A/N.: I just love this story. It's absolutely smashing, if I do say so myself!The scenes where Draco Malfoy isn't in, they are completely third person. It only makes life easier for me.
My favorite top 10 HP stories this week are:
-Broken: by inadaze22, a ruddy fantastic author, I might add. Complete Dramione fic.
-Mr Maybe: A 100% Dramione fic by firdbirdflame
-Harry Potter and the Marriage Contracts: by Clell65619. Harry P./Daphne G. Really good unusual pairing fic. Strong Harry.
-An Aunt's Love:by Emma Lipardi. It has over 10000 reviews. That enough should entice you to like it. Strong Harry.
-The Cabin: by Halfling. another complete Dramione fic involving prophecies, ancestry and defeating Lord Voldemort.
-The line between love and hate: by Leena White. Draco and Hermione are teachers at Hogwarts, and you guessed it, Dramione.
-A Series of Strange and Hilarious Events: by luvlylinz. Smexy Dramione, and a couple of trips to the hospital wing! Humor/Romance.
-The Inquisitor's Son: by jinxdoll. Next gen Harry Potter characters. SM/LLP. Scorpius/Lily.
-My Heart Forever Lies in London: by ElaineAbbene. Ruddy brilliant! Victoire Weasley/Teddy Lupin.
-Eight Days a Week: by larrythestapler. Draco speaking... Shakespearian??!? Dramione. Completed.
I would like to mention that Ruth Yvonne is totally of my own imagination. Although she may act like many of the characters, it is who she is. I will continuously build her character so that many of you will understand in due course. Here's a little rewind on her appearance: she has navy blue hair, golden eyes, pale skin and she's eight years old. Also, Draco is 23 and Hermione is turning 24.
I got inspired to make this character based on a combination of my personality. Trust me, the story will get better when you continue on.
Special thanks to all who have reviewed. Not many have, but that will all change, hopefully for the better.
Happy Reading! And please review if you want me to continue!
Chapter 2
Ruth Yvonne
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"What in the bloody name of Merlin??!?!?!?"
Trust Mother to just throw in a valuable piece of information to me thirty minutes before a big interview! The sun was pesteringly hot in Diagon Alley, and unfortunately my dark suit didn't help my situation at all. I clutched at my tie like a crazed maniac, ignoring the looks the customers were giving me.
My mother Narcissa Malfoy smirked as she began cleaning up. Judging from the look of mirth that she gave me, I knew she was amused at my lack of knowledge. "Really, Draco. You should know these things. After all, she's Head of your new job."
I groaned into my hands. Thank goodness Mother puts protection charms on her bar stools, otherwise I'd be falling out of them.
"Don't remind me."
"Tsk," she mollycoddled, looking up from her cleaning, "She's a nice girl, you know. And don't you dare think that I'm judgemental towards muggles like your father is." Mother's eyes started to glisten with oncoming tears at her own mention of her husband. I steered the conversation out of dangerous waters, knowing it was for the best.
Even though she's my Mother, she sometimes gets on my nerves.
Another girlish laugh escaped her mouth, and I glared once more at her.
Scratch that. She always gets on my nerves.
"How come you didn't write to me this summer?" she said, pouting like a child. I had to fight the urge to give her a sarcastic comment. "I was busy, Mother." I replied stiffly.
What I just said wasn't a lie at all, in fact. I had to finish thirty cases in two bloody months, and I barely had time to go to the store to buy fresh food. I was living off of pizza and pop. I know it isn't healthy, but what am I supposed to do? Let down all those people? No thanks, I'd rather stick to the Coke, thanks.
"So how do you know this piece of info?"
She threw her head back and laughed. "Hermione Granger is a customer of mine, silly child."
I gaped at her wordlessly. I'm twenty-three and she still calls me a silly child? That's the last straw. "See you around, Mother." I said scathingly, looking away from her smirking face. I grabbed my coat and Disapparated, landing five miles from my current destination. I was near the muggle British Prime Minister's house and way off base. I needed to get to the Ministry as quickly. Better to get the worst over with.
I had enough on my plate without my mother pestering the daylights out of me.
"Ruth Yvonne?" Seamus asked, brushing the soot off his ministry clothes. In the middle of the ward was a small, frail eight-year old girl with a male healer putting tubes around her. A machine was humming slowly next to her. Seamus just got leave to visit her, due to the fact that he was a worker for Magical Law.
