Just so you know, this story takes place about two years after the Final Battle. This story will have very few chapters, probably only two or three, perhaps with a epilogue. I know that the longer I make a story, the less of a chance there is that I'll actually finish it. But I promise I'll finish this one! Write a review, please, to keep me motivated!
Hermione could have sworn that darkness descended in the sky when the Daily Profit arrived on June 6th. She'd been sipping her cup of coffee at Harry's, as she did every morning. Ron was at work already, called away early, so she's Apparated to Harry's to spend the morning with him. But the shock on the front page caused her mouth the fall open and her cup to slip from her fingers.
Harry was at her side in an instant. "Are you okay, Hermione?"
"I—oh—give me a moment, Harry. I'll be alright. Just- just look at this!" She said, brandishing the Daily Profit in the air. Harry gave her a concerned look, and then did as she told him. His eyes widened at the large, nearly comical black letters.
The Youngest Death Eater Meets His End!
Harry had no doubt who the article was about. "Malfoy." He whispered, hardly believing it. Sure enough, there was a large picture of the Slytherin, with his characteristic sneer on his lips. Neither he or Hermione had seen hide-nor-hair of their school nemesis since the final battle. They just figured he had tucked his tail between his legs and was hiding out somewhere in the luxury of his family's fortune. There were rumors that the Malfoy's had returned to the Mansions, but the place was so heavily warded that no one could prove anyone actually lived there. Two years… And now he was dead. Malfoy had always been like an invincible thorn in Harry's side. The realization that Malfoy was as human as the rest of them was a shock.
Hermione snatched it back from Harry wordlessly, reading the article. Harry heard her exclaim several times, her expression furious. Whatever was written about the young heir, Hermione didn't like it. He pulled out his wand to clean up Hermione's spilt coffee.
"Scourgify." He said, the table clean. He picked up the cup and took it to the kitchen, sure that no one would be drinking anything for a while. Meanwhile, Hermione felt angrier than she had in a long time.
She'd expected some details about the cause of his death, perhaps something about his parents, and a few good words about his days as a students.
But what she found instead was an article devoted majorly to the degrading of Malfoy's character.
The first attack came from the reporter herself. Rita Skeeter.
"I remember meeting the Draco Malfoy when he was just a boy at Hogwarts. But even then, I could sense an unseen darkness coming from him. I thought to myself, "This one, he'll end up just like his father if he doesn't get help soon." I pushed those thoughts away, knowing that Draco was under the wing of the Wizarding World's great Albus Dumbledore. But Draco Malfoy, the only Malfoy Heir, proves that even Dumbledore couldn't save everyone. Draco Malfoy is the only son of Lucious Malfoy, a notoriously Dark Wizard and right hand to You-Know-Who during his rein. Unfortunately, it became apparent during Draco's sixth year that the apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree. The teenager played an instrumental part in the murder of then-Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, then he later fled to join the Dark-Lord's side. Draco Malfoy has been a rival to the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter, since their early meetings at Hogwarts. The animosity between the two can obviously be attributed to the fact that Harry had fought the Dark-Lord for years, thwarting the Malfoy's gaining of power. Draco tormented Harry all during school, despite Harry's many attempts at friendship.
Hermione snorted at this. But her amusement was short lived when she read the next section, entitled, "The Adolescent Death Eater"
When the fellow Sytherin and ex-girlfriend of Draco, Pansy Parkinson, heard about Draco's death, she burst into tears. The sorrow was plain on her face as she gave a few details of Draco's life when he was a student. "He was always boasting about what he'd done for the Dark Lord. All of the Muggles he'd hunted down. When he first got the dark-mark, he was so proud that he woke me up in the middle of the night and showed it to me. He took pleasure in what he was doing. I knew that Draco was in trouble. So I broke up with him a couple of months later," Parkinson said. "I'm honestly not surprised that things ended up this way. I'm glad I ended things when I did." Gregory Goyle, snother long-time friend of Draco Malfoy, found himself on the receiving end of Draco's malicious personality. "He was always threatening me as a boy. I tried to get away from him.. but he had his father's influence. It was because of him that I became a Death Eater, too. He told me that if I didn't, he'd ask the Dark Lord to kill my family."
