Chapter Seven:

Endless Red Tape to Keep the Truth Confined

Summary: Four years after the war ended, Draco Malfoy now works alongside Harry Potter as an Auror. Along with others, they work together to track down and capture the last remaining followers of the Dark Lord. During one mission, Draco discovers that not only is he a Veela, but he only has until his twenty third birthday to find his mate.

Author's Note: PLEASE READ! Hey there guys! I just wanted to say a big thank you for all the follows, favourites and reviews! It means so much to me that there are so many people who are reading this story and enjoying it! This story is now at almost 8,000 views which is amazing!

Featured Review: Ana (Guest): OMG! I just started reading this story and I absolutely love it! I want to say that I love your style of writing and I can't wait for the next chapter. I'm too anxious to wait for them to finally be together. This is by far one of my favorite stories that I have read on this site please don't ever give it up! Thank you so much for putting your creativity out to the world!

Thank you so much for this beautiful review! I've been having a bit of a tough week and this really brought a smile to my face. I promise to try as hard as I can to keep this story going, though I do apologise for the occasional delays in chapters. I hope you don't get too annoyed with me about those. But I do hope you enjoy this chapter!

Special Mentions: Geekmom13, nikkischrank & Mimi Hyuga – thank you!

. . . . . . .

It had all gone so quick, it was still taking her a little time to process what had happened. After stepping into the Floo Network and yelling out Malfoy Manor, she'd realised her mistake. The location she was heading to was the home of Narcissa Malfoy, not Draco. So she planned on explaining the situation upon her arrival before going to find Draco and making sure that Narcissa got to safety.

What she had not expected to see was none other than Fenrir Greyback standing in the Malfoy Manor living room, prime and ready to strike Narcissa Malfoy down. Without even thinking about it, Hermione pulled out her wand and cast a jinx in Greyback's direction before he could have done any serious damage. Not even hesitating, Hermione then ran over to Narcissa and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of harm's way and towards the fireplace so they get could away. She'd take them both back to the Ministry of Magic, Greyback wouldn't be stupid enough to follow them back there. She'd be able to tell Harry what had happened, alert him of the situation. If they were quick about it, they'd be able to catch Greyback and sent him back to Azkaban once and for all. She was sure the Ministry would ensure guard details would be increased.

What she'd forgotten about the Impediment Jinx was that it only temporarily slowed the target, for about ten seconds. So when Greyback's hand suddenly grabbed a bunch of her hair and threw her back, she realised the reality of her mistake. A cry of pain left her lips when she hit the coffee table, smashing it into several pieces upon impact.

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's interruptions." Greyback sighed, turning his attention back to Narcissa Malfoy, who had been prepared and ready for him. Once he had fully turned around so he was facing her, she raised her arm in a slicing motion, causing him to stumble back slightly while clutching his face. Blood was now trickling down his cheek and also dripping off a letter opener Narcissa held in her right hand.

"Oh my dear, you are going to regret that." Greyback snarled, pulling out his wand. Before he could have even decided what dark spell he wanted to use to punish Narcissa Malfoy for her actions, a piece of broken wood suddenly collided with the side of his head and sent him flying to the side. Looking up, Narcissa noticed a very bloody and bruised Hermione Granger standing just inches behind where Greyback had been moments ago, holding one of the broken legs of the coffee table in her hands like a club or a mallet, several of it's splintered ends stained with blood.

"I promise I'll pay for that. Come on, we need to get out of here." Hermione instructed, grabbing Narcissa's hand once again before heading to the fireplace. However once again their path was blocked when Greyback used a summoning spell to drag the sofa in front of the fireplace, preventing their escape for a second time. He seemed to be struggling to get to his feet, so Hermione took that moment to direct Narcissa out of the living room and up the stairs. She only needed a few moments out of his sight, a few moments of hiding to alert Harry of what was going on, then they'd be safe.

"Do you have another Floo in the Manor at all?" Hermione asked as she and Narcissa ran down the hallway as fast as they were able.

