. Not only did the decisions get made, but you drafted letters to everyone, including the offer to the Hogwarts house elves – you do know they'd work for free, we didn't need to offer payment for their catering services." Lavender got a sudden mischievous gleam in her eyes, "You should ask Draco to the celebration!" She was nearly jumping with joy at the idea. "That would be perfect."
"I'm going now, Lavender, I'll leave you to your delusions." Hermione neatly organized all of the parchments she was going to send off in the morning and made her way to the door.
"Don't think you've heard the last on this topic..." Hermione heard Lavender call as she disappeared.
Hermione Appararted into her home and sagged into an arm chair, exhausted. "This has been some day." She said aloud to herself. Closing her eyes, she leaned back to rest her head on the chair. For the first time in years her mind wandered back to her final year at Hogwarts.
November, 1997
"Just because I've seen the light and abandoned my family traditions to help in the fight against evil, don't take it as given that I will willingly spend my precious time with this insufferable Gryffindor! Draco huffed with his arms crossed over his chest.
Hermione was fuming, "You expect me to believe that this vile excuse for a wizard has not only been reformed, but that he should be trusted with Order secrets?" She glared at Dumbledore and Snape, "You've both gone round the bend!" She waited for the reprimand for being disrespectful.
The headmaster looked between the two of them before commenting, first to Hermione. "I understand your hesitation, Ms. Granger, but I assure you that all necessary precautions have been taken to verify Mr. Malfoy's loyalties and agenda. While not the most altruistic of motivations, he does have the desire to break free of his family legacy." He turned to face Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, you and Hermione are two of our brightest students, and your joint efforts could prove quite invaluable to the Order. Please consider the importance of what we are asking you to do before you refuse, outright, to help."
Snape cut in. "While I do understand that it is asking a lot of you," he glared reproachfully at Hermione, then turned back to Draco, "I expect that as a member of my House, you will do what is required and you will do so with no further complaints."
Draco growled low in his throat, resigning himself to his fate. "Yes, sir."
"Do you also agree, Ms. Granger?" Dumbledore asked as if he were actually giving her a choice.
Not wanting to be less reasonable than the ferret, she knew she needed to agree. "Yes, Headmaster."
"Well, that is wonderful. I am expecting the highest level of discretion in this matter. I'm afraid I will have to ask that you not discuss this with anyone – yes Ms Granger that includes Misters Potter and Weasley." He beat her to the punch just as she opened her mouth to speak. "I think we shall tell them that you are taking on an extra Transfiguration project and will thus need to be away from the common room frequently. Does that suit?"
"I suppose it will have to, but I really detest lying."
"I understand. However, we must sometimes make such sacrifices for the greater good. All of the people who know of Draco's true allegiance are in this office at this very moment, and you can understand the grave danger he would be in, should that information inadvertently pass into the wrong hands through an overheard conversation or the like."
"Of course, Headmaster."
"I will have Professor Snape brief you with the pertinent information tonight in the Room of Requirement at half seven. You both may go."
Hermione arrived back at the common room in such a state that the younger Gryffindors gave her a wide berth as she made her way to the sofa, where she found Harry and Ron playing exploding snap instead of working on their Charms essays. "Can't you two be responsible for just one day without me breathing down your necks!" She flung the words at them and then, in a huff, stomped off to the girl's dorms.
"What in the bloody hell was that for?" Ron asked Harry as he stared at Hermione's retreating back. Harry only shrugged in response.
Not wanting to face her wrath for a second time in one day, they didn't question her when she left later that evening.
February, 1998
"This is absolutely brilliant, how did you come upon this hypothesis, Draco?" Hermione asked enthusiastically as she quickly read through the scroll he had handed her.
"Oh, you know, I have exceptional breeding, so brilliance is just another burden I must bear – a long with acerbic wit, undeniable charm, and having devastatingly handsome features." He ticked each off, in all seriousness, with a put-upon look.
"Well, if you consider inbreeding to be exceptional and ferret-like looks to be attractive, I suppose you would be a fine specimen." Hermione teased back.
"You are such the nasty little Mudblood, aren't you?"
"I do try," she said, as they both wore matching smirks.
May, 1998
"I suppose this will be our last strategy-slash-research and development session," Hermione said quietly. They had just been informed that Harry was going to use the spell they had developed to attempt to defeat the Dark Lord the following day.
"I don't think our work will be needed again after tomorrow, no matter the outcome. Do you want to run through the arithmancy one final time?" he asked, looking a bit pale. "I wouldn't want to go into battle with a spell based on flawed Arithmantic theory."
"It isn't flawed, we've gone over it a thousand times," Hermione retorted.
"I know," was all he said in reply as he stared at his hands.
"Are you frightened?" she asked, looking directly at Draco, but moving her hands nervously over her skirt, belying the calmness of her expression.
"I am NOT a coward," he shot back with an intense glare.
"I wasn't implying that you are, Draco. It's only logical that you would be frightened at the prospect of a possibly vicious battle, especially when you may come up against your own father in the fray." She leaned in a bit towards him and put her hand over his. "If you want to talk about it, I'm here to listen."
"I don't need to snivel about the possibility of having to kill my own terribly abusive, unloving father. He has done enough to warrant punishment with The Kiss and if justice comes at my hand then so be it." He pulled his hand away from Hermione's roughly and moved to leave.
"Wait, Draco, I'm sorry. Please don't leave on bad terms when we may never see each other again." She couldn't control the pleading look in her eyes.
"I'm sure you would like to get back to your common room to spend this, of all, evenings, with your other two-thirds." He said as their eyes locked. He didn't move to leave again.
"I do want to spend some time with them, but a little more time with you would be nice, too." Hermione's eyes flicked down to Malfoy's lips and then back to his now curious grey eyes.
"I can spare a few minutes." His voice cracked nearly imperceptibly and he leaned ever so slightly closer to Hermione.
"I believe I'll miss our work sessions. I hope you'll stay in touch." Hermione felt like her body temperature was rising and she licked her lips reflexively. All clear thought seemed to leave her mind as she and Draco moved very slowly towards each other.
"If we live beyond tomorrow, I'd like that." Malfoy sounded strange; perhaps it was the fact that he sounded completely sincere.
Hermione's eyelids fluttered shut just as their lips met. She was lost in a swirling world of soft lips, warm breath, and thundering pulses. This kiss was far more intense than any she had previously experienced. It was as if she knew they would never get this chance again and she wasn't willing to let it go.
The door to the Room of Requirement swung open and Dumbledore strode in, then cleared his throat. They took no notice of him. He coughed rather loudly and, startled, they broke apart, looking appropriately mortified that the Headmaster had caught them kissing.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we are expected in my office to review the details of the spell with several of the higher ranking Order members." With a twinkle in his eye he added, "I feel it would be appropriate to allow you to break curfew this evening if you need a little more time to review tactics after our meeting." That was definitely a smile trying to pull at the corners of his mouth.
Neither Hermione nor Draco commented; they simply followed him down the corridor.
Draco left the meeting, abruptly, after being summoned by his father.
With the exception of a very quick glimpse of him on the battle field, that was the last time Hermione had seen Draco...until today.
Thanks for reading, I have also posted this story at Pureblood : A Malfoy Family Archive. I had chosen my user name there before I ever decided to write anything so it is weaslybigfan.