A healer standing at the edge of her bed looked up from his spellcasting, and his face broke into a broad grin. "Seamus, mate! Glad you could come!" He cried, a broad hand patting the back of Seamus. The latter smiled happily at him. "Long time no see, Dean."
Healer Dean Thomas, newly instated head of St. Mungo's and best friend to Seamus Finnigan, was currently in charge of the girl named Ruth Yvonne. He was one of the best, the inventor of the Lumacos Potion which helped cure countless lycanthropes. After the candid interview he had been harassed through by Pansy, an old acquaintance, Parvati Patil, had cornered him a few days later. Now they were dating, and Seamus couldn't be happier for his best friend.
There was no time to socialize however, because Seamus was on a very important mission.
"Dean, how's Ruth coming along?" he asked, moving towards the bed. A weird aura was revolving around her, giving her the appearance of a fallen angel. The peacefulness that was temporarily etched across her face was a distant reminder that the girl had gone through a lot. "Can I talk to her, Dean?"
Dean Thomas shrugged unhelpfully. "She's in and out of consciousness at the mo', Seamus." The irish man nodded, and continued to look at her. After a while he spoke. "Do you know how much this girl has gone through?" he asked quietly.
"No," The healer said, curiosity getting the better of him. Seamus sighed heavily, magicked a chair out of thin air, and sat down on it. Raking his fingers through his hair, he began to tell him the story.
"When we got to Dovercourt, a few miles out of the west of London, we detected a strong presence of Dementors. We went down Worchestire Lane, where their house was, and d'you know what we found there?" An odd feeling of fear overcame Dean, and he found himself whispering, "What happened next?"
Seamus turned slightly green. "About twenty Dementors were feasting on her parents." Dean's eyes were as round as galleons. He steadied himself and Seamus whipped out his wand before Dean could fall to the ground.
"And... they performed the kiss, didn't they?" Seamus nodded helplessly, "They were barely alive."
Both men turned and looked at the sleeping patient. "Where did you find Ruth?" Dean asked anxiously.
Seamus slowly turned to look at his oldest friend. "She was fleeing from the Dementors." The healer's eyes flickered from Ruth to Seamus. "Around five minutes later, a pack of wild werewolves were seen about a mile from where she was." Dean took a shaky breath and clenched at the sides of his chair. Before he got up, Seamus put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "No, they didn't attack her. They just chased her."
"What?" Dean put his face in his hands, "so the girl's chased by a pack of hounds and ghosts from the Devil himself, is that it?" Seamus made a noise between a grunt and a moan, which obviously meant to be a "yes".
"But the funny thing is," Seamus said to nobody in particular, watching as a picture of Elderidge the Edgy picked his nose, "is that...something made them go away."
"Was it Dark magic?" Dean asked worriedly.
"No no," he reassured, "it was something...different. It felt... calm,...peaceful. Just like a Christmas morning at Hogwarts." he went off sheepishly. He and Dean had many fond memories of that school.
A sudden beeping sound resonated in the room, jerking the two to their feet instantaneously. "What is it?" Seamus asked, full business tone kicking in gear. Dean walked over to Ruth, and looked at the machine. The beeping slowly stopped. There was an ringing silence.
"Are her parents muggles, Seamus?"
"Yes, why?" Seamus didn't like where this was going.
"Well," Dean turned to him, a taut smile stretching over his face, "She's a full-blooded witch."
Hermione Jean Granger, current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was in a moral dilemma.
In her hands lay the future career of Draco Malfoy.
Maybe five years ago she would love this kind of control over the slimy ferret. Now, however, remembering Malfoy meant remembering the past, and frankly, she had enough on her mind without the stupid Slytherin ordering her around. She was quite happy having one childhood acquaintance in her department; she didn't want to deal with another smarty pants git. Not that Seamus Finnigan was as smart, but he was sometimes an idiot in some circumstances.
She loved her job, despite appearances. She had a diligent secretary named Rose Zeller, who was always neat and punctual, and she couldn't really ask for more. Plus, Seamus was always there to help her out of sticky spots, such as the press.