"No, just the one in the living room. I do have a portkey in my bedroom." Narcissa stated, panting ever so slightly. It was hardly surprising. The woman was wearing high heels and a long dress. Not exactly the best attire for when you're running for your life.

"I have a plan. It's not a great one, but if we're quick it might just work. I need you to go to your bedroom and wait for me there. If Greyback finds you before I arrive, use the portkey and get out of there." Hermione instructed, halting halfway in the hallway.

"Out of the question. I'm not leaving you alone here with that man." Narcissa scoffed.

"If we're quick about this, you won't have to." Hermione stated. After a brief moment of hesitation, Narcissa sighed softly and continued running down the hallway towards her bedroom, hoping with her entire being that Hermione would make it there in time.

. . . . . . .

Harry watched with amusement as Ron tried once again to beat Nott in an arm wrestling match. The two seemed to constantly be battling each other, trying to outdo one another and show off their dominance. Nine times out of ten Theo would win, boosting his ego while shattering Ron's at the same time. But no matter how many times he was defeated, Ron always came marching back with his head held high.

"Come on Ron!" The voice of Dean Thomas cried, obviously supporting his old Gryffindor school mate. Smiling softly, Harry stepped out of his office and approached the small group forming around Theo's desk. He knew the noise would soon reach unprofessional levels and he'd have to break it up before it got out of hand. Before he could have even announced his presence to the group, the sound of doors slamming open interrupted the commotion and sent everything into a deal silence. Standing in the doorway was Blaise Zabini, his eyes full of terror and fear.

"Greyback's at the Malfoy Manor! Granger is trying to hold him off!" He yelled. For a single second, no one moved. But in the blink of an eye everyone was up on their feet and rushing to grab everything they needed. Harry instantly ran over to Blaise, Ron and Theo following close behind. Normally they were the first response, along with Draco, responsible for getting there and assessing the danger before others entered.

"Why is Hermione at the Manor?" Harry asked, running alongside Blaise.

"When Cormac alerted her about Greyback breaking out of Azkaban again, she must have put two and two together. My guess is she figured he's looking for Draco and reasoned that Narcissa would be the best way of finding him. She sent a Patronus about a minute ago. It was meant for you but I guess she enabled it to transmit to the first person who saw it, saves time in the long run." Blaise explained.

"She's crazy for trying to hold Greyback on her own. She's going to get herself killed!" Ron sighed, worry filling his features. Granted, he and Hermione weren't ask close as they used to be. But they were still close friends, and he cared about his friends deeply.

"I'm not going to let that happen." Harry stated firmly before running into the Floo, yelling out Malfoy Manor before disappearing into the green flames.

. . . . . . .

Holding her wand close to her chest, Hermione ensured she walked as slowly and quietly as possible down the hallway. She'd heard the familiar sound of a portkey being activated not long ago, so safely assumed that Narcissa had been found by Greyback and escaped. That meant he was on the floor above her at the moment, and was probably making his way back down now. If she could get to the Floo before that happened, she'd have a chance of making it out of there in one piece. Someone had received her Patronus, the Aurors would be on their way right at that moment. All she needed to do was stay quiet and everything would be alright.

"I can smell your fear Granger, I can hear you frantically beating heart." Greyback's voice hissed through the air, making a shiver travel down her spine. She had no idea where he was, but she knew he was too far away to be able to see her. He was probably searching one of the rooms on the same floor as her. Taking her chance, she quickly opened one of the doors closest to her and snuck inside the room as quietly as she could, closing the door softly behind her. It appeared as if she were in some form of office, though it was very dusty and cold like it hadn't been used in years.

Her mind then came to the conclusion this had once been the personal office of Lucius Malfoy. Curiosity got the better over her and she walked over to his desk, noticing a note book had been laying open upon it. There were several paragraphs of text written in it, the quill they'd been written with still resting in the pot of ink beside it. She slowly picked up the notebook and began reading what was written on the pages.

