A/n hello again , I hope you are enjoying the story, again if there are any weird auto correct mistakes that I've missed please tell me. I reread it a bunch of times to check but I don't always see them. II love my iPad, but I hate auto correct, it's hardly ever right in guessing what I'm trying to type., now that I'm working on the fifth chapter, I will tell you that this story is shaping up to be quite long, I will post a new chapter every time I finish a new one, that way if I get writers block ill have some chapters to fall back on and I won't leave you hanging. So on to the story... Happy reading and don't forget to review!
"No way!"Draco shouted as he left Dumbledores office, Dumbledore was pleading after him, hoping the boy would listen to reason.
He had come up with a brilliant plan to hide Draco and his mother by faking their deaths and hiding them in the United States, but the part of the plan about giving them new identities had not gone over well with the young mister Malfoy. He and the other order members would fake another death also. Hermiones. And she would live with Draco to show him some muggle ways until he adjusted well enough to be on his own. They would transform 3 dead bodies to look like Draco, Narcissa and Hermione. Hermione was not thrilled either but agreed, provided that Harry and Ron knew she wasn't dead and also didnt know who she was with.
"Mister Malfoy!"Dumbledore called after him, but his head disappeared in the crowd of students filling the hallway. Oh well , Ill find him this afternoon. He thought. In he meantime he spoke with Hermione who had come to check the status of the WWP(Wizard Protection Program) Dumbledore told her that Draco had not agreed. Hermione thought for a moment before volunteering to talk to Draco. Why she had thought he would listen to her she didn't know, but just maybe having the one person at school who knew what was going on might help. So after agreeing she had to go find him again, luckily she still had the map from the night before.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She said to herself quietly. The map sprung to life,and she scanned the paper for his name, to her dismay she found it among the Slytherin group in the great hall. She couldn't approach him there. Hermione decided to be patient and wait until he was alone. She waited patiently for over an hour, it seemed they were having too good of a time to be interrupted. Finally she saw Professor McGonagall approach the group and break it up. They all headed for the exit and towards the dungeons where they would continue their little get together, Hermione assumed. She had to be quick he was lagging behind the group, so she stoed he map and ran over to where he was slowly walking.
"I need to talk to you." She whispered discreetly
To her surprise he nodded and pulled her under the stairwell away from the group of Slytherins ahead of them.
"What?" He snapped.
" please, think about Dumbledores offer. I know it's not ideal but it will save your life and that of your mother. She has already agreed." Hermione lied.
Draco's eyes grew wide. " she has?"
Hermione nodded, hoping Dumbledore had gotten through to her.
"I don't know if I can live like that, like a muggle." He admitted. "And my mother will have a much harder time. She's used to a privileged life."
"I'm sure we can continue that in a muggle sort of way, please, consider it. You don't have many options. Dumbledore is not a fool Draco. He knows your plan. And he's defeated one of the worlds darkest wizards before, a sixteen year old boy won't be much of a challenge."
"I think I was set up to fail this anyway, just so he can have an excuse to end my family."
"An even better reason to accept. Besides I don't know how I could live with myself knowing that I could've helped your family."
"That is not making me want to accept Granger. Besides us living together? What could be worse?"
"Death." Hermione answered.
"I'm not sure if that's true." He replied.
"I'm really not that bad. We don't have to be friends or even speak that much. No one will know who or what we are where we will be. We will have new names, new lives, new everything. It will be a fresh start for both of us. You think you are the only one who needs to escape this life? Believe it or not, it's not all balloons and parties for me either."
"Your best friend is the chosen one."he spat back with very little venom in his voice. He hated to admit he was feeling a tiny bit sorry for her now.
"Yeah well being the third wheel in that group has lost it's shiny appeal." She replied. It surprised Hermione how good it felt to vent about Ron and Harry. Mostly Ron... But still, maybe this is what she needed as well. "Im sure living with you will be no picnic either."she added.
"Now that's where you are wrong Granger." He said with a smirk. "Living with me would be the best time of your life."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I seriously doubt that."
"Trust me, I know how to have fun." He said raising his eyebrows in a suggestive way.
Hermione looked at him with a mixture of doubt and sickness.
"I don't want to burst your bubble but we will be going to school and living like normal people, we are not going to be hanging out and having fun all day. Don't get me wrong, you can have a lot of fun in my world. Besides we won't be hanging out with each other right?"