The Daily Prophet really wasn't that all bad these days. She could deal with Parvati Patil; it was always a bonus when you had connections to the media. But Hermione had to be brutally blunt when it came to Parvati: she was literally another Rita Skeeter who just happens to be in her twenties. It was a gift from Merlin that Hermione was nice to the journalist during her brief seven years at Hogwarts.
"Finnigan!" Hermione pressed her hands to the handy little intercom. She really loved muggle devices, mainly because they were handy in these types of situations. And sure enough, Seamus arrived from a ministry fireplace, his tie askew. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione put a hand to silence him. "I don't even want to know." She had heard enough stories about Lavender and Seamus's sexscapades. She was happy for them, after all, they had invited her to their wedding, and she was forever grateful. But now was not the time.
Seamus rubbed his eyes in irritation. "Hermione, that's not what I was going to say! It's about... Ruth." A manicured hand flew to Hermione's face, as she realized that she had totally forgotten what had happened yesterday. Ruth Yvonne was in St. Mungo's, getting checked for any anormalities in her system. Checking the agenda she always brought with her, she saw that Ruth was getting discharged today. "Seamus, I can't go to St. Mungo's now!" she said, panicking.
"Calm down, 'Mione, it's okay!" Hermione was infamously known for her panic attacks. "I'll go get her right now! I was just waiting for your permission!"
"Oh," Hermione breathed, sagging into her chair, all excitement draining from her. Seamus sighed, relieved that he didn't need to calm down the obsessive workaholic. He ran down the stairs and disappeared.
Taking in a deep breath, she looked down at the dratted application form in her hands.
Name: Draco Abraxas Malfoy
Height: 6 ft 3 inch
Age: 23
Blood Type: A
Favorite Color: Burgundy
NEWTs:
-Ancient Runes, O
-Astronomy, E
-Charms, O
-Defense Against the Dark Arts, O
-Herbology, E
-History of Magic, A
-Muggle Studies, E
-Potions, E
-Transfiguration, O
Previous Career: Freelance Private Detective (finished over 132 cases in four years)
"How does he do that? How can he be so... brilliant?" Hermione mused aloud.
"Hn," She looked up, and saw the devil incarnate. Rose didn't warn her about him at all. "Maybe it's because I'm ... Draco Malfoy." Yup, the trademark smirk was on at full power. A heady scent of cologne filled the room, and Hermione instinctively inhaled the aphrodisiac. Her pupils started dilating.
Now she realized why Rose didn't bother to tell her. Malfoy probably flirted with the poor girl until she was a giggling fit.
"M..Malfoy??" Hermione said incredulously. From the top of his dark Armani suit, to the impeccable black shoes, it was really Draco Malfoy in all his entirety. The only thing that has changed was the fact that he was wearing muggle clothes that didn't clash horribly with each other. She stared rudely at him, shocked that he was even considering working for the Magical Law Enforcement.
He could be a model for Dolce and Gabbana, for crying out loud.
"Now that you've stopped ogling my sexiness, Granger, I think it's best if we carry on with this interview," he stated silkily. Even his voice had changed from a whinny alto to a deep, vibrating tenor.
This was going to be a long job interview.
When Seamus Finnigan burst through the fireplace of the St. Mungo Hospital, what he didn't expect was to find the place in shatters.
Nor did he expect to find it devoid of patients and staff. He rushed up to the fourth floor, where he found the all the machines broken beyond repair.
"Ruth?" He inched closer to her bed. "Ruth Yvonne?"
The bed was empty. Inspecting the sheets, he realized what happened.
Ruth Yvonne had been kidnapped, and judging by the flecks of blood, it was done against her will.
Was this Hermione "Mudblood" Granger? I just couldn't believe my eyes. She was wearing a slimming skirt that accentuated her curves in all the right places. With it came a white blouse that only accentuated her beauty. This couldn't be her.
I don't even remember if she did have curves in school! If she did, she really... but then again, she always hung out with Pothead and the Weasel, so I could have noti-...
"M..Malfoy??" I could tell from her eyes that she was earnestly shocked. Her brown eyes were literally the size of galleons, looking up and- Wait, rewind! Granger... is looking at me up and down! Damn, I think she likes what she sees. I better get this over with if I want the position.
"Now that you've stopped ogling my sexiness, Granger, I think it's best if we carry on with this interview," I said smoothly, and Granger seemed to come back to her senses.