Hermione stared at the paper in disbelief. Everyone knew that Crabbe and Goyle had followed Draco of their own free will. Of course, he'd enjoyed to attention quite a bit, but they'd loved the power that Draco had. Draco couldn't have gotten rid of them if he'd tried. And Pansy Parkinson's testimony… she didn't even know where to start! Anyone who'd seen Draco during his last few years at Hogwarts knew that Draco was terrified of becoming a Death Eater. And when he'd been marked, he'd been miserable. Obviously not Death Eater material, and he never had been.
"Pansy Parkinson… oh, that trollop! How could she say those things about him! And Goyle too… weren't they his friends? This is worse than disrespecting the dead! They're all lying!"
Harry leaned over on the couch and read despite Hermione's trembling grip.
"How did he die?" He asked suddenly.
"I don't know. I think it says something on page seven."
"Why don't we take a look at page seven, then." Harry said, like he was talking to a child. Hermione obliged and turned to the page. Another gasp escaped her lips.
"My god." Harry said, disturbed.
Last night, authorities discovered the body of Draco Malfoy in a room in the Malfoy Manor, his body hanging by an Invisible Rope spell. Several well-trained investigated and concluded that no foul-play was apparent, and Priori Incantatum confirmed that the spell had in fact originated from Draco Malfoy's wand. His death was then ruled suicide.
"I'm just glad that he finally did us a favor and ended it! Now that he's gone, we can finally tear down that eye-sore-of-a-mansion." Said a neighbor of the Malfoy family. The Malfoy Manor is filled with plenty of dark magic, and even darker memories. It is where the muggle-born witch, Hermione Granger, was tortured and imprisoned alongside other prisoners of the Dark Lord, and Harry Potter successfully rescued she and the others. The Manor was also a known place where the Dark Lord often made his plans, a home to the Death Eaters. It seems ironic that his childhood home is also where the adolescent Death Eater met his end. Another Death Eater has found his way from the world, and we're closer to peace, free from the Dark Lord's reign. Draco Malfoy's reappearance from hiding was a shock to us all. His suicide though, begs a question: why? The young heir left no note or indication of his reasons, but I suppose there is no way of knowing what truly led to such a horrible end.
Hermione and Harry were silent. They couldn't have been more disturbed if Malfoy had been murdered. Somehow, this was far, far worse.
"Do you suppose Ron knows about this?" Harry asked quietly.
"I'm sure he does now. They're probably celebrating at the Ministry right now!" Hermione growled in disgust. Harry put a calming hand on her shoulder, but it did little to soothe her.
"Pansy Parkinson… oh, that trollop! How could she say those things about him! And Goyle too… weren't they his friends?"
"Maybe they weren't as close as we thought."
"This just isn't right, Harry." Hermione said. Harry understood what she meant. To see his rivals reduced to this… it was saddening.
Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a loud pop!. Ron appeared before them, his cheeks slightly pink with excitement.
"Did you hear?"
"What?" Harry said.
"The Ferret's dead! He killed himself last night."
"Oh, how can you be so insensitive, Ronald! You're happy that someone we went to school with is dead!"
I'm tired of everyone dying!
Ron looked bewildered at her anger. "What's wrong with you, Hermione?"
She burst into tears and he glanced at Harry, panicked.
"What on earth is going on?" He asked.
"Er.. She's just a little overwhelmed." Harry said, pulling Hermione into a hug. "Why are you here Ron, anyway?"
"I just… I just wanted to tell you if you hadn't already heard."
"Yeah, we know about it already. Got a nice awakening on the front page of the Daily Profit."
"I still don't understand what's gotten Hermione so upset!"
"That's just it, Ron! You never understand!" Hermione said, muffled in Harry shirt.
"Maybe I would if people ever told me what was going on!" Ron said indignantly.
"Ron, I think you should just go back for now. Hermione needs some time…" Harry said, always the mediator between his two best friends.
"Time to do what?"
"I want to go to the Malfoy Manor." Hermione said loudly. Both Harry and Ron gaped at her.
