The second day of the investigation into Cho's death was slow going, with very little progress made. Each of the group had their own things to look into, but when they gathered at the end of the afternoon to compare notes, they all knew they were not much further forward with the investigation. In fact the only person with anything to really talk about was Hermione, who'd managed to identify the type of poison used to kill Cho.
"I was right, it was a Herbology potion," Hermione announced. "We've traced the composition to one of the most popular Herbology potions on the market called Bugs-Bee-Gone."
"Mother uses that," Draco said. "She's swears it's the only thing that keeps the bugs away from her roses."
"As I said, it's a very popular brand," Hermione said. "It's stocked in almost all apothecaries and a lot of garden centres."
"So really this is of no use to us," Harry said with a sigh. "If the potion is so widely available, anyone could have access to it."
"It's a long shot, but I've made a list of the shops that sell it," Hermione said, handing the list over to Ron for him to look into. "These days a lot of shops keep a record of people buying dangerous potions."
"You mean the new laws that were introduced after the war?" Ron checked. Following the war, it became illegal for shops to sell dangerous potions or ingredients without keeping a record of their sales.
"I do," Hermione replied with a nod. "The only thing is, Bugs-Bee-Gone might not be on the list since it's a Herbology potion. Even so, conscientious shops might keep records."
"Of course all this could be totally in vain," Draco said.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked his partner with a frown.
"These leglisations about keeping a record of dangerous potions and ingredients have all came into place since the end of the war. Anything bought before the rules were activated is untraceable," Draco explained.
"But that was over a decade ago," Ron argued. "Surely anything bought that long ago will be out of date."
"Not if it's stored properly," Draco said. "And don't forget we've still got the black market to consider. I doubt the shops in places like Knockturn Alley keep adequate records. A few galleons would be all it would take to keep names off the register."
"So basically, this will be of no use to us at all," Ron said with a sigh.
"I don't know Ron, but we have to check it out," Hermione replied.
"Of course we do," Harry said with a nod. "Now are we sure it's shop bought Bugs-Bee-Gone, or could it be home-made?"
"I've sent out of the team out to buy some Bugs-Bee-Gone and we're going to run comparative samples against what we found in Cho's system," Hermione answered. "It's going to take a few days, but we should be able to tell if there's anything different about the potion in Cho's system."
"But who could make a potion like this?" Ron asked. "I thought all these big branded potions were trademarked with their exact recipe kept a secret."
"They are, so we might need to talk to the inventor of the potion," Hermione said. "Luckily, we know her."
"We do?" Harry asked in confusion. "Who?"
"Bugs-Bee-Gone was patented by the well-known herbologist and former Hogwarts Professor, Pomona Sprout," Hermione announced.
"Wow, she must have made a fortune inventing that potion," Draco said with a low whistle.
"You would have thought so," Hermione replied. "Not that it really matters. Until the final test results are back we have no real reason to think the potion wasn't just shop bought."
"I'll get onto this tomorrow," Ron said, tapping the list Hermione had given him. "Hopefully I'll get somewhere tomorrow as my day today delving into Cho's life hasn't exactly been productive."
"So you found nothing?" Harry checked.
"Not a thing," Ron replied.
He'd spent the day talking to Cho's friends, family, and even her ex-boyfriends trying to find something in her life that might have led to her death. Sadly, he found nothing. Everyone was adamant that Cho didn't have any enemies, and she was happy with her life. Even her ex-boyfriends didn't bear her any grudges and everyone Ron talked to seemed genuinely upset by her death.
"Did you two fare any better?" Hermione asked Draco and Harry.
Cho's agent had been at the Ministry all day and he'd provided them with copies of everything Cho had sent him. Some of it was finished chapters, some were outlines for chapters and ideas on how to present a certain Minister and some was just research. Draco had spent the day going through everything her agent had given them while Harry was with the agent himself viewing his memories of his conversations with Cho.
"I didn't," Harry answered first. "I've spent the entire day with Cho's agent, and while he's keen to help, I don't think he knows anything. There was certainly nothing strange in any of the memories I viewed. The only good thing is that one of the memories took place in Cho's house so I got a good look at the boxes she uses to store her work. I'd recognise them if I saw them again."
"I suppose it's better than nothing, which is exactly what I ended up with," Draco said. "I can't find one thing she's wrote about that could warrant killing her. She mentions a couple of scandals and a few notorious moments, but all of it is public record anyway. There's nothing in her work to get her killed, or at least not that I can see."
"So we're still at square one," Harry said with a sigh. "I have to admit, I'm stumped. This missing work is the only thing out of place. I can't help thinking that it's the key to solving this whole thing."
"If it is, it's in the work she never got round to sending to her agent," Draco said. "Unless someone else wants to take a look at her work."