"Y-Yes, Mr Malfoy. Let's head to my office," her voice turned business-like and she walked down the hallway, beckoning me to follow. I willed all my self-control not to jump her. I really didn't care that she used to be in Gryffindor, and I was a Slytherin, or that she was part of the "Golden Trio", and that I was a ...
"So how was France?" Granger asked me.
"H-How-"
"Your file, Mr Malfoy."
"Draco now, H...Hermione."
She gave no indication that I used her first name, but strode to a brass doorknob and took out her wand. "Alohomora." she muttered.
Her office was in disarray. Spare inkpots were thrown across the floor, old quills were broken, even the picture frames on her desk were knocked down. "I'm sorry for the mess," she muttered apologetically.
"Evanesco!" The quills, parchment and inkpots Vanished. She righted the picture frames and sat on her mahogany business chair.
"All right let's start the interview," she ordered briskly. I could tell that I wasn't the only person who had applied for the job. She cleared her throat. "Why should I hire you?"
That sounded a bit blunt to my ears. Maybe Granger has changed.
"Isn't my file enough to persuade you, Ms Granger?" I asked sweetly. She stared at me dully for a minute, and then began.
"I have had at least a hundred people through these doors, Mr Malfoy, and all of them have better NEWT grades than you. And yet, none of them have passed my intense scrutiny." Her eyes narrowed at me, as she clasped her hands together and surveyed me. "Why should I give you this job?"
Oh shite! My amazing charm won't get me this job. I quickly thought of a solution.
"Give me a month, Ms Granger, and I swear I won't be a burden to your department. In fact, there are many ways I could be an asset here." I replied.
She muttered a summoning spell and poured black coffee into a white mug. "Do enlighten me, Mr Malfoy."
I took a deep breath. "During my years as a private detective, I have been on a lot of cases, muggle and magical. As you probably know, I took a course on Muggle Studies in my seventh year. My name is recognized on a dozen muggle agencies, and I can assure I'm not known for infamy in the muggle world,"
Her dark left eyebrow twitched.
"I have been traveling non-stop for four years, cracking cases, capturing criminals, etc. Finally, I've settled in Paris, and I took a job with the muggle Parisian board of security. I have never used magic on a muggle, and in muggle cases, I prefer to use the muggle method of solving crimes,"
The eyebrow rose a few centimetres.
"Just this year, my name has been acknowledged from the muggle French Prime Minister as the best detective in all of France." I finished, allowing a slight smirk to mar the effect.
Both eyebrows were now raised.
"That's all sounding good, Mr Malfoy, but-" The door to her office burst open, and an irate Seamus Finnigan burst in, looking harassed. He was on the brink of informing Hermione, when he saw me lounging on the chair. I sneered, as his mouth opened and closed like a guppy.
"Finnigan! Whatever is the matter?" She's so professional, I thought to myself.
"Ruth Yvonne has been captured."
Who in the name of Merlin are they talking about?
"By whom?" Hermione stood up, a hint of fear and anger lacing her voice.
"A Death Eater."
The temperature in the room dropped three degrees.
"Hermione?" Finnigan looked at her anxiously, waiting for a reaction.
Antonin Dolohov. He was that wankerous old lech, that nutter who had kidnapped Ruth, the one who had almost hit Granger with a terrible curse in her fifth year. Thousands of memories filled my mind, not all of them good.
It was as clear as a bright summers' day: not all Death Eaters had been captured.
Granger, however, looked like she wasn't going to resurface from her thoughts anytime soon, so I took matters into my own hands.
"Dear god, get a grip, woman!" I said, grabbing her shoulders to shake her out of her stupor.
A hand reached out and slapped my hands softly. I let go, afraid of her reaction for once in my life, but just looked at me before talking. "All right," she said, taking a deep calming breath, " Where was he last seen?"
"A couple of miles west from Bath. Potter's got the Aurors hot on his tail." I grinned, knowing that Dolohov would have a hard time trying to get to his hideout. Potter, however far away he was from reaching Blaise's standard, was still a pretty darn good Auror.
"OK," Hermione looked at me with piercing eyes, "I need all the help I can get. You're hired, Mr Malfoy."
"What?"
"Are you daft? I said you're hired. Now both of you get your sorry arses out of my office. I'll come out in a minute."
