By Any Other Name.
by Flaignhan.
Chapter One: Understanding.
She'd considered killing him then and there, only to find herself instead levitating him into the sitting room, before plonking him down on the sofa in a rougher than necessary fashion.
She rid him of all his injuries with a quick wave of her wand, cast a cleaning charm on him, so he no longer looked as though he had been dipped in mud and other unpleasant things, before hesitantly, oh so hesitantly, she revived him.
His wand was lying on the coffee table so she was quite safe, she had decided.
Well, moderately safe.
Well, as safe as one could be with a known Death Eater lying on her cream leather sofa.
Besides, even with wands, she could out-duel him any day.
She hoped.
He opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times, his eyes slightly unfocussed and trying to concentrate on her image. She was sitting cross legged on the floor next to the sofa, wand held in her hand, which, for the first time in years, did not shake with nerves or worry.
"Give me a reason as to why you don't deserve to be dead already," she said, rather conversationally, as though asking for a reason as to why she should go to McDonald's, rather than Burger King.
She hated both places of course.
He sat up suddenly, causing her to quickly get to her feet, wand pointing directly at him. "Who did you come with?" He looked at her, his gaze unflinching. She noticed some emotion in his eyes that she knew he would hate for her to see. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but knew she had seen it somewhere before, in someone else's eyes. "I could kill you right now."
"Killing isn't nearly as easy as the innocent believe," he said finally. "You won't do it." The words seemed to remind her of someone…someone wise, and unbelievably intelligent. Yes, it was the sort of thing Albus Dumbledore would say.
Would have said. She reminded herself, her throat tightening uncomfortably as she did so.
"Who else is with you?" She demanded again.
"No one."
"And I believe that because…" she trailed off, waiting for him to give her a reason, however small and insignificant it might be, not to end his miserable little life then and there.
But he was right. Killing is nowhere near as easy as the innocent believe.
"Because otherwise they would have stormed the house and carried you off already…" She knew in the back of her mind this was true, but what if they were biding their time, trying to lull her into a false sense of security? She did not lower her wand. "For heaven's sake Granger, I came here to tell you he's after you!"
"Of course he is, I'm friends with Harry."
"No, he's not just after you for your connections to Potty-"
"Malfoy the Death Eater and he's still calling people pathetic childish names…" she said disgustedly. "When were you planning to grow up exactly?"
"Granger," he growled, his teeth grinding together, "I came here to save your stupid life, and your family, so don't start taunting me…"
"And why would you want to save a mudblood's life?" she asked venomously. "Why, it was only second year that you were wishing a basilisk on me." He looked at her sharply. "It was Harry and Ron," she told him, smirking slightly at the fact that even after all this time he'd still thought it was Crabbe and Goyle. "Polyjuice potion. Oh yes, they heard everything. Even about the secret room under the floor in your drawing room. Not as smart as you like to believe, are you Malfoy?"
"If you're just going to-"
"You," she snarled, "are the reason that Albus Dumbledore is dead. You, have condemned the world to hell, because you're a spineless little boy. You, are the reason that Bill Weasley will never look the same again."
"Do you think I had a choice?" he interrupted before she could continue with her accusations. "My entire family would have been killed, along with yours truly here. You have no idea what the last year has been like for me. And now I try and do something good, like he wanted me to," she didn't ask who 'he' was, she was fairly sure she knew anyway, "you throw it in my face and-"
"What do you expect?" Hermione asked incredulously, her voice raising higher with each and every word. "Why should I trust you anyway?" she asked.
"Because if you don't believe me, the next time you come home, your house will be in ruins, your family will be dead, after being tortured into madness of course, and there'll be someone waiting for you, just to finish the job." Hermione shook her head, not believing him. Not wanting to believe him.
"You're just trying to scare me…" she whispered. She had lost all confidence, her voice shook with fear and she felt the colour drain from her face. She was probably as pale as Malfoy now…
"I'll get started on my 'I told you so' speech then shall I? Would you like me to read it at your funeral or-"
"Shut up," she demanded.
"Granger, you've got to trust-" She cut him off.
"What so you can feed me false information and then I end up walking straight into Death Eater HQ?" she asked, half laughing at his naivety. "No, I'll pass on that offer Malfoy. Thanks very much though, I'm sure it'd be a very worthwhile endeavour…" She could see he was becoming frustrated with her, but she didn't care. How dare he come to her home, after all he'd done, and suggest that she trust him?
No, Hermione Granger was not stupid enough to fall for that.
She had however, decided that she would protect her parents' house as much as she could as soon as she could. Perhaps she could get Professor Flitwick to help her with it…
"Granger…" she was sick of hearing the sound of her own surname coming from his constantly curled lips.