"Not right now," Harry said with a shake of his head. "I think we need a break and try and look at this with a new perspective in the morning. I'm going home to spend the evening with Ginny and the kids."
"I was going to ask if you wanted to come for a drink," Ron said, also including Hermione and Draco in his invitation.
"Sorry mate, we're due at the manor for dinner this evening," Draco replied.
"Come home with me," Harry offered. "I know Ginny won't mind and the kids will love to see you."
"It's better than drinking alone," Ron said, accepting Harry's offer.
Leaving the investigation in the hopes that they might find a new way to look at things, the foursome left work for the day. Harry and Ron headed back to Harry's place together, while Draco and Hermione returned home with the intention of getting ready for dinner.
"I'm going to grab a shower first," Hermione said as she headed off for the bedroom.
"Why don't I join you and we can save on water," Draco said, following after his fiancée.
"But not on time," Hermione retorted. "If you join me, we'll be in the shower for an eternity."
"I'm sure we can make it quick," Draco replied, giving Hermione a saucy grin.
"I can't say we're really known for our quickies," Hermione laughed. "You're always complaining that you like to take your time."
"Can you blame me?" Draco asked with a shrug, his grey eyes wandering appreciatively over Hermione's body as she began to remove her work clothes. "You're very sexy."
"Thank you," Hermione replied with a smile. "But the answer is still no."
"Actually, I don't think you gave an answer," Draco protested, yet again trailing after Hermione as she padded into the bathroom in just her underwear.
"I have now," Hermione said. "And since I don't want to be late, you stay out here until I've finished."
Draco pouted, but he did as Hermione said and remained out of the shower as his fiancée stripped off completely and stepped under the hot spray. However, Hermione had barely been in the shower two minutes when Draco yanked off his own clothes and opening the glass door, joined her in the shower.
"I thought I said no, and told you to stay out there," Hermione protested.
"I've never been very good at doing what I'm told," Draco retorted, advancing on Hermione in the confined space and pressing her against the corner of the glass shower. "But I'll go if that's what you really want," he added as his hands slowly caressed her wet skin.
"You're a bad influence, Draco Malfoy," Hermione muttered, wrapping her arms around Draco and giving him a searing kiss.
"I try," Draco muttered smugly as he proceeded to wrap Hermione's legs around his waist and take her up against the wall of the shower.
Forty minutes later, Hermione and Draco finally emerged from the shower. Hermione admitted to Draco she was happy he joined her in the shower as she headed off to get dressed. Draco followed smugly behind his fiancée, but rather than get dressed himself he leaned against the wall and watched as Hermione tamed her hair into gentle curls and added a sparse layer of make-up to her flawless skin. He then watched with interest as she slipped into a pair of black lace knickers.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked when she then headed to the wardrobe, her bare breasts capturing his attention.
"Not that I'm aware of," Hermione replied as she sought out the floor length emerald green and black dress she wanted to wear. Dinner at the manor was always fancy and Hermione always liked to wear one of her best dresses when they had dinner with Draco's parents.
"Hermione, you're topless," Draco said. "Not that I would normally complain, but we are heading to the manor and I know that's something my father would notice."
"It's not like I'm staying like this," Hermione laughed, pulling the dress from the wardrobe and turning around to face her fiancé. "I am putting a dress on."
"Without a bra?" Draco checked.
"No bra required," Hermione replied. "But just think what easy access you'll have when we get home."
Flashing Draco a wicked grin, Hermione put on her dress. The straps were thin spaghetti ones and they formed an intricate criss-cross pattern on her back, hence the reason she couldn't wear a bra. Fortunately the dress came with built in support, so Hermione wasn't concerned by her lack of bra.
While Draco was getting dressed, Hermione spritzed herself with her favourite perfume and added a pair of diamond studs and a matching diamond necklace Draco had given her for Christmas. She then slipped into a pair of high black heels and making sure everything she would need was in her black evening bag, she was ready to go.
When they arrived at Malfoy Manor, Hermione was glad she'd made the effort. Draco's father was dressed in a smart black suit like his son while Narcissa was wearing a stunning pale blue dress. The couple looked so elegant together, and while Hermione felt as though she was dressed up, she suspected that for Draco's parents it was just a casual dinner with their son and his fiancée.
Thankfully Hermione was no longer nervous on such visits as both Lucius and Narcissa had made her feel very welcome, and part of the family. She had been worried about the fact she was a muggleborn, but aside from an apology from Lucius over his past behaviour on their first dinner together, her blood status was never mentioned. Hermione knew Draco's parents had accepted her as part of Draco's life and they'd been as thrilled as anyone when the couple had announced their engagement a few months previously.
