In 1999, the Wizarding World while changing was still in some turmoil. Death Eaters were after Hermione, but no one knew why and no one could stop them. When they come close to killing Hermione, Draco saves her the only way he could. It's now 2020, twenty one years later and things have converged to reveal Hermione's story and Draco's secret from all those years ago. Dramione. M
All things Harry Potter come directly from the mind of JKR. I am here to twist her words to my way of thinking.
Story Note:
Lyra will often vary between the endearments mother and father or mum and dad when speaking about her parents. Don't be annoyed. She was raised in America where mother and father are used quite regularly, but when in Britain, she defaults to the more common mum and dad. It's all good.
.
Chapter Note:
Laying the back stories
The Taint Of Her Name
Chapter 1: The Long And Short Of It
My name is Lyra Pavo. I am a healer witch who was born and raised in the States, but whose roots are firmly entrenched in wizarding Britain. My roots are the reason why I came back to England after University and soon found myself working at St Mungo's. Since my arrival in Britain, I had been living in a wizarding hotel, but looking around for a more permanent place. I had a bit of money put aside, so I made inquiries about the home in which my mum had grown up. The home was in a bit of disrepair, and for that reason I was able to purchase it for a very decent price. There were some parts of the house which called for professional restoration, but for most of the work I used my magic and ended up with a very lovely house.
Fate sometimes plays tricks on us all, so it wasn't a big surprise to one day answer a knock at the door to find myself staring into the green eyes of Harry Potter. My mum had described him a million times. Even though he was older, I would have recognized him anywhere. We introduced ourselves with Harry apologizing for approaching the door of a stranger. He explained how he was interested in knowing who had purchased the house because it was the childhood home of a very good friend.
I am a combination of my father and mother. I imagine Harry recognized something due to the way he kept glancing at me. For one moment, Harry looked as though something had clicked into place within him, but the look disappeared almost as soon as it appeared. I did invite him in for tea, but he declined citing other appointments.
As I was closing the door, Harry turned back. "I hope all is well with your mother. Tell her every bloody Death Eater is either dead or in New Azkaban. It's time she came home," and turned to apparate away.
I called out an invitation for him to visit again, but I wasn't sure he heard me.
My mum always said her best friend was very astute and more brilliant than he let on. Perhaps Harry recognized a child of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. I smiled to myself thinking Harry would have fallen over if it had been my brother who answered the door instead of me. Orion would be recognized as a Malfoy straightaway. Actually, Harry probably wanted to fall over the moment he suspected Hermione Granger had a child with Draco Malfoy at all, but who knows. My mum and dad's story is old news to us, but probably not so old or well known to her friends in Britain.
/*/
It is a known fact that my mother fought in the second wizarding war and helped to defeat Voldemort. What isn't so well known is that Hermione Granger almost died in an ambush and capture after the war at the hands of some remaining Death Eaters. If not for a band of wizards headed by Harry, Charlie Weasley, my dad and Aberforth Dumbledore who rescued her, mum would probably be dead. However, within those two days she had been beaten and the names of Death Eaters who died in the war had been carved into her body. She had been a blood soaked wreck by the time they rescued her. It was unknown at the time why Death Eaters were specifically targeting Hermione Granger. To insure she stayed safe, the decision was made to keep her at a secret location with a full time healer as opposed to putting her at risk in St Mungo's. That hiding place had lasted all of twenty four hours before the Death Eaters found mum again. This time they killed the nurse who was with her. Before she died, the nurse got off a message and the same group who previously rescued my mother got there in time to rescue her again and capture the Death Eater Selwyn as well.
I was told that Selwyn was as cold and arrogant as he had been when Voldemort was alive. He taunted Harry, Charlie and Ron telling them that one of their lot had killed their queen, meaning Bellatrix and Death Eaters had orders not to stop until they'd captured, tortured and killed their princess, meaning my mum. Selwyn literally foamed at the mouth as he told them how my mother would never know a peaceful day because some Death Eater would get her sooner or later.
The little group tried hard, but they couldn't get Selwyn to give up any additional information, so they incarcerated him in New Azkaban and moved my mother yet again. This time only three people knew where she was going. No one had openly accused anyone of giving information to the Death Eaters, but it was becoming obvious there was a traitor among them. Someone in the group was reporting to the Death Eaters.