"Isabelle Turner – Twenty three years old. Half Blood. Cause of death: Strangled by Bellatrix Lestrange after denying any knowledge of Harry Potter's location. I tried to convince the Dark Lord to let me dispose of her body, that way I could bury it and let her parents know, then they'd have somewhere to mourn for their child. But he refused and burned the body right there in front of me. I managed to recover a ring from the ashes and had it sent to the girl's parents along with a rose. At least they'll have something to remember her by. At least they'll know what happened to her instead of spending months, maybe years wondering where she is or if she's safe."

Taking in a short breath of shock, Hermione found herself shocked by the words written on the page. Lucius Malfoy had not been a loyal follower of the Dark Lord. At some point, he'd seen sense and had started to secretly work against him in his own way, simply by returning bodies or items from fallen witches and wizards who were victims of Voldemort's rage. He'd had compassion for each and every one of them, he'd documented who they were, how they'd died and what he'd done in order to try and find some form of solace for the parents. Putting the notebook in her pocket, Hermione could help but recall Lucius' trial just a few weeks after the battle. He'd claimed to be a loyal follower of the Dark Lord and obediently obeyed every command he'd given with no influence of any curse. The notebook she'd found contradicted that testimony. Maybe if she went to the Minister with it, Lucius would be seen in a different light.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" A voice suddenly called, bringing her back to reality. Oh no. That voice belonged to Flora Malfoy. If Greyback knew about her, he'd connect the dots and realise there was a chance she could be a Veela. He'd definitely try and take her back to his little lair where he was no doubt keeping other people he suspected of being Veelas. Without hesitating, Hermione ran out of the room, not caring if she made any noise and ran towards the top of the stairs as fast as she could. She had to get there before Greyback! She had to! If she didn't, who knows what he'd do!

"Hello pretty, you must be Flora. I've heard a lot about you." Greyback's voice growled from a distance. Cursing her lack of focus, Hermione continued to run until she reached the balcony where she could look down on the foyer below.
"What are you doing here? Where is my Mother!?" Flora demanded, pointing her wand at Greyback. Though Hermione could see the woman's hand was shaking violently.

"Oh, you should be far more concerned with your own safety pretty. Imagine what the combination of my wolf genes and your Veela genes would create." Greyback smirked. Hermione could see the terror fill Flora's eyes at Greyback's suggestion. Without wasting a second, Hermione launched herself off the balcony and dove down towards Greyback as he began reaching for Flora. She collided with him moments later, forcing him down onto the ground with a loud thump. The cry of shock that left Flora's lips echoed through Hermione's fuzzy and rattled brain. The impact had shaken her up a bit, making everything look slightly disorientating.

"I am seriously getting tired of your interruptions." Greyback snarled before pushing himself back on his feet. Hermione didn't even have time to react before he grabbed her hair and pulled her up so she was dangling in the air, screaming in pain.

"Flora! Get out of here!" Hermione hissed through gritted teeth.

"Oh no you don't." Greyback smirked, flicking his wand quickly. In the blink of an eye, Flora had fallen to the ground and squirmed furiously in a desperate attempt to escape as ropes began wrapping around her body. Fearing for the young girl's safety, Hermione struggled against Greyback's hold, lashing out and kicking as much as she could. But her efforts were futile. He was holding her too far away from his body to cause any damage, and the more she moved the more pain she was in.

Then suddenly Greyback's wand was sent flying out of his hand. Befuddled, he turned around to see who had attacked him only to be punched in the face by none other than Harry Potter. The impact to his face and the pain that flooded through his body caused Greyback to release his grip on Hermione. Ron was there and ready, catching her before she hit the ground, preventing her from being in any more pain than she already was. Theo was at Flora's side in an instant, helping her to become free of her restraints while Blaise held Greyback down on the ground, stopping him from getting back up.

"Normally we only have to deal with scumbags like you once. We kick your ass and you stay locked up. How do you keep getting out?" Blaise snarled.

"Money is a very powerful force, it's amazing how easily it can corrupt the purest of hearts." Greyback smirked. The meaning behind his words sent chills down Harry's spine. Surely he couldn't be suggesting that someone within the Ministry was dirty? Was there seriously someone working for him on the inside? And if so, who was it?