I smiled genuinely for the first time in years. For once, Granger was being an adult and leaving the Gryffindor/Slytherin disparities behind. I looked back at Seamus, who was staring at me, shocked beyond belief.
I offered him his hand, noticing his hesitation as he shook it. "I guess we're working together now, Finnigan." I stated brightly.
"Yeah... listen Draco." His hands started fidgeting, whereas I'm shocked.
Since when has Finnigan used my first name?
Umm, since never.
"Yes?"
"..don't do anything to hurt Hermione," he said seriously, his eyes flashing, "You'll be in deep and bloody shite, mate."
I snorted, unable to contain myself. They're all Gryffindorks really, flashing their loyalty and bravery badges all around the place. What's Finnigan thinking? "Of course not. Wouldn't dream of it, Finnigan."
"Good." he said, visibly relaxing. He was about to open his mouth when Granger burst through her office door, cheeks blazing. She had draped a traveling cloak around her shoulders.
Taking out her wand, she Summoned an ink, quill and some parchment, which she had bewitched to make them write something.
She then turned towards Finnigan. "Send your Patronus to Kingsley. Notify him of this immediately. If we have to send backup, that's what we'll do," she whirled around quickly, "Mr Malfoy, you are to stay with me at all times."
"What am I? The backup, or a bleeding house-elf?" She frowned at my last comment, but otherwise she ignored me. Finnigan had taken out his wand, and was muttering "expecto patronum" under his breath, along with detailed instructions. He turned and looked at Hermione. "We're all set to go, if you want to go now."
"Thank you, Finnigan. Now, hold on to my arms." she ordered, and I knew we were being taken by side-along Apparition. I braced myself, ready for the squelching feeling. You can never get used to Apparition, no matter what you say.
Pretty soon, the horrible sensation disappeared, and the unfamiliar bustle of Bath, a city I've never been to before. "Mr Malfoy, keep your wits about you!" I turned and saw an angry Granger. Hastily walking to her side, we walked down the road, ignoring the weird looks people gave us.
The air around us was hazy and vague, almost like the aftermath of a Dementor attack. I shuddered, earning a glare and a disapproving look from the two Ministry employees and I just kept on walking. Dark clouds were forming, the hint of rain was coming, and deep cold fronts were materialising.
We crossed the pedway, and several cars honked at us. It must've been rush hour, because there was so many cars down that street.
"Draco!" Seamus waved a hand. Oh shite, I had to zone out. The muggle in the cars were yelling at me to get off the bloody street. I sighed, and ran down to the restaurant where he and Granger were. As soon as I stepped into the room, a waiter honed in on us with an overenthusiastic greeting.
The girl named Ruth Yvonne stirred out of the Sleeping Draught she had unknowingly been given. She stared at her surroundings, noticing that she was in an ambulance, and there wasn't any personnel on the bloody thing.
The last thing she remembered was a masked healer pouring a dark, murky liquid in her feeding tubes.
"Excuse me," she said, walking up to the driver's seat, "Where exactly am I headed, sir?" The man was silent for a few minutes. Then he turned around, and immediately the alarm bells went off in Ruth's head. The man had a half-shaved head, and the grin on his face was truly sinister. Dark hazel eyes looked at her, and she found herself feeling staring right back. She racked her brains, trying to remember anyone who looked remotely like that man, because he looked oddly familiar to her. It was highly disconcerting. She knew something was incredibly wrong with him.
Then she saw what he was doing.
He was driving without looking at the road.
What was even more weird was that signposts and buildings were jumping out of the way for him.
She screamed and ran down to the back of the ambulance. As soon as she left, the man pulled out a straight stick, and directed it at her back. "Relashio!" he cried, in a strange foreign language. Invisible ropes were tightly bound around her, and she mercilessly fell to the metal floor. Her vision was blurring and she couldn't do anything about it. Again, she closed her eyes, as unconsciousness swept over her like a tidal wave.
The man driving looked back on the road, and righted the ambulance to the right lines. He looked up into the rearview mirror, watching the sleeping form of the girl.
"I'm sorry, Ruthie. It's for the best."
The man was Antonin Dolohov and he was Ruth Yvonne's uncle.
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Disclaimer: All right reserved to JK Rowling. I do not own any Harry Potter characters, places, ideas, except for Ruth Yvonne and LaPierre Boulevard.
Do not use this plot without my permission.