Even though the times, beliefs and mores were supposedly changing, one of the first people to be pushed away was my dad because of his former ties to Voldemort and because no one knew he and mum had fallen in love. Harry and friends had accepted my father to their group, but in their eyes he was still only one step up from the Death Eaters they were chasing.
My father was frantic at not being able to help protect my mother or allowed to know where she was going. In fact, he was so upset at being pushed away, he told the entire lot off and began using his own resources to put together a plan in case her bloody friends couldn't protect her. The Death Eaters found my mother again which left everyone scratching their heads because the only three people who knew where she'd been taken were above reproach.
It is at this point where my mum's recollection of the story ends because she has no memories from then until she was brought out of stasis six months later to find herself eight months pregnant in a wizarding hospital in Rolling Hills CA, USA. My dad was there holding her hand when she came out of stasis, and I'm told it was the first and last time Draco Malfoy shed tears. My dad has spoken about the part of the story involving himself, but he hasn't ever mentioned those tears.
/*/
Dad's remembrance of the story picked up where my mother's left off. From what he was able to find out, someone had moved mum to the home of an unknown witch connected to Minerva McGonagall located somewhere in Scotland where she could recover. That was all he ever found out from his friends. Once mum was moved to Scotland, my father spent a huge amount of galleons trying to get information on where she could be. After several weeks without any success, my father turned to his less than savory friends and within a week had a ballpark location of where my mum was being kept. My father was ecstatic to have finally found out some information regarding her whereabouts, but was also panic stricken realizing if he was able to find out so could the Death Eaters.
It had taken my father eight days to find the location of the secret place, but when he finally got there, the Death Eaters had been there before him. The house looked as though a hurricane had hit it, When my father walked through what was left of the front door, he found the witch who lived there near death. She was bound, naked and bleeding from almost every orifice on her body. My father wanted to help her, but first he wanted to know about mum. He had held the witch's bloody body while asking questions.
"Where is she? Did they take her? Is she still alive?" The questions led nowhere as the witch could only look at him with a blank stare while falling in and out of consciousness.
For once, Draco Malfoy had been at a loss. This wasn't someone he could bribe, beat or challenge. This witch was as near death as one could possibly be yet still be alive. My dad finally realized this fact and hurriedly apparated the witch to St Mungos He remained there while the healers worked on the witch, hoping she would come around and tell him something….anything.
Since my dad was the person who brought her in, the healers questioned him thoroughly about her condition until they realized he was just a wizard doing a good deed. A senior healer took my dad aside to tell him the extent of the patient's injuries. She had been violently penetrated orally, vaginally, anally as well as being cursed and beaten. The healer also reported that her insides were in complete shambles and although she was only about twenty eight, she would be a long time recovering and wouldn't ever be able to carry a child.
Dad had walked away from the conversation with bile rising from his stomach to his throat. He was concerned for the witch, but more concerned for mum. He sat by the witch's bedside for three days hoping she would be able to tell him something. On the fourth day she had opened her eyes, looked over at my father and asked if he had rescued her. He could only nod as she grabbed and kissed his hand.
Even without dad asking, the witch began to tell the story of how a month ago an unknown wizard came to her door with a tiny witch in his arms. The wizard told her not to ask questions. The witch in his arms would be staying with her until he came back to fetch her. The wizard kept his face turned away as he told her not to speak to the witch. She was to do nothing except see to her well being if she woke up.
Before leaving, the wizard had left a bag of galleons on the table with the explanation her charge was in a magically induced sleep and under a glamour charm as well. He would take care of everything when he returned. Then the wizard left, banging the door in his wake. Before he could return, the Death Eaters had found the house. They wanted to kill me, but thought I knew the whereabouts of Hermione Granger. My immediate thought was the bloody wankers were crazy. What would I know of Hermione Granger?
Knowing what the witch lying before him had gone through, my father was actually frightened to ask what happened to the witch left in her care, but he had to know where to find mum. Despaired of finding mum alive, my father asked if her charge was still alive when the Death Eaters took her.
Dad remembers the witch looking at him very strangely for half a second before telling him she had read about the courage Hermione showed during the war and had steeled herself for what was to come, Even with all that, she hadn't given mum away.
"If that is Hermione Granger, they didn't get her. I have her safely hidden in a small room in my root cellar. Someone should go see about her because she is alone and still in the magical coma."
My dad had been overjoyed. Before leaving, he cautioned the witch against repeating her story to anyone else. If anyone found out who she had been protecting, she was to explain she'd been badly injured and didn't know what happened to her charge.