"On your feet fleabag, we've arranged it so this time you won't be returning to Azkaban. Where you're going, no one will ever be able to find you." Theo snarled.

"I wouldn't count on that boy, I have friends in high places." Greyback chuckled.

Hermione watched cautiously as Greyback was hoisted to his feet and put in restraints. There was no way he could be telling the truth, surely no one in the Ministry would even consider siding with that psychopath? Not unless they were being blackmailed.

"What were you thinking Hermione?! Coming here alone?!" Ron's voice snapped, bringing her attention away from Greyback and onto her furious red haired friend.

"Well I wasn't going to sit back and do nothing. Time was of the essence Ronald, if I'd have waited a single second longer, Narcissa Malfoy would have been laying dead on the living room floor." Hermione stated, placing her hands on her hips while staring up at him with authority radiating from her entire being. She hated it when her friends would judge her actions, or questioned her reasoning because something was dangerous. She was perfectly capable of defending herself, most of the time.

"I'm just glad you sent that Patronus when you did, or you'd be laying on the floor with her." Ron sighed before walking away from her. Rolling her eyes, Hermione started heading back to the Floo where she hoped she'd finally be able to go see Draco.

"Miss Granger!" The voice of Flora Malfoy suddenly called, stopping her in her tracks.

"Please, call me Hermione." She smiled, turning around to face the young woman.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving my Mother's life. I owe you a debt." Flora stated.

"You owe me nothing, I'm sure if the roles were reversed she would have done the same for me, now if you'll excuse me, I have some very important business to attend to so I must bid you farewell." Hermione smiled, walking back towards the floo.

"Well if there's anything I can ever do for you, please let me know." Flora added quickly before Hermione entered the floo, then smiled brightly at her before waving goodbye as the young woman disappeared into the green flames.

. . . . . . .

Lucius Malfoy was a proud man, who believed in honour and respect above all else. He was a man who valued loyalty and dedication above his own health and safety. So it was needless to say Azkaban prison was not exactly a place he felt comfortable in. There was no honour amongst thieves and murderers. The only loyalty in the prison was to the strongest man in order to protect your own safety. And the only determination present was the determination to either be free, or to escape.

"Malfoy. You've got a visitor." The guard announced through the bars of his prison cell, bringing him hastily out of his thoughts. Narcissa wasn't due to visit until next week, and Draco always wrote in advance to let him know he was visiting. Standing up, Lucius slowly made his way towards the door, watching as the guard opened it slowly before applying a pair of restraints to his wrists. The pair then slowly walked down the dimly lit corridors of Azkaban prison before reaching a large metal door. Opening it revealed a small room with a single metal table in the middle of the room and four chairs placed around it. The only light came from a chandelier of candles that hung above the table, illuminating the form of a young light reddish blonde haired woman.

"Miss Edgecombe, what brings you here on this fine afternoon? Surely you have lives to ruin in those little articles of yours?" Lucius snarled, walking over to the table after the guard gave him a gentle but authoritative shove on the back.

"It's nice to see you to Lucius. I take it you saw the article I wrote about your son?" Marietta smiled, seemingly oblivious to the anger she'd caused Lucius.

"The entire Wizarding community has seen it, I'm sure. No doubt they're all running around calling my son a monster no thanks to you." Lucius spat, sitting down slowly.

"I was merely doing my job Mr. Malfoy. As a reporter, it is my duty to inform the public about any possible dangers that are currently present." Edgecombe shrugged.

"Well maybe you should do more research before you publish your next article. I know some people who could easily make you unemployed in a heartbeat." Lucius scoffed.

"Funny you should say that. I happen to have been carrying out a little investigation into the Malfoy family, and I think you'll be quite surprised with what I've found." Edgecombe stated, pulling out a folder from her satchel and placed it on the table. Cautiously, Lucius grabbed the file and pulled it closer before opening it slowly.

His eyes widened in shock the more he read, his heartbeat rapidly increased the further down his eyes scrolled. This couldn't be possible! There was no way it was true!

