Ok, just quickly- here is the summary for you...didnt really fit in that tiny box:
Draco is arrested for something he didn't do and Hermione becomes aware of a man who is worse than, or equal to Voldermort. His goal? To expose the magical world to muggles, and watch the war unfold. The world will rip itself apart. Hermione is put on the case of stopping the man, but she needs Draco's help in sneakiness, knowledge, and background. Will Malfoy help, and clear his name? Will Hermione learn that you can't believe everything you hear?
Draco Malfoy walked down the paved street, his polished shoes hitting the concrete in a rhythmic sound
Draco Malfoy walked down the paved street, his polished shoes hitting the concrete in a rhythmic sound. He had his hands in his pockets, suit jacket open casually, whistling tunefully. His blonde hair was worn lose, with no hair products tainting it.
The moon shone brightly in the clear sky, and the buildings and streets seemed a peaceful quiet. The gentle breeze that blew only lifted his spirits.
Anyone who passed him at this particular moment in time would probably have thought 'what a pompous prick'. True enough, their thoughts might not have been far off, because truth was; Draco Malfoy was a prick- who didn't know that? What people didn't know was that he didn't have to be one. It was a peculiar choice that he chose, something that irritated almost everyone around him, but entertained Draco. People have strange habits.
The reason Draco Malfoy was walking along London streets, whistling like he was a happy little elf, was because he had scored a date with the most infamous female in his workplace. Draco Malfoy, as odd as it sounded, had turned out to work at the Ministry of Magic as an Auror. True enough, he was tailed like a goat, and couldn't even sneeze without the hawks knowing about it. But Malfoy didn't really mind that much- he got to be violent when necessary, and it was legal! Now, the woman to whom we are referring is not one that you would expect.
It was not, like his drunk co-worker Markus had stupidly suggested, Hermione Granger. Oh no. Malfoy considered himself to have taste and even though it was said an infamous female, there were surely more than that one working around him.
No, the female in question was Alexis Garabella. She had long blonde wavy locks, large eyes that gleamed with brimming questions and a skinny little waste. She was smart, though asked a lot of questions, and sometimes, the questions weren't exactly complicated ones. Malfoy, for some unknown reason for Merlin to answer, was attracted to her, and found her to be cute. The glasses that balanced delicately on her nose when she was bent over the piles of folders on her desk, furiously scribbling away gave her an odd cuteness. She was infamous because even though she was who she was, no one ever saw her with a date, and no male, after seeing the way she nearly (accidentally) castrated a man who had stalked her, had the courage to ask her out.
But Malfoy had been different. He had guts. So, when she was casually sipping a white coffee (just a splash of milk, two and a half teaspoons of sugar, stirred twice- not like he watched her making her coffee) Malfoy had walked over to her, and asked her, quite bluntly to go on a date with him. Her reaction, as they say, was priceless. Had it been a joke, Malfoy more than likely would have laughed, but since he was perfectly serious, he kept a straight face. It was only now that he dared snigger at the memory.
Alexis had glanced up, surprised. One delicate eye brow rose, and she spilt her coffee all down the front of her blouse. She had produced some fairly colourful swear words, ones that Malfoy filed away for future use, and had accepted before rushing off to the bathroom. Malfoy rolled his eyes when he noticed she had left her wand behind. The entire mess could have been fixed within seconds. But as she was already scuttling across the office towards the ladies bathroom, he felt it pointless to say anything.
So, there you have it. The dramatic reason why Draco Malfoy was smiling, whistling and down right cheerful.
His mood had halted slightly when he remembered that he had agreed to have dinner with his mother. Ever since his father's arrest, Draco had made special effort to make sure he was with his mother whenever she asked it.
Well, she'll be happy to know I'm going on a date, Malfoy thought. Another smile rose to his lips.
Ever since the war had ended, the Malfoy family had taken a bad beating. Draco was given leniency, considering his age, and the fact that he was practically frightened into doing what he was told. Narcassia Malfoy wasn't charged, even though she, like Draco, is now watched. Lucius Malfoy, however, since Harry Potter could name him as a witness to several horrible incidents, was thrown into Azkaban for the rest, and I quote: "His pointless, pathetic, hell bound life."