Dad thanked the woman over and over before calling a healer and taking him aside. Dad revealed this to be a dangerous matter not be discussed with anyone. Dad then gave the healer a blank draft to cover the witch's stay at St Mungos and an additional draft for 7,500 galleons to be given to her as payment for her services. Then dad had set off to see about his witch.
/*/
Dad says he left St Mungos on the run sending four owls on his way. By the time he was back at the house in Scotland, his plan was in place and he was set to take Hermione Granger away from Death Eaters, away from fucking friends who couldn't protect her and away from Britain. And he had done just that.
Dad had stopped for nothing and by the time he was at the portkey office, his double International Portkey was ready. All he had done was touch my mum's hand to the portkey and they were off. When they reached the states, my father admitted my mother to the best wizarding hospital in California USA. After making sure she was settled in, he returned to Britain hell bent on trying to find out who had put her in a magical sleep and how the Death Eaters kept finding out where she was.
My dad tells of visiting mum at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, but always returning to Britain. There had been a major uproar when no one could find Hermione, but there wasn't anything they could do but keep looking because none wanted to think the Death Eaters had her.
My dad remained in the same social circle in Britain, but after the way they had pushed him away it wasn't the same. Whenever he recited his story for us, my dad never failed to mention how after mum's disappearance Harry Potter began scrutinizing him as though looking for some answer in his face, but dad had always pretended not to notice.
It had taken my father six months to figure out the magical sleep, but he had done it. Someone had seen fit to put Hermione Granger in stasis more than likely to help her heal faster and to keep her out of harms way as well. My father never found out who had put mum in stasis, but he was pretty sure it hadn't been Potter or Weasley because he thought them too fucking stupid.
/*/
Dad continued to live in Britain right up to the day after he was able to bring mum out of stasis. On that day, he told his social circle he was tired of cold, rainy Britain and was leaving for somewhere warm to seek his fortune. His friends shook his hand, wished him well and had a few drinks. Harry Potter had been the only one to remain silent as he scrutinized my father's every move. Dad always said, if there was one person born to be an Auror it was Harry Potter who he thought dumb as a doorknob about some things, but as sharp as a tack about other things. After a couple of drinks, Draco Malfoy said his last goodbyes and walked out of the Leaky Cauldron into the life of Leo Pavo, never looking back.
My dad laughs about the night mum was brought out of stasis and they talked about her pregnancy. Mum told him she had just found out she was pregnant when she was attacked and captured. After that, she never had a chance to tell him he was going to be a father.
Leo Pavo was thrilled, and in that last month before Orion was born, became very adept at talking to his son through his wife's stomach. Mum and dad had also discussed what he had done to keep her safe and they probably wouldn't ever be able to return to Britain. I'm told my mother was sad over leaving her friends, but realized dad had done what no one else had been able to do. Keep her out of the hands of the Death Eaters.
The rest is all down on public wizarding record. Annabel Critten (the name my dad chose when admitting her to the hospital) married Leo Pavo of Rolling Hills, CA not long after being released from the hospital which was a month before my brother Orion was born. Dad and mum settled into California life where I was born a year later. Leo and Annabel have lived happily ever since.
/***/
Today was the hardest day I've ever spent in my volunteer position, because today a brave, heroic and lovely witch passed on without anyone except me by her side.
As I mentioned earlier, I am a licensed healer who works at St Mungos, but I am also a registered volunteer who works with the elderly and infirm in my spare time. I had been visiting and sitting with Miss LaDonna Walsh for the last four months.
I discovered her on my volunteer rounds and watched as nearly every other patient except for Miss Walsh had at least one visitor. A month without any visitors peaked my interest, so I became her visitor and what a lucky break it was for me. I had the pleasure and distinction of meeting and conversing with one the finest witches on Merlin's good earth.
Miss LaDonna as I came to call her told me a remarkable story about a mysterious witch left in her charge by a mysterious wizard. It was a sad, but fascinating tale that I committed to parchment in order to share with my family. Even more remarkable was the fact that I was acquainted with the witch in her story because that witch is my mum, Annabel Critten Pavo. Now forty years old and living in the States with my dad Leo, my mum had once been the famous Hermione Granger.
The day Miss LaDonna found out who I was, she cried, and from that day up until her end she placed a shaky, vein covered hand over mine whenever I sat with her. Neither Miss LaDonna nor I could believe that tide and time had seen fit for us to cross paths.