"Something wrong Mr. Malfoy?" Edgecombe asked. The concern in her voice would have sounded genuine to anyone listening in, but Lucius knew it was fake, merely a tool to cover up the smugness she was currently feeling whilst revelling in his sorrow.

"Where did you find this?" He snarled, glaring up at her with eyes full of venom.

"Oh I have my sources. It's quite fascinating isn't it? I mean, what are the chances? Not only did Narcissa Malfoy possess a dormant Veela gene, but so did you! No wonder you were drawn to one another." Edgecombe giggled, leaning back in her seat while twirling her hair around her finger. Lucius could feel the colour draining out of his already pale face. Looking down at the family history charts, he noticed that there were quite a few Veelas that had been circled in red. For a species that was so rare, it surprised him how many times a Veela had found it's way into the Malfoy gene.

"Turns out, Draco's going to be a lot more powerful than you're expecting if he completes the final stage of transformation. With the power he's going to possess, he'll definitely pose a threat to society." Edgecombe added, smirking ever so slightly.

"What do you want in exchange for this information?" Lucius sighed.

"Oh, you think I came here to make a deal? Oh that's precious." Marietta laughed.

"My son does not deserve this! Name your price and I'll pay it!" Lucius yelled. For a brief moment, there was a slight hint of fear in Edgecombe's eyes, but she soon conformed herself and leant forwards so her arms were resting on the table.

"I don't know, there's the whole deal of your secret daughter possibly being a Veela too. It would take something very big for me to keep my mouth shut about this." She stated.

"Whatever you want, I'll do it. Please. Don't do this to my children." Lucius sighed.

"Now you mention it, there is one thing I desire." Edgecombe smirked.

. . . . . . .

Draco sighed softly as he finished the last of his Firewhisky, watching as Blaise and Theo played a game of cards while Cassius seemed to be cautiously shifting away from Mitzi as she persistently tried to fix the collar of his shirt. If Draco didn't know any better, he could have sworn the elf some form of obsessive compulsive disorder.

"So according to your sister, Granger threw herself off the balcony of the stairs and tackled Greyback to the ground. I would have loved to see it." Theo chuckled.

"She's nuts." Draco scoffed, but was glad to hear at the same time Greyback had been apprehended. Hopefully this was the last they would hear from him.

"Were you expecting anything else? She's Hermione Granger for crying out loud, brightest witch of her age, member of the golden trio. Of course she was going to go all ninja on his ass." Blaise shrugged, causing Cassius and Theo to burst out laughing.

"I'm just glad he's been put in the hole he deserves to be buried in." Draco spat.

"Don't you worry mate, where we've put him, he's never getting out again." Theo smiled supportively, putting a friendly hand on Draco's shoulder before going back to his card game. Smiling back, Draco grabbed the bottle of Firewhisky and refilled his glass, adding a few cubes of ice before bringing it close to his lips to take a sip. Before he could have enjoyed the refreshing beverage, a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Mitzi will get it Master Draco." Mitzi announced, rushing out of the room before he could have stated otherwise. Sighing softly with a slight smile, Draco went back to having a quick sip of his drink. There was no drink better in the world in his opinion.

"Blaise, we need to get you back in the dating game. Draco's going to have his mate soon and I'm having a pleasant time with Daphne. It's not right you're flying solo." Theo stated randomly, looking up at his friend with a smile across his face.

"Maybe I like flying solo. Besides, Cassius is still single. Why aren't you moaning at him instead?" Blaise scoffed, placing a card down onto the coffee table.

"I know who he likes so I'm not bothering with him." Theo shrugged, causing the man in question's cheeks to turn bright red. Draco raised a curious brow, but made no other remarks towards the discussion. He didn't really want to get involved with it.

"Master Draco, there is a young lady here to see you. She says her name is Fleur Weasley." Mitzi stated, entering the room once again but this time accompanied by a young woman with long blonde hair. Smiling softly at him, Fleur bowed her head.

"Fleur, it's been a while." Draco smiled, noticing Blaise's jaw drop.

"Indeed. I hope you don't mind my dropping by like this, but there's a few things I think we need to discuss. It's important." Fleur stated softly.