Malfoy turned the corner into the street that his mother now lived on- she had sold the manor and moved into a smaller home. By smaller, it means a house without a west wing. It still had the north, south and east. Gee, she was only downsizing a little. All the hundreds of years of family history had to go somewhere. Malfoy looked down the road, and stopped walking.
Lights were flashing.
Blue and red lights.
Malfoy closed his eyes from the flashes of colour, and he felt his heart somewhere near his ear drums. Now he could hear sirens. Men in pressed outfits –police, he remembered- were at his mother's house, talking to various neighbors, taking statements on clipboards. Malfoy couldn't see his mother. He could feel his pace quicken, and before he knew it, he was standing in front of a large officer, who held a beefy hand to his chest, shaking his head.
"Sorry lad- crime scene in there."
"My mother lives here!" Malfoy shrieked. He saw a few heads turn to look at him. For once, Malfoy didn't want the attention.
His blood was pulsing, and he could feel a throbbing headache near his temple.
The police officer's eye brows rose. "You are Draco Malfoy?"
"Yes. What happened here?" Malfoy's throat felt like constricting sandpaper.
"I'm afraid that your mother's house keeper has been attacked. Your mother is missing."
Malfoy's eyes widened. "What?"
"Come with me lad." The officer placed a hand on Malfoy's tense shoulder and guided him through the small crowd. Flashes were going off from cameras, people were shouting for comments, and the neighbors whispered among themselves, though to Malfoy's sensitive ears, the whispers sounded like a harsh wind.
"Captain," the officer said to a thin bolding man. "This young man says he's Draco Malfoy."
"Says? I am Draco Malfoy, you twat!" Malfoy spat.
The officer was about to say something when the Captain dismissed him. "Come with me young sir, and watch that mouth."
Malfoy couldn't understand it. They were treating him like a criminal. He was the victim here- not to mention his mother- when were they going to start talking about her? And the housekeeper? Draco barely remembered her- he never noticed them. From what he could recall, she was a plump woman, with a strange smell of sweets on her.
"I'm afraid that I can't let you into the house at the moment son." The captain was saying as he led Malfoy over to a patrol car and opened the back seat. "Why don't you take a load off?"
"Excuse me?" Malfoy asked incredulously. Why were they treating him so roughly? What had he done?
"Sit in the car, son. In a few moments, one of the officers will drive you to the station where we can talk."
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what in the name of Merl-" Malfoy stumbled and picked the first thing he thought of. It wasn't the most articulate response. "Goldfish is going on!"
The captain raised an eyebrow at his term but didn't question it. "We just need to ask you a few things son. Just mandatory."
"Like what?" Malfoy asked suspiciously.
"Listen kid, this isn't the place. Just get into the car and we'll talk somewhere else."
"What happened to my mother?" Malfoy asked as an officer tried to push him into the car. "Excuse me!"
"Later!" the captain snapped. Malfoy was forced into the patrol car, much to his shouting protests, and driven off.
Everything passed him in a blur. What the hell was going on here? Was it some kind of practical joke? His mother was always at the house- she wouldn't just get up and leave…unless something was wrong. But what could possibly have gone so wrong that she wouldn't have had time to tell him –her son- what was happening? And why were they treating him like a criminal?
They must think I've got something to do with it…Malfoy thought sickly. But that was so absurd.
When the car eventually came to a halt at the police station, Malfoy was yanked out of the car and pushed into the building. He wanted to say something about rights, and police brutality, but the words just wouldn't come to his tongue. The officer pushed him into a tiny little room with a table and a window.
Malfoy sat himself in a chair and started tapping his foot. It echoed loudly off the confined room walls.
This was ridiculous. He didn't do anything! He should be out there searching for his mother. He had a date tomorrow night! Gee!
About ten minutes later, the captain walked into the little room, carrying two coffees. He placed one of the Styrofoam cups in front of Malfoy but he didn't touch it. The captain sat down, and took a steady breath. Malfoy couldn't understand why the bald man was sweating.