"Of course not."
"So do you agree then?
"Yes and if this actually works, I will be in debt to you." Draco said honestly, although it left a bad taste in his mouth.
"So should we go tell Dumbledore? I'm sure he has a lot to plan for, including our deaths."
He nodded and followed her up the stairs towards the headmasters office. She didn't even knock before she heard a gentle
"Come in." The door opened on its own and Hermione entered followed closely by Draco. To their surprise, Narcissa Malfoy was seated at the empty chair in front of Dumbledores desk.
"Mum...what are you doing here?" Draco asked in a strangled voice.
"Making plans with the headmaster." She replied inher own elegant way. Hermione was in awe of her beauty and regal air.
"Professor, Draco has agreed to your plan." She said excitedly.
"Wonderful." Dumbledore said animatedly, one would have thought he was discussing his favorite foods, not planning an elaborate and risky protection plan.
"I'm so glad son." Narcissa said "I could not do this without you."
" I wasn't so sure about it, but Granger talked me into it." He admitted, a slight blush creeping over his face.
"We'll then I have you to thank for saving our lives. I hear you will be coming along to help us adjust."
"Yes, mrs. Malfoy."
"Please call me Narcissa. After all I will be your mother for all intents and purposes while we are in the states."
"Is that the plan?" Hermione asked with more than a hint of skepticism in her voice
"No."Dumbledore replied. " the plan is that you will be staying with Draco and his mother as a sort of foreign exchange program. According to things I've learned from the similar protection program they have in the states For people hiding from criminals they have turned into the authorities. Most people are put into the program posing as a married couple. For obvious reasons that won't work in this case. You will all be given new identities . The story Narcissa and I were working on was that hermiones mum and her were friends in London. Then her and Draco moved to the states" when Draco was very young, maybe one or two. But the two friends kept in touch and Hermione wanted to do a foreign exchange for a year of school so of course Narcissa offered her dear friends daughter to come stay with them in California."
"That s a really grat plan for after..." Hermione said " but what about our 'deaths'?" She asked
"We are still working out details on that, any suggestions?"Dumbledore asked.
"Random Hippogriff attack?" Draco joked.
"Be serious."Narcissa scolded.
"What if Draco and his mother were killed trying to finish the job Voldemort set?" Hermione suggested.
"Draco what was the plan?"
"I had to fix the broken vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement. Then my aunt and other death eaters would be able to get into the school. I was supposed to kill you sir before they arrived on scene."
"I must say mister Malfoy that would have been a brilliant plan. But did they really believe a sixteen year old could overtake me?"
"No sir I believe they intended me to fail and possibly die."
"Then lets give them what they wanted, but that doesn't help my death or that of Narcissa."
"What if you just got in the way Hermione?" Draco suggested. "Caught in the crossfire as it were."
"What about your mother?
"What if I throw myself off of the astronomy tower upon seeing my only son lying dead."
"That would probably only work if Bellatrix actually saw you do it. That would mean involving other people in this ruse. Snape maybe."
"No, not him I don't fully trust him." Draco admitted. "What about Lupin?"
"Alright I shall contact Remus in the morning. Narcissa you will throw yourself off the tower and Remus will see you safely to the ground, the he will bring out a body we will procure from St. Mungo's. he will transfigure it to look like you. Before Bellatrix arrives, we will place your dead body doubles at the top of the astronomy tower. I may need to involve Harry as well, after all if I am the one who kills either of you accidentally or not, it will not be easy to get investigators and press off of it. Making it harder to conceal the fact that you are not dead."
"So Harry comes to your defense and rebounds Dracos Avada Kedavra curse back to him and I get in the way?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore nodded. "But to make it all plausible the wands used will have to actually cast the spells, because they will no doubt be investigated at the request of Draco's father."
"Harry can't cast the killing curse professor.
"He won't have to, Draco will cast it, presumeably at me. Harry will only have to cast Protega Maxima . To try to shield me . And that shouldn't really work since nothing protects against the killing curse, but everyone will think Harry just got lucky again."
Everyone was nodding in agreement that the plan sounded feasible.
"Come then we have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. Mister Malfoy and I need to finish repairing the vanishing cabinet. Narcissa, I will be in touch soon. "
"Bye mum." Draco said giving her a big hug.
"Goodbye Narcissa." Hermione said smiling.