"Why in Merlin's name would you want to do that!"
Hermione turned to him. "I don't know. I really don't. I just know that I need to go there."
For the first time, I'm doing something entirely irrational.
"It's not like you could just waltz in there. There are all sorts of protection spells around it. Otherwise, that manor would have been looted by now. Especially with all those rare dark artifacts."
Hermione realized he had a point.
"I know! We can speak to Professor Mcgonagall about it. I'm sure she'd allow us to go in."
"I don't understand why you want to go there, anyway." Ron said irritably.
Hermione couldn't really explain it herself. It was just too.. sudden. She felt it, deep in her heart, like something had been ripped away. It left her with a very raw ache in her chest.
"Even so... we knew him." She said softly, as if that explained everything.
Draco Malfoy had always been as large of a part in her life as Ron or Harry, or even Voldemort... and now he was gone. His existence had shaped the woman that she was today. He was a part of who she was. She needed closure. And some irrational, sentimental part of her wanted to say goodbye.
"Do what you need to do, 'Mione." Ron said quietly, and Apparated back to the Ministry.
"Ron didn't mean it, you know. He's not happy, he's just…" Harry trailed off.
"He's just Ron. Stupid, immature Ron." She sighed. She walked to Harry's fireplace and gather up a handful of Floo Powder.
"You're really going to the Manor, aren't you." Harry said.
"Yes… I suppose I have to pay a visit to Professor Mcgonagall first… You won't come with me?"
"No. I don't think I can." I'm not as brave as you, Hermione. I can't confront my past like that.
"I understand." Hermione said simply, and raised her hand before saying, "Hogwarts!" Her body was consumed by emerald flames, and then she was gone.
Headmistress Mcgonagall's work was interrupted by Hermione Granger Flooing into her office fireplace. She'd had a special one put in, that only she, Harry Potter, or Ronald Weasely could use.
Any other day, she would have been annoyed, but she had strangely been expecting somebody to show up. Call it a Headmistresses' intuition.
"Ah, Miss Granger. I was wondering when you would show up."
Hermione's brow crinkled. "You've seen the Daily Profit, then?"
Mcgonagall nodded. "It was a real shock to us all. He was a bright boy."
"You seemed to know that I was coming… so you can probably guess why I'm here, professor." Hermione started. "Can you help me get into the Malfoy Manor?"
Her eyes twinkled. "Indeed, I can. You can use my fireplace again, and just Apparate where it is you want to go. This is the only fireplace that can be connected to the Malfoy Manor through the wards. It won't take you directly into the Manor, but will land you just beyond the gate."
"Thank you, professor!" Hermione said. She wondered idly at the mechanics behind such magic, but waved her curiosity away. Her stomach whirled with anticipation, and worry.
"Malfoy Manor!" She squeaked, and Apparated away. This did nothing for her already upset stomach, and the queasy feeling remained after the Apparating.
Just as Mcgonagall had said, here she was, just beyond the Malfoy gates. The Manor and it's gardens had fallen into disrepair, no one bothering to take care of the flora. It's appearance matched her feelings for the Manor. Hermione had nothing but bad memories of the place. It was where she'd been tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, and branded a Mudblood by the atrocious witch's wand. Where she'd seen a tormented Draco Malfoy tremble at the bloodshed in his home. She still had nightmares of the place; she'd never been more terrified in her life.
She took a tentative step onto the grass and a shiver went up her spine.
Why did I even come here?
Nothing could have prepared her for a flash of terror that went through her when she heard a cold, sarcastic voice. She would know that drawl anywhere.
"Someone else come to piss on my doorstep?"
Impossible. Impossible. Hermione repeated. But her eyes couldn't deceive her.
There, in an overgrown tree not ten feet away, sat the ghost of Draco Malfoy.
Author's Note:
This seems like a good place to stop, for now. And here I was, planning to make this into a one-shot! Unfortunately, there are just too many parts to this story that I want to tell. In case any of you were wondering why Hermione can Floo into Hogwarts, it's because in my story there's a spell that allows the Golden Trio entrance into Hogwarts despite the protection, as in by Floo, flying, or Apparating. Because they're just that awesome.