After catching up over drinks, the two couples headed into the dining room where the Malfoy house elves had prepared a delicious meal. Hermione had not been impressed by the use of house elves the first time she'd visited the manor, but Draco had assured her the elves were all taken care of and were given as much freedom as they wanted. Hermione had been sceptical, but since then she'd met every elf in the Malfoys employ and she found that they were treated fairly and were happy to serve the family.
"Are the rumours true that you're going to be the new Head of the Law Department, Hermione?" Lucius asked.
"Where did you hear that?" Hermione asked, glancing at her fiancé.
"Don't look at me, I never said a word," Draco protested.
"My influence might not be what it once was, but I do still have connections at the Ministry," Lucius explained. "More than one of my connections mentioned that the Minister wants you to take the job."
"I haven't made any decisions yet," Hermione replied. "Not that I've had much time to think about it over the last few days."
"Ah yes, your new case," Lucius said. "We were reading about it in the papers this morning. You went to school with the girl in question, didn't you?"
"Yes, Cho was older than us, but Harry, Ron and I all knew her," Hermione answered.
"So sad," Narcissa said with a small shake of her head. "She was such a lovely witch."
"You knew her?" Draco asked his mother, a confused frown gracing his features.
"I only met her recently, actually," Narcissa admitted.
"How recently?" Draco questioned.
"I'm not sure exactly, a couple of months ago maybe," Narcissa replied.
"How did you meet her?" Hermione asked. She knew Narcissa was very active in her charity work so she was guessing that was how she'd came into contact with Cho.
"She sent me an owl, asking to meet me," Narcissa said. "She had some crazy idea in her head about Bellatrix."
"Bellatrix," Draco repeated, his blood running cold at the mention of his Aunt who was currently serving a life sentence in Azkaban following the war.
"She was a lovely girl, but she clearly had her wires crossed," Narcissa said. "She thought Bellatrix had a child."
"Bella? With a child?" Lucius laughed. "I've heard everything now. You couldn't get a woman less maternal than your sister."
"I don't understand," Draco said with a frown. "Why would she think such a thing?"
"She said she was working on a book, and someone she spoke to mentioned it," Narcissa answered. "It intrigued her and she wanted to know if it was true. Of course I assured her that my sister had no children."
"Did she mention what book she was working on?" Hermione asked, sharing a look with Draco that told her that he was thinking the same thing as she was – finally they'd gotten a break and had a new direction to take their case in.
"She didn't say," Narcissa replied. "She wouldn't say who she got the information from as she wanted to protect her sources. She just said that she'd had it on good authority that when she was first arrested Bellatrix was claiming she had a child."
"When she was first arrested, you mean when she attacked the Longbottoms?" Hermione checked.
"Yes, according to Miss Chang's source, Bella claimed she attacked them because they knew where her child was," Narcissa said.
"Let's get this straight," Draco muttered. "Years ago, Bellatrix claimed she had a child, and the Longbottoms knew where it was. That implies she didn't know. Was she saying her child was kidnapped?"
"I don't know what she was saying, Draco. That was the first I'd heard of it," Narcissa said. "But Bella did not have a child. As your father said, she wasn't the maternal type, and her marriage was hardly a love story. She and Rodolphus barely tolerated each other at times."
"But could it have been possible for Bellatrix to have had a child?" Draco pressed. "I know it seems crazy, but just think about it. Could she have hidden a pregnancy?"
"Yes," Lucius answered as Narcissa opened her mouth to say no. "Come on Cissa, you know as well as I do that she used to disappear for months on end doing things for The Dark Lord. I'm not saying I believe it, but it's a possibility."
"A tiny one," Narcissa conceded. "If Bella had a child, she would have told me. Especially if the child was taken from her."
"I'm not saying it had to be true," Draco said to his mother. "The point is, Cho was clearly looking into it. We're at a loss as to why she was killed, and this is new information."
"I don't see how a rumour she mentioned months ago has anything to do with her death," Narcissa argued. "I put her straight and told her she was mistaken. That was the end of it."
"Was it though?" Hermione questioned. "Who's to say she didn't carry on looking into it?"
"She did seem to believe it," Narcissa conceded. "But even if she did keep digging, how could it have gotten her killed? Bellatrix is locked up for crying out loud. My sister is guilty of a great many things, but she isn't involved in this."
"Let's hope not," Draco said. "But my every instinct as an Auror is telling me this is the break we've been waiting for. Even if the rumour isn't true, Cho obviously believed it enough to seek you out. Who knows who else she spoke to, or where else she looked for proof that this story is true. Let's just hope her curiosity about my crazy aunt didn't get her killed."
Hermione also hoped that Cho's investigation into these mad claims about Bellatrix wasn't the cause of her death, but like Draco she felt as though they'd finally gotten a break. At least now they had something to look into, and with any luck the investigation would take an upward turn and they would finally get closer to finding out who had killed Cho.