She asked after my mother and was not all that surprised to find out my father was the wizard who had rescued her after the attack. She asked me to thank him for the gold he had left her as it had helped immensely when she was released from the hospital. When she learned that my mother had remained in stasis for the same amount of time it had taken her to heal, Miss LaDonna was sad but jubilant. Her response had been. "Whatever it took to keep the Death Eaters away."
Even though Miss LaDonna was only a few years older than my mother, the Death Eater attack had left her sickly and ill. She had spent the last twenty years in near seclusion believing herself to be worthless to any wizard and not very productive in any other way. She did tell me that through the years someone sent her a yearly draft which came to her through St Mungos and had allowed her to live comfortably even though she couldn't work. When she talked about the attack and its aftermath, I usually ended up with tears in my eyes thanking Merlin that my father was such a thoughtful wizard.
/*/
It was shortly before Miss LaDonna passed that I was sitting at home thinking about the witch who had saved my mother and what it had cost when the doorbell rang. I hadn't made many friends since moving to Britain except for a few healers and none so familiar they would ring my bell without prior invitation. I summoned my wand to be on the safe side keeping it well hidden as I opened the door to find Harry Potter holding up a bottle of white wine.
When I stepped back and invited him to come through he had quipped. "This wine is just in case you are anything like your mum. She loved a good glass of white wine."
As I invited Harry Potter to take a seat, I became very anxious over how I should respond to him. I didn't know if I would be putting my mum in danger if I confirmed his suspicions. Then I thought about Harry having been my mother's best friend and how they had nearly died fighting for the freedom of the wizarding world.
I decided Harry deserved the truth, so I responded truthfully. "Your best friend does not go by the name Hermione. She is Annabel Critten Pavo and she still likes a glass or two of white wine just as my father still loves his firewhiskey."
Harry sighed. "How is Hermione…..Annabel? I've spent all these years wondering and fretting over her disappearance. Initially, we thought the Death Eaters had done away with her. To this day some still think that is what happened. However, after time passed and we didn't receive any taunts or proof from the Death Eaters that they had killed Hermione Granger. My mind went to other places. I began to remember little things. Things like how Draco was out of his mind when Hermione got attacked and how he told us all off when we asked him to step away from the case. I finally came to realize that Draco had fallen for Hermione….Annabel and suspected that due to the times they had to tread carefully so as not to upset the masses. Since I was one of those masses, I can only say how sorry I am I did not recognize what was in front of me all that time. My apologies to your entire family. I would like to see your mother. I'll understand if she doesn't want to come back to Britain and open up old wounds, but I am willing to go wherever she is. She was my best friend and sister. If she will see me, I'll leave tomorrow. Since I've brought the wine all this way, you might as well have a drink."
I joked with Harry. "And will it be firewhiskey for you Mr. Potter? That was the drink of the day when my parents fled Britain. Was it not?"
"We old wizards still drink firewhiskey when we can get it," laughed Harry. "The younger wizards prefer muggle drinks. Who knew? And please call me Harry. I feel old enough."
I poured him a firewhiskey and we resumed our chat.
"Alright…Harry. I've heard so much about you I feel as though I already know you. I'm very glad you came back to visit. I believe my mum will be thrilled when I tell her we've met. So, have you come round just to satisfy your curiosity or was there another reason?
"After listening to my father and mother relate the story of how they ended up in the States, I've often wondered if anyone found out how the Death Eaters kept finding my mother. Who was the traitor? The knowledge that one of her friends would be willing to give her over to Death Eaters wore on my mother for a number of years. When I was young, there were nights I couldn't get to sleep until dad gave mum a calming draught to help her stop crying. Back then, I hated all of her British friends because they made her cry.
"As I got older and mum stopped crying, it was me who began to wonder why a friend would betray her. I've always believed it to be Ronald Weasley as he seemed the weakest link in any of mum's stories. So was it Ronald?"
Harry remarked that I was so like my mum. It hadn't been Ron. In fact, it hadn't been anyone. Harry had found out five years ago when the Death Eater Selwyn who was on his deathbed taunted how he learned to cast the Taboo Curse and had cast it on Hermione Granger's name.
"While we were running around trying to keep Hermione….Annabel safe, the Death Eaters were laughing at us because all anyone had to do was say her name and the Death Eaters would know exactly where to check."