"Goodbye dear. "
"By the way, you will all be leaving the day after end of term." Dumbledore said.
"But that's only a week away!"Hermione protested. "Is that enough time to pull this off?"
"It will have to be enough time. Miss Granger can you Go fetch Harry for me?" He asked
"Of course sir." Hermione replied as she headed off towards the Gryffindor tower. Her head swam with thoughts. How would this all work out? Could they pull this off in such a short amount of time? How would she manage to live with Malfoy? Her mind raced over these questions over and over until she reached the portrait of the fat lady. She mumbled the password quickly and hoped that Harry was there. Bursting into the common room she found Harry and Ron playing chess.
"Bloody Hell Hermione, where's the fire?" Ron asked.
"Harry, Dumbledore needs you right away."
"What for? Is it another lesson?" He asked excitedly.
"I'm not sure. But you'd better be quick about it, he seemed anxious to see you."
Harry jumped up and ran out of the common room nearly knocking over a first year in the process.
"Sorry," Ron apologized for Harry, "he's in a hurry."
Hermione felt uncomfortable around Ron, he had not spoken to her directly for weeks.
"How have you been Hermione?"he finally asked
"How have I been? That is what you say to me after weeks of silence?" She seethed.
"Yes. What is it you want me to say?" He asked giving her that dumb look that she hated. She was now wondering what she had ever seen in him.
" I want you to tell me why you've been ignoring me."
Ron's face turned bright red, he looked down at the floor.
"Bloody hell Hermione. I wasn't doing it on purpose, I don't know how to act around you sometimes."
"You should act like yourself, not the prat you've been recently." She replied.
"If I'm such a prat maybe you shouldn't talk to me anymore." He yelled.
"Maybe I won't." Hermione screamed. "Maybe I won't talk to you ever again." Then she threw the chessboard across the room where it shattered against the wall.
"That was a family heirloom." Ron yelled, his face a deep purplish red.
"I DON'T CARE!" Hermione exploded."you will be sorry Ronald Weasley. You will be sorry very soon."
Ron tried to reply but she stormed out.
Hermione stomped through the halls heading towards the Headmasters office. When she reached the door she knocked a little more forefully than she intended.
"Come in." She heard Dumbledores melodic voice say.
To her surprise Draco and Harry were sitting there with Dumbledore.
"Professor, I've changed my mind." She said, Dracos face fell he assumed she was talking about going into hiding. But Dumbledore knew better.
"About what my dear?" He asked kindly.
"About telling Ron that I'm not dead, I don't want him to know I'm alive, or I'm out of this deal." Harry gaped at her.
"Why?"Harry asked. "That will kill him."
"You are wrong Harry, he couldn't care less about me. That is a deal breaker here. Everyone understand?" She looked from Harry to Draco and then to Dumbledore. They all nodded in agreement.
"I've been explaining to young mister Potter here that we have relieved credible threats on your life so you are going into hiding, only I will know where you are. Also that mister Malfoy has switched sides as it were and is also being protected by the order, only I will know where he is as well. So if you don't want Mister Weasley to know about this, I am in agreement. Harry,are you as well?"
Harry looked uncomfortable and unsure of what to say.
"I don't know if I can keep this from my best friend sir."
"Make an unbreakable vow Harry." Hermione said. Harry looked slightly panicked at the thought.
"You don't trust me Hermione? He asked.
"Of course I do, but you said it yourself,you don't know if you could keep it from him. I need it kept from him."
"But why?" Harry asked again.
"Because Weasel is a dolt." Draco answered." Just do it Potter, we don't have much time for planning here." He threw his hands up in exasperation.
"Fine unbreakable vow it is."
"Will you trust me to do the spell?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course sir, my life is in your hands."
"First thing in the morning okay with both of you?"
"Fine."Harry and Hermione said at once.
"See you after breakfast here in my office then.
Hermione turned and headed for the door alone, Harry caught up with her quickly and asked
"Walk back with me?"
"Sorry Harry I'm not headed back just yet. I need to clear my head. Try to get him out of the common room before I get back okay?"
"Okay, what did he do Hermione?"
"Never mind, just try to have him away from me when I get back please."
"Okay I will." He replied and he headed up the staircase while Hermione went straight. The halls were thankfully empty as she headed for the door leading to the outdoor courtyard. Little did she know, she was being followed.