"I'm leaving here soon anyway, so you can tell your master or whatever you and your pathetic pals are calling him these days-"
"For goodness sake Granger!" Malfoy erupted, "You know the Dark Lord doesn't work like that! When has he ever worked like that? Potter going to the Ministry last summer for example, why did he go? Cos Sirius Black" he spat the surname with some disgust, "was apparently being tortured. He won't trick you, he'll do it for real, he'll lure you here and then zap, you're dead, just like your parents. With two words." He looked away from her awkwardly and Hermione was trying her hardest not to believe him. Yes, she knew her and her family were in danger. Voldemort knew about her connections to Harry, knew that she would be of great help to Harry, if she was killed then some of the threat would disappear, and Harry was bound to go in, with no thought whatsoever, and try to kill him, whether he'd found the horcruxes or not.
"How did you find me?" she asked, changing the subject abruptly.
"It was easy, I put a tracking charm on an owl and sent it to your house."
"But an owl hasn't come here…"
"It didn't have a letter to deliver you dolt." Hermione frowned. She'd never even thought of something so atrociously simple. She made a very urgent mental note to look up untraceable spells later on that afternoon. She was sure she'd read about wizards placing untraceable spells on themselves. She realised Malfoy was frowning at her, and glared back at him, remembering he had just called her a dolt.
"Can you act like an adult, just for a second?" she asked exasperatedly. He scowled at her, but said nothing.
"Can I have some water?" he asked, causing Hermione to stop thinking about untraceable spells for the second time in a matter of minutes. He then added as an after thought, "Please."
Hermione summoned a glass from the kitchen and a jet of water gushed from her wand tip and into the glass. She gave him the glass without saying a word.
"Ok," she said finally, her tone businesslike and purposeful. "Let's say for a second you are telling the truth. Why would you want to help me of all people?"
"Because you're the best witch to come out of Hogwarts for years," Hermione raised her eyebrows at the reluctant compliment, but he didn't pay any attention to her facial expressions. "You're still young, and hopefully, for the Dark Lord, still weak." Hermione made and indignant noise and earned herself a tut in return. "If he can overpower you, make you into one of his own, you'd probably be the most powerful Death Eater in his service. And you'd be able to tell him everything about Potter. You could be so valuable to him…"
"And why don't you want that happening?"
"Don't you get it? I'm going to be killed by him one way or another. I don't believe a word he says but while my family are still in his control I have to act like it. I've been studying occlumency all year, just so he won't get into my head and realise. Christ Granger, you don't realise the position I'm in!"
"You had a choice a long time ago," she replied, not meeting his eyes. "Dumbledore offered you and your family protection-"
"And then Snape burst in and killed him!" He sighed in frustration. He couldn't blame her for not believing a single word he said, and she knew it too, but he was getting slightly tired of this game. If only she'd just make her mind up… "Look," he said with another sigh, "I know if I try to help Potter or Weasel they'll kill me as soon as they see me. Understandable…but not justified." Hermione snorted in disbelief, of course killing Malfoy was justified, wasn't it? "But I know you, and you've got some sense. If I had you on my side then things would be so much easier," Hermione interrupted him.
"If you had me on your side? So really you just want to use me? I shouldn't have expected anything less…"
"And you'll be using me! To get information, to find out who's next for the afterlife, you'll be one step ahead of the game-" It annoyed her how lightly he was talking about people who could die in the next few months. Treating it as one big game. But, she relented, that's what it was really, wasn't it? It was like a big game of chess, carefully marked out plans of attack, both sides putting their all into winning. Dark versus the light. But even so, to joke about such things…
"But it all comes back to the trust thing doesn't it?" she sighed. When had things become so horribly and utterly complicated?
Probably the moment Professor McGonagall had come to her door to tell her she was a witch.
"Unbreakable vow?" Malfoy suggested.
"We all know they cause more trouble than not…" She sat down on the sofa, head in her hands. Was he manipulating her? Did he suggest the vow to make him look trustworthy, knowing full well she'd refuse? It was the sort of thing Malfoy would do…but was he smart enough to have worked that out on his own? But what if he hadn't worked it out on his own? Either way she was in a difficult situation and she either had to take the risk or…forget it. Forget Malfoy. Leave him to go.
But…there was the possibility that he was telling the truth. Harry did say that he lowered his wand before the other Death Eaters burst into the tower…
Either way she would be no worse off than she was now. If she believed him, then she didn't have to do anything he said, and Voldemort would delight in killing one of the Boy Who Lived's friends anyway. Either way, she would be hunted down.
"I'm not going to believe you without proof, I mean…oh you are such a git," she sighed, before holding out her hand. He shook it firmly and her eye caught his.
She knew what the glint in his eye was now. She'd seen it in Sirius' eyes that night in the Shrieking Shack. Fear. And remorse. And just about every other bad emotion one could feel without exploding.
He was terrified of the future.
For the first time in her life, Hermione Granger knew exactly how Draco Malfoy was feeling.
"Let's get some things straight," she stated, as she set a plate of food in front of him, ignoring the absurdity of the situation. Draco Malfoy, sitting at her kitchen table, eating some soup and sandwiches that had just been made by her. "Firstly, we stop the name calling. Or rather, you stop the name calling. I hardly need to stop as I never started in the first place. Secondly, if you so much as mention the word 'mudblood' or say any similar jibes about my heritage, rest assured that I will write to Voldemort personally and tell him what you've been up to."
