Anything recognizable is the property of J.K. Rowling. I do not make any claim to ownership, nor do I make any money from this.

Please do not read if you are not of legal age in your country. There are adult scenes, however short and to the point.


Light My Fire

It was in the sitting room of the Malfoy's mansion that Draco found his godfather starring at the cold embers early in the morning, fingering a new feather that matched the one he brought back a year ago. The youth would have teased the older man, but his gaze looked deadly enough to cause the fire to reignite just by looking at it. Carefully as he could in his drunken state, the young Malfoy sat in a nearby chair.

"What happened Uncle?"

"I'm not your uncle."

"You know I think of you fondly. It is just my way of showing it."

"Perhaps you shouldn't think fondly of me."

"Why would I not?"

"I'm just an old Death Eater, Draco."

"You haven't been since before I was born. Did she find out?"

The grim look said more than words would have. "She felt the scar."

"Oh, I thought she found out who you were."

"No. I tried to take off her mask but she wouldn't. She wouldn't let me remove mine either."

"Do you have any idea who she is though?"

"All I know is she has rooms at the Ministry Tower for when she visits London. And she lives in a small town to the west."

"There can't be that many people with rooms at the tower." Draco surmised.

"I can't very well get a list and owl them all asking 'did you throw a Death Eater out of bed last night' now can I?"

"I suppose not." Draco agreed and joined his godfather in staring at the dead fire.


Hermione woke with scratchy eyes to the sound of someone knocking on her door. Pulling on a dressing gown and removing her mask, she answered the door. Ginny stood in the entryway both hands over her very pregnant belly.

"Morning sleepy head." She greeted her older friend cheerfully then frowned at the redness in her eyes. "You okay Hun? You look like you cried yourself to sleep."

The brunette just nodded as she climbed back into bed. "Oh Hermione, what happened? Was it that terrible woman with Ron? Did she say something mean?"

She shook her head and conjured a hankie. "Did someone else say something?" Ginny tried again.

Another shake of her head and a powerful honk. "Honey, you have to give me something to work with."

"I slept with him again." The brunette stammered out between hiccups.

"Did something go wrong?"

Hermione nodded. "Well, what happened?" Ginny became exasperated.

"He was a Death Eater." The brunette hung her head and dabbed at her eyes.

"Didn't you say before that he had to come to the ball?" Another nod. "Well the Ministry wouldn't invite a Death Eater would they?"

"It was just a scar right there." Hermione indicated her left forearm. "He said he didn't want to be a Death Eater but I wouldn't listen. I just kicked him out."

"There were some Death Eaters that took the mark but didn't do any of the killings. They were forced into taking the mark in the first place." Ginny soothed. "They would be invited to the ball to prove they were on our side, wouldn't they?"

"Maybe." Hermione truly hoped that this was the case. "I still yelled at him even after he didn't care about my scar."

"What scar?"

"The one from McNair. It really bothered Ron."

"Hermione, I don't know if you ever noticed, but my brother is a prat. You can't always base things on him."

"You can't call your brother a prat, Ginny." Hermione laughed.

"Yes I can." She put her hands on her hips. "I've been around him all my life so I know he is a prat."

"Fair enough." Hermione agreed. "Maybe I was a little too hard on him. It's not like he hurt me."

"Maybe you could find out who he is and look up his history. See if he really was an active Death Eater."

"You're getting so practical in your motherhood Ginny." She smiled and placed her hand over her friend's belly just in time to feel a kick.

"Oof." She grunted. "Little ones got a pair of legs on him. You should feel it when he decides to do flips. And it's always at night when I want to sleep."

"At least you're over the morning sickness."

At that moment Ginny turned a very nasty shade of green that clashed with her red hair and she bolted for the bathroom leaving a giggling Hermione on the bed.