Harry wanted so much to be able to face mum and tell her so she could begin to trust her friends again.
/*/
Harry could only sigh as I ranted that it was all down to that bugger Voldemort. If he hadn't designed the curse, no one would have been able to hurt my mum. He was heartened when I told him that mum would be glad to hear that none of her friends had given her away. I was willing to call home and let him tell her himself. I did caution him to hand me the phone if my brother or father answered, because they're very protective and would not take kindly to anyone from the British contingent, as they call it, reaching out to her.
/*/
I dialed home and handed the phone to Harry. Someone on the other end picked up and Harry spoke. "Hello Annabel. This is your best friend and brother Harry Potter. How have you been?
For several seconds it seemed as though my mother wouldn't respond. Then I could hear her through the phone. I have heard my mother when she is excited numerous times, but this time her voice showed a level of excitement I'd never heard. She and Harry talked for thirty minutes at the end of which she extended an invitation for Harry to visit her in California, with Harry promising that he would.
/*/
When Harry finished speaking with my mum, I got on the phone and asked her to put the phone on speaker so dad and Orion could hear what I was about to say. I spent fifteen minutes explaining what had happened twenty one years ago. When I was finished, I could hear my dad cursing himself for not having the foresight to think of the Taboo Curse as a reason why the Death Eaters kept getting onto my mum. I ended by telling my family I would set a date with Harry and let them know when we would be coming to the States.
/*/
After I hung up the phone, Harry had held his glass out for a refill. "I have something else I want to share with you Lyra. Then I have someone I would like you to meet."
And Harry began to tell me the story of my grandfather, Lucius Malfoy. He told me that back in 1999 Lucius had been less than happy to find out his son had fallen in love with a mudblood, but he hated Voldemort's Death Eaters more than he detested the blood status of the witch his son loved. After a bit of skulking around, Lucius figured out or found out the Death Eaters had cast a Taboo Curse on Hermione's name. The problem with that specific curse was it could only be removed if the caster removed it or died. Without knowing which Death Eater had cast the spell, Lucius had made a decision. He had spirited Hermione away. It had been him who had put her in stasis to keep her out of harms way as well as allow her time to heal. It hadn't worked out, because somehow the Death Eaters found where he had taken her. After the attack on the caregiver witch, Lucius had searched for months trying to find Hermione, but gave up after Draco left Britain to seek his fortune elsewhere without a word to him.
For a period of time things had gone downhill for Lucius. With his wife dead and his son gone, the elder Malfoy shut himself away for a period of time emerging as the new, improved wizard everyone knows today. Lucius still doesn't know if his only son is living or dead. He has moved forward hoping one day Draco would come back home. In the twenty years that have passed, Lucius has all but given up on seeing his son again, but his beliefs and way of thinking changed. He has become a benevolent, charitable wizard respected by many.
Harry finished up by asking if I would be interested in meeting him.
"If he has changed from the wizard my father has spoken about, I'd love to meet him. Otherwise him and his pureblood notions can kiss my arse."
"You are definitely your mother's daughter," Harry laughingly told me. "Let me call Lucius and see what he has planned. It's Friday. He probably has some society function to attend, but if I tell him it's important, he'll see us tonight."
/*/
An hour later, I found myself following Harry into Malfoy Manor. Orion and I had everything we wanted growing up, but looking around Malfoy Manor I began to think the manor was the very description of opulence. My grandfather must be richer than the muggle Bill Gates. A house elf met us in the foyer and showed us into what appeared to be a very large study.
An involuntary gasp of surprise escaped my lips when Lucius Malfoy entered the room and shook Harry's hand. My dad very much resembled the wizard standing before me. As I watched this wizard, I realized Orion didn't look as much like dad as he did Lucius Malfoy.
Harry introduced us and Lucius invited Harry and I to have a seat. Settling himself in a large wing back chair, Lucius waited for Harry to explain what was so important. Up until this point I was evidently some witch there to relate something Harry Potter believed to be important. Then Lucius had taken a good look at me and turned to Harry to ask what this was all about.
Harry took a deep breath before answering. "Lucius, I'd like for you to meet Lyra Pavo."
Lucius had frowned. "Lyra Pavo? The lyre and the peacock?"
"Lyra also has a brother named Orion," revealed Harry.