"What about when I'm in the presence of Death Eaters? I have to act you know."
"Yes, I know that. But when you don't have to hide behind a mask, you treat me with respect. Understood?" He nodded, and she noticed it wasn't as reluctant as she thought it'd be.
"I've got some rules too," he began. "You are not allowed to breathe a word of this…truce, to anybody. Not even Potter or Weasley." Hermione nodded. She hadn't even thought about it anyway. She knew how they'd react. It was a situation that was best avoided, in Hermione's opinion.
"And my only other rule, is if you have a run in with my mother-"
"I won't hurt her. And I'll make sure no one else does. Your father on the other hand…"
"Is fair game," agreed Malfoy. "And as for dear old Aunt Bella…" Hermione felt her throat tighten, and her fingers twitched, itching to grab her wand and find Bellatrix herself, torture her, kill her, give her everything she deserved. Neville's parents, Sirius, just a few of her victims. As much as she wanted to completely destroy Bellatrix, she knew Harry would get there first, so planning how she was going to make her suffer was pointless.
Hermione looked up at Malfoy and realised he was still talking. She shook her head and blinked. Reality came flooding back and Malfoy frowned at her.
"You didn't listen to a word I just said did you?" Hermione shook her head and Malfoy sighed dramatically. "It doesn't matter." He took a bite out of his sandwich and chewed it rapidly. Evidently he had not eaten in days.
While he ate, Hermione wrote a letter to Professor Flitwick, asking him to help her protect her parents. The main spell she had planned upon was the Fidelius Charm, but if he had other suggestions as well, it would be useful. She sent the letter with an owl her parents had bought in the middle of last year, in order to keep in touch, and settled down at the kitchen table once more.
"I don't suppose…" Hermione didn't finish her sentence, and Malfoy looked up from his soup, waiting expectantly for her to continue.
"Yes?" he prompted, after she did not carry on with her speculation.
"I don't suppose Voldemort's told you about how he's managed to stay alive all this time has he?" She decided not to reveal the truth to him,
"Well he's not human anymore is he?" Malfoy said as he resumed eating, "so he can't die…well, not in the normal fashion. Why? What do you know?" he asked shrewdly, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Don't worry," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"I'm not worrying, I'm curious. Share the news, Granger." Hermione shook her head. "Oh come on!"
"I don't know anything!" she said defensively. "Why would I ask if I already knew?"
"You wanted to see if I knew more," he answered perceptively. "You can't fool me, Granger."
Hermione sighed, annoyed at his ability to interpret things. It was something she was not used to, especially in the majority of males she'd come into contact with during the course of her life. Ron was living proof.
The only exception to the rule, she conceded, had been Professor Dumbledore. But he was a genius anyway, so she wasn't quite sure that he came into the same category as her friends…and enemies.
Was Malfoy still an enemy though? Granted she wouldn't take anything he said at face value, but he hadn't attempted to murder her quite yet, and he'd had plenty of chances. Nor had his Death Eater cohorts stormed the building, firing off unforgivables at every possible angle. Finally, she settled on a rather pleasing fact, which she knew was certain: while Malfoy was intelligent, he was no genius.
They sat at the table for a while longer, not talking to each other, both lost in their own thoughts about what was going to happen to them. Hermione tapped her fingers on the table, her chin resting on the heel of her palm. She was staring off into some corner but she couldn't actually see anything in front of her. She was just looking, not seeing.
Crookshanks had wandered into the kitchen, stretched, and then hopped onto Malfoy's lap. "Your cat has good taste," he told her smugly.
"My cat will get no cream after dinner if he continues to be a traitorous little-"
"Don't punish the cat for having some common sen-" he looked down at his forearm, not needing to slide his sleeve up to know what was burning. Crookshanks jumped off of him immediately, and curled up in his wicker basket.
Malfoy stood up and Hermione frowned at him questioningly. "I've got to go. Have to go back to his Lordship," his face was set in a scowl and Hermione couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy from him. "I'll owl you or something if I hear anything."
"Well make sure you don't use real names or we might as well stroll right up to Voldemort and say 'hey, bright idea, kill us now!'"
"I got the impression you didn't approve of making jokes about the war, Granger." Hermione silently damned him to hell, knowing full well she hadn't even mentioned any concerns about making jokes. Not that she was a naturally funny person anyway. She was serious, because somebody needed to be serious. Once more, she cursed his perceptiveness inwardly, before summoning his wand.
"I guess you'll be needing this." She shivered slightly as his icy fingers brushed her own when he took the wand from her. She watched him intently as he put on his cloak and walked towards the door. "Good luck then," she said, allowing herself to smile grimly. He nodded briefly.
"And you." He swept out of the door (Hermione having removed the locking charms) and strode out of sight, round the corner. There was a loud crack and she knew he was gone.