"So, Mr. Malfoy. Let's being with something simple-"
"I want a lawyer." Malfoy said, repeating the line he heard so often on muggle cop shows. Considering it was loosely based on fact, he figured he had these guys sassed…then again, going by some of the shows he had watched, Malfoy was in trouble. He couldn't use his wand- at least not without the Ministry finding him to rip him a part.
The captain didn't smile. "You don't need a lawyer Mr. Malfoy unless you have done something wrong. Have you done something wrong?"
"No." Malfoy said. "Except agree to go to dinner with my mother."
The captain clearly wasn't an amused man. Malfoy wondered just how nasty the crime scene at his mother's house was. "You do not need a lawyer to answer my question. Where were you this evening?"
"I was late leaving the office and was on my way home when I remembered the dinner with my mother." Malfoy answered. It was completely true. He wasn't lying. The officer just wasn't to know what office it was that he was leaving.
"Do you mind telling me where you work?"
"I work for a government." Malfoy answered carefully.
"Really? How interesting." The officer said, making a note on some paper. "But I noticed you said a government- not the government. Mind elaborating?"
"Not really." Malfoy replied flatly.
"Your co-operation would be greatly appreciated Mr. Malfoy."
"And I would greatly co-operate if you would stop treating me like the bad guy, and go looking for my mother!"
"I am not treating you like the bad guy." The officer said calmly. "I am merely doing my job."
"Then do it!" Malfoy growled. "Get out there and look for my mother."
"You have a short temper, don't you?" the captain asked, writing another note.
"What?"
"Did you visit your mother tonight, prior to your dinner plans?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"How do you take your coffee?"
Malfoy had no idea what that had to do with this, but he shrugged. "White, milk."
"No sugar?"
"Did I say sugar?"
"Does the housekeeper usually make it for you?"
"No, that isn't her job." Malfoy said. He just managed to stop himself from saying something about house elves. Narcassia only used a muggle housekeeper to keep the prying eyes of the neighbors out of her hair. Imagine if your neighbor could afford such a home as Narcassia's, yet you never saw any hired help coming or going? And the house was clean- there would be no way that the mistress would be on her hands and knees, scrubbing the toilet.
"So who does make the coffee?"
"Whoever wants it." Malfoy said.
"Do you have a room in your mother's house?"
"Yes, I have four."
The captain raised an eye brow and wrote something else. "The housekeeper cleans them?"
"I imagine so."
"Are you very particular?"
"What the hell about? They're rooms!"
"Exactly. Maybe the housekeeper made a bed wrong, or left the clothes in the wrong place- that sort of thing has set men off before. Perhaps you went to talk to her about it and things go out of hand."
"Are you shitting me?" Malfoy let it slip.
"No." the captain said, stone faced.
"You cannot be serious. You think I killed the housekeeper?" Malfoy said, crossing his arms and refusing to lose his cool again.
"The evidence-"
"What evidence?"
"That's classified."
"Not any more." Malfoy said. "I demand to know what evidence you have to say that I was a, in that house at the time, b, that I killed the housekeeper and c, what you think I've done to my mother.. if you can't tell me right now, I'm walking out that door and you can't stop me because I haven't technically been arrested." Malfoy was quite proud of that little speech.
The captain simply watched him silently. "How did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Kill the housekeeper."
"I didn't."
"It was truly remarkable. Neck broken, though no signs of pressure on the skin." The captain continued, watching Malfoy's reactions carefully.
Malfoy's heart, as if it wasn't beating fast enough, now went into over drive. Suspicious circumstances? Shit. It sounded like magic. Malfoy was careful to keep his expression natural.
"Did you know she had three children?" the captain continued. "And a dog? Did that cross your mind at all?"
"I didn't kill her."
"The men at the scene said it was interesting. They were sure they heard a strange pop coming from within the house before they broke the door down."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Listen, Mr. Malfoy, the bigger man admits to what he's done."
"I didn't kill her!" Malfoy said. "Gee, won't you listen? I haven't been to the house in four days!"