Lucius stood. "I'm a patient wizard Harry and I've come to care for you as I would a son, but I do not care to participate in any games. What does this all mean?"
Harry had then told Lucius he was trying to introduce him to Lyra Pavo, the daughter of Hermione and Draco and his granddaughter.
Lucius lost some of the Malfoy decorum as he fell back into his chair. "How can this be? Hermione Granger is thought to be dead at the hand of Death Eaters."
/*/
While Lucius was trying to suss it all out, I asked if he would allow me to explain. After receiving a nod from him, I began to relate my mum's story.
"I'll make this short as Harry has mentioned you have engagements on Friday evenings. My dad rescued my mum from what would have been certain death. Rather than chance Death Eaters ever finding her again he took her to the States, married her and had two children. I hope that was short enough."
Amused and awed at the same time, Lucius responded. "I see you've inherited your mother's way with words." Then he beckoned me to come closer. I glanced in Harry's direction before walking over to stand in front of Lucius. After studying my face, he closed his eyes. "Malfoy blood. Where is my son?"
And for the second time that night I related the story of Annabel Critten and Leo Pavo. After I finished the story, and Lucius had digested it, he asked after the health of my mum and dad.
I told him they were both in excellent health.
/*/
Harry, Lucius Malfoy and I sat and talked for another few hours with Harry suggesting we give Hermione and Draco two surprises instead of one. He explained to Lucius that Hermione had invited him to come visit the States and he hoped Lucius would come as well.
Lucius jumped at the chance, but quickly backtracked as he realized his son might not want to see him after all this time. Harry then told Lucius that Draco might not be all that chuffed to see him either, but he was going anyway.
Lucius thought it over for all of ten seconds before asking how soon they were leaving.
Harry had smiled at my grandfather. "Let me put in for some time off and check if Seana wants to go with us. I'd say we can be in California USA as soon as Sunday evening. Hermione….Annabel is expecting me to visit, but let's leave Lucius as a surprise. I want to put Leo off his game in the same manner he has put me off mine for the last twenty odd years. Are we all in agreement? We will be going to California on Monday our time." Three heads nodded in the affirmative.
Before Harry and I left that night, the self assured, debonair Lucius Malfoy had become a quivering mass of emotions as he hugged me and made plans to see his long lost son.
/***/
I went in to St Mungos that Saturday morning to tidy up my loose ends before taking time off to go to California as well as stop by to see Miss LaDonna. She was my favorite witch and I was her favorite volunteer, so I wasn't leaving the country without seeing her.
However, when I got to her room there were two healers around Miss LaDonna's bed. I asked what was going on. One of the healers took me aside to tell me she had taken a turn for the worse and probably didn't have more than twenty four hours left. I wanted to cry, but I also wanted to comfort her as well as ask her a question. I told the two healers I would take care of her and call if they were needed.
For a few minutes, I just sat there gazing at this wonderful witch who had suffered a brutal attack and given everything she had to protect my mum. A large ball of regret formed in my stomach. Just when I felt sure I was going to cry my eyes out, Miss LaDonna opened her eyes and right away realized I knew. She reached out and covered my hand with hers.
"Please don't cry for me Lyra. It would be untrue if I told you I haven't wished a million times that my life had turned out differently and I could have had a child as lovely as you. But I've had to live with the hand life dealt and that was all that could be done. I won't be sorry to be out of all this misery."
I held on tight to her hand and asked if she remembered the day of the attack. When Miss LaDonna revealed she couldn't forget that day even if someone obliviated her, I told her I had a question I needed to ask. If she remembered, fine, and if she didn't, that was fine as well. I took a deep breath and asked if she remembered calling out my mother's name that day.
Miss LaDonna thought for a bit and turned her head to look at me. "I do remember that. I did call out Hermione's name, but I wasn't talking to her. I was reading a story in the Daily Prophet about how she had been attacked. I remember saying out loud, Hermione Granger is a role model for all witches and here some blighters are trying to hurt her. I hadn't gotten the entire sentence out of my mouth before the Death Eaters broke down the door and pushed their way in. They were shouting about Hermione Granger, but I didn't know what was going on. The Death Eaters beat me senseless and forced me to endure every filthy thing you can imagine. I kept telling them I didn't know what they were on about. So, the answer to your question is yes. I did mention Hermione's name. Does that matter? Never mind love. You don't have to answer because nothing matters now."
Whispering softly, I told her it did matter because it answered one of the questions people had agonized over for twenty years.
