AMPHIGORY OF THE MIND

4

The next time he saw her was on the day he was released from Azkaban

On a cold and dreary winter night, when sky chose to let down a rather unpleasant string of icefall and the wind cooed with the insistence of an unyielding banshee, Draco Malfoy was set free from the wizarding prison.

The scowl on his face deepened as the guard threw him his broken wand on his way out. He stared blankly at the broken piece of wood in his hands wordlessly.

He knew what to expect after he had sent the whirlwind of information about all of Voldemort's cohorts to the ministry. There would be people who would be suspicious of his involvement and in turn there would be people who would try to make his life a living hell.

He sighed. He had done his piece; he had sold out all of his old accomplices just like he had dropped all of the lies that he had been raised to believe in when his father was murdered by his own kind in front of him.

His father who had been nothing but maniacally faithful to the Dark Lord. . . The Dark Lord who invaded his home and squandered almost half of the Malfoy fortune on fighting for his dream of a pureblooded elitist regime. The hypocritical halfblooded Dark Lord who detested that muggle side of him so in turn tore apart so many lives pureblood and muggle alike.

Draco faltered and laughed to himself weakly as he stepped closer to the edge of the cliff where he could see the angry waves lapping at the foot of the island prison.

He laughed at himself, how far he had fallen and how satirical it all was. And perhaps the most ironic part of it was, even if he had renounced all his previous beliefs and did the ministry of Magic "a great service", nothing would ever change society's view of him even in this world of light after the darkness and he would perpetually be hated by the two sides of the table. . .

Hated by the light for what he was. And hated by the darkness for what he had become.

Because of that knowledge… he chose to simply not care what the world thought of his actions.

Though there was someone whose actions he had taken a long year in prison to think about. Someone who had plucked him out of the spiraling doom he was headed for, and set him back into this world that hated him. Someone who invaded his dreams as often as that awful snake and horrifying fiendfyre lapping at his feet in that year of incarceration. Someone who he had to ask why.

As he inhaled the icy air one last time in the prison he had found a year's worth of solace in, he touched the portkey that would send him back to the Wizarding world.

The next time she saw him was the day she got engaged

She smiled to herself as she walked the London streets savoring the bliss that overwhelmed her because of the events of the evening.

Tonight she had been conned into thinking she and her friends would merely have a quick celebratory dinner marking her 10th successful case. Just a few seconds after she had taken her place at the round table at the fancy wizard restaurant, her friends quieted down with knowing smiles as enchanted violins rose and started playing in the background. A certain ginger clasped her hand as he took his place at her feet.

'I wanted to share this moment with those who mean the most to us.' He whispered so that only she could hear.

'Tell me that I am not alone in thinking that we can spend the rest of our lives together if you'd only consent at this moment. Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?'

Everyone held their breaths in anticipation as blood rushed to her face. Her mind reeled and at that moment. She could think of nothing that could make her happier as she replied swiftly with a breathless 'Yes'

Now as she walked home remembering what had transpired at the restaurant right before the boy in question and the other Aurors were called to an emergency meeting, she sighed in contentment. Her finger was now adorned with a simple silver band with a small sapphire encircled by diamonds and she tinkered with it.

Everything was perfect.

Or so she thought. . .

As she approached the path to her apartment building she noticed a frightfully thin man in tattered robes staggering over to her lawn and about to collapse on the snow. She sprinted to his side almost instantly.

She caught him just in time and cradled his upper body on her lap. "Oh dear" With utmost care she peeled away the hood of his robes and let out an audible gasp. Her reaction centered on three reasons.

The man was pale and atrociously emaciated.

There were gashes on his cheeks which were still open and the dark blood stained his wisply yellow hair making the strands a murky pink.

She knew the man. Of course. . . and he was Draco Malfoy.

He opened his eyes and settled on her face shinning with recognition and a touch of smugness. With a strained voice he spoke. "W-w-why… did… you save me?"

And she swore that at that moment her heart stopped. She opened her mouth to speak and yet nothing came out. His words came out with such pain and emptiness that she wondered if she really did him some good or not.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head and mercifully passed out.

"Shit"

Drawing her wand out of her robes she levitated him into her apartment.

Her mind reeled. She did not know if he could hate him at that moment.