"What about your mother?" the captain said, ignoring him. "Did she walk in on you while you were finishing up with the housekeeper?"
Malfoy made a revolted expression- there was something mentally wrong with this captain. "I didn't kill her, or touch my mother."
"I believe-"
"That's enough captain." A voice said from the door.
Malfoy and the captain both looked over and saw two tall imposing men. They flashed badges at the captain, then glanced at Malfoy. He was sure he saw a flick of wood in one of their pockets.
"We'll take it from here." One of them said to the captain. "You," he said, glancing at Malfoy. "Get up."
Malfoy slowly stood and was led from the little office. No one said anything as they walked outside, then climbed into a shiny black car that glistened in the street light. Once they were safely speeding away, Malfoy sighed.
"I didn't know when you were turning up." he said, closing his eyes. "You know they thought I had something to do with the killing? They don't seem that concerned about my mother." Malfoy leant forward. "So have you heard anything about her?"
"Sit back Death Eater." One of the men growled.
Malfoy blinked at the hostility. "What?"
"I said, sit back." The man repeated. "I will blow you into oblivion. I'm serious. You scum, sit back."
"What the hell?" Malfoy asked himself as he sat back in his seat and took a shaky breath. He didn't know whether he wanted to be in the car with the Ministry workers, or back in the tiny room with the balding muggle police captain.
In no time at all, Malfoy found himself led down a series of corridors within the Ministry, and was sat down at a desk, similar to the one he owned, just a few floors up. Markus walked over to him, eyes red.
"Oh, Markus," Malfoy said, going to stand up, but the seat strapped him in with magically bound strips of leather. "What the hell?"
"You have now officially been arrested, Death Eater." Markus said flatly, sitting down.
"What has everyone been smoking?" Malfoy asked, frustrated. "I haven't done anything!"
"The muggle authorities have informed us of their suspicions on your whereabouts earlier this evening."
"Oh, for Merlin's bastard uncle." Malfoy sighed. "I was late leaving here- gee, check the sheets. I was half way home, then remembered I had dinner plans with my mother. I told you about them this morning."
"Yes, but this morning, your mother's housekeeper wasn't dead on the kitchen floor, due to suspicious circumstances!" Markus barked.
"I didn't do it!" Malfoy shouted.
"She was killed by a wand, Draco. Magic. A dark spell that only Death Eaters are said to have learnt."
"So, because of my slightly darkened past, you're assuming I murdered a muggle, for no apparent reason?" Malfoy asked, feeling nauseated. "I'm not the only EX Death Eater!"
"You are the only EX Death Eater with access to your mother's house." Markus said. "Our men and muggles agree that there was no forced entry. For the muggles, that means picked locks. For us, that means spells used on the doors. The house was clean. Someone used a key."
"It wasn't me!" Malfoy said, feeling so sick to the stomach. "Why is everyone assuming it was me? I didn't do it!"
"I'm sorry Draco, but the Minister doesn't agree."
"Agree? What are you on about now? There is no case- there is no evidence to prove that it was me!" Malfoy was starting to get so frustrated that he felt like he might pass out.
"There also is no evidence to prove that it wasn't you." Markus pointed out flatly.
Malfoy felt his throat constrict. "What about my mother?"
"We were hoping you could help us with that." Markus said, flipping through some files.
"No. Shove it up where the son and Merlin don't shine. I had nothing to do with my mother's disappearance or the housekeeper's death. If you assholes won't believe me, then fine. But I didn't do it. You should be out there, searching for the real killer."
"As far as we are concerned, we have him." Markus said emotionless. "I'm sorry Draco. You were a great Auror and partner. A great laugh. But the Minister doesn't want to take any chances…especially because of your past."
"I didn't do anything wrong!" Malfoy was shouting as men dragged him off to a cell in Azkaban.
Oooo, so a darkish first chapter…meh. Hahahaha.
I know, Hermione wasn't in it, but she is in the next chapter. If you like, please R&R. Serously, if you read it, R&R!! Don't just read! Please tell me what you think.
Aj