LaDonna tried to smile, but I could tell that her body was beginning to shut down. I cast a few spells to make her more comfortable then went to the door to call her healers. Even though I am a healer on their level, they asked me to step out, but LaDonna asked me to stay. I watched as the healers made her as comfortable as possible. The two healer witches left the room giving me a small shake of the head to let me know LaDonna's time was near. I sat with her for the rest of Saturday right through to Sunday morning.
Just before the end, LaDonna asked me to thank my dad for all the galleons he had sent over the years. Then she smiled at me, closed her eyes and took her last breath.
I was devastated and remained sitting there for thirty minutes crying my eyes out before calling in the healers for the final time.
/*/
I had come back to Britain because that was where my mum and dad had been born. I wanted to experience what they had experienced while living here. I had accomplished that and more. I was able to reclaim my mum's childhood home, meet Harry Potter and find my grandfather as well. I was wavering about coming back to Britain after my trip home.
I did like St Mungos, but not as much as before LaDonna passed. To that end, I met with my Head Healer and requested time off to clear up some family matters. My Head was reluctant to authorize leave as I'd only been at St Mungos for six months, so I did what I felt was best. I resigned. My Head declared he was sorry to see me leave, but understood that family came first. We had called it done.
I gave him a speech about how great it had been to work at St Mungos and how I hoped I'd made a difference. After which, I went to collect my belongings and turn in the items that belonged to St Mungos. After my conversation with the Head Healer, I was no longer wavering. He had made it easy for me to make a decision about staying in California or returning to Britain. As of now, I was going home to stay. If everything worked out between my parents and my grandfather, I could visit Britain as often as I wished. I would have to discuss what mum wanted done with her childhood home, but there would be more than enough time to discuss that at a later date. I also had an answer as to why the Death Eaters had attacked LaDonna that day and very nearly found my mum, but I was saving it until I could tell everyone at once.
I took the time to stop by the healer friends I had made at St Mungos to tell them I was needed at home and would be leaving Britain for good. They all wished me well and made me promise to visit from time to time. I said I'd try knowing I might visit Britain, but not St Mungos. Several gave their condolences about LaDonna as they knew how fond of her I had grown. With a cheery wave, I left St Mungos to prepare for my trip home to sunny Rolling Hills, CA, USA.
/*/
Lucius was almost giddy with anticipation. Harry had left it up to him to get the port keys in order and he had done so. Lucius mentioned he had just missed dad's birthday. He went about gathering a number of items he had purchased for past birthdays to take with him on our trip hoping to present them to my dad sometime during the trip.
Harry laughed with me over the number of messages Lucius sent to insure everything was going to plan. Harry finally had to tell Lucius Malfoy to calm down. It had been up to me to tell my grandfather he wouldn't be needing all those heavy robes he planned to take, as the weather in Rolling Hills was sunny and warm year round. I suggested he take as little as possible because once there he and my dad could go out to the shops to get him appropriate clothing. Lucius informed me he would take my suggestion under consideration leaving everything packed as it had been. I laughed at that because it was just what my dad would do.
/*/
Harry stopped by the house early Sunday evening to check how things were going, let me know Seana was staying home with the boys and more or less to chat. I was glad because I was curious as to how he ended up with a witch named Seana and not Ginny Weasley.
After Harry explained, I knew my mother had another surprise coming, as she always spoke as though Ginny Weasley had married Harry Potter and expected them to have been married the same length of time as she and dad.
I guess life doesn't always turn out as expected, because the most expected thing hadn't happened and the most unexpected thing had. Harry didn't marry Ginny, but Draco Malfoy had married Hermione Granger.
Harry unashamedly revealed what had transpired between him and Ginny. It seems while flying the circuit with the Holyhead Harpies, Ginny had found herself a Quidditch player on the Australian National Team and ended up returning Harry's ring by messenger. The last he had heard about Ginny were some rumors she had been married and divorced twice. The last part he conveyed with a wide grin.
I tried to sympathize with Harry, but he waved me away. "I should have seen it coming. Ginny was in her element touring different countries doing what she loved best while I was home in London being an Auror. It got to the point where Ginny stopped coming home even when the team was on break. After Ginny sent my ring back, I went into a funk and did nothing for several years but work and drink. I had lost both my best girls. All that changed when I met and married Seamus Finnigan's sister Seana with whom I have two sons named James Sirius and Albus Severus Potter." Harry had grinned at my consternation. "I got over certain things many years ago Lyra. The past is the past and I am extremely happy with Seana and very proud of our sons."
We talked a bit more before Harry prepared to leave citing he should make a stop by Malfoy Manor. He wanted to be sure Lucius hadn't tripped over something in his excitement and broken his neck. Then it would be off to home to spend time with Seana and the boys.
I told Harry I would see him and Lucius at the portkey office at 3:00 precisely.
After Harry left, I called mum to tell her we would be there at 7:00 pm Sunday their time. Orion got on the phone growling that everything better be exactly as I said because he wouldn't hesitate to hex the first person who made mum cry.
As brothers and sisters often do, Orion and I had a little back and forth session before I could hang up to get myself ready for the trip.
/*/
Lucius and Harry were already at the portkey office when I arrived. I did smile to myself as Lucius (I hadn't been invited to call him grandfather as of yet) looked a bit green about the mouth. As they called our portkeys, I waved telling Lucius and Harry I would see them in the States.
Truthfully, I did not like portkeys even though they had been updated and modernized from what they were in my mum and dad's day. Give this modern witch a muggle jet any day. However, the portkeys got the job done and we were finally in the local portkey office closest to mum and dad's house.
The plan was for Harry and I to go in first and let Lucius walk in last, but my grandfather decided to go all Malfoy on us and insisted we all walk in together, so that's what we did.
At 7:15 on Sunday June 7th 2020, Hermione Jean Granger also known as Annabel Pavo and Harry James Potter saw each other for the first time in twenty one years. While they hugged up like two teenagers, Draco and Lucius also saw each other for the first time in twenty one years. They stood appraising each other until Lucius crossed the room and whispered something that made my father show him to another room.
I stood grinning at the two friends who were holding on to each other as though they wouldn't see each other for another twenty one years. Orion had lost all his misgivings when he saw the way mum and Harry greeted each other, and in the short period of time where mum and Harry let go of each other, introduced himself to the Chosen One.
Harry laughed as he shook Orion's hand. "I haven't heard that name in twenty one years mate and I don't want to hear it. Just call me Harry."
With the familiar Malfoy drawl, Orion had cheeked. "Fair enough, but shouldn't that be Uncle Harry?"
Harry made both Orion and I smile when he responded cryptically. "You might want to run the uncle thing by Leo first."
/*/
Dad and Lucius finally came back into the room with dad calling Orion over to meet his grandfather. I won't ever forget the look of pride on Lucius' face as he shook hands with Orion and looked back and forth between his son and grandson. Then dad had called me over and we stood there. Four variations of the same Malfoy gene. Orion was taller than dad with the Malfoy blonde hair and light amber eyes while I was a couple of inches taller than mum with the Malfoy gray eyes and curly dark blonde hair. But anyone looking at us would know we carried the same blood.
Mum and Harry stood to the side grinning as though they had just finished off the last horcrux.
When dad broke from our little circle and made his way further into the room, Harry stood. "Thank you Draco. You did something none of us thought to do and you saved her. I realize now that no one but the wizard who loved her could have done what you did."
And my father made a surly reply. "I had to. Her bloody friends couldn't get out of their own fucking way. You'd think…."
Orion and I both shouted at the same time. "Dad," and he had thrown on the old Malfoy smirk holding out his hand to Harry. "Bloody hell Potter. You've gotten old."
To which Harry replied with a semi veiled taunt. "I'm not the only one. What happened to that crowning glory of Malfoy hair?"
Dad's hand automatically went to his head as he answered. "I wear it low now Potter. Hermione doesn't want all those witches chasing me."
Mum grinned as she sniped at her husband. "Don't listen to the git Harry. The only witch who wants the codger is me. Dinner is ready. We should eat because we have a lot to talk about."
Still smirking, dad had to get the last word in to Harry. "Feel free to call me Draco while you're here Potter. We don't want to tax that overly small brain of yours by asking you to remember the name Leo."
Harry straightened his shoulders as he cheeked right back. "You'll do well to remember we are in the presence of your children, wife and father before baiting me to answer in a manner which would tarnish my fine reputation."
Orion and I laughed as mum shouted at them.
"Enough. Both you gits move along to the dining room before I hex the both of you."
Lucius had then walked over to me and Orion, put an arm around each of us asking to be led to the dining room before the mayhem broke out.