Ok, first off I must apologise for the threat of blackmail! I literally wrote that and only intended to put it up for five minutes, i exported the chapter and wrote in what should be written there now, but forget to replace it, because I'm stupid. So sorry about that, never meant to carry it out. Thankyou for the reviews though in any case. Hopefully more where that came from?
Professor Dumbledore led Draco to a stone gargoyle and stopped. "Nougat" Dumbledore said.
"Oh, not thank you, I'm not too keen - "
"No, dear boy, it's the password." Dumbledore explained, and as he said it, the gargoyle leapt to one side and a large revolving staircase appeared. Draco stepped onto it, as did Dumbledore.
Strange as it seemed, Draco had never visited the headmaster's office before. But found himself almost wishing he had. The various contraptions surrounding the walls of the circular room ticked and whirred softly, pleasantly as he took a seat before Dumbledore.
Dumbledore watched as Draco looked around the room, smiling at the look of amusement across his face. "So, Mr Malfoy. What was it you came here to ask me?"
Draco turned back to the Professor and cleared his throat. "This morning I was visited by a friend of mine, Blaise Zabini." He saw Dumbledore nod in recognition and continued. "He told me he was coming to see you. He'd changed sides, as I have, and wanted to join something called the Order." He looked at the old man quizzically. "I was just wondering if you could explain to me what this is."
Dumbledore peered over his half moon spectacles at the young man before him, the tips of his fingers pressed together. "You have truly swapped sides have you, Draco?"
"Not meaning any disrespect, Sir, but would I be here if I hadn't?" One of Dumbledore's eyebrows flew up, and a smile creased the old face.
"The Order of the Phoenix was first started up during the uprising of Voldemort over seventeen years ago. A collection of those willing to assist me in fighting Voldemort and his deatheaters. Alas, many lives were lost and, of course, we were not the ones who beat him down." He paused, smiling at the tremor of disgust that crossed Draco's face at a mere hint of Harry Potter. "When it became apparent that Lord Voldemort was planning to return, the surviving member's and several new one's joined together, and since Voldemort's return to strength we have been collecting various pieces of information and trying to prevent any damage from being done."
Draco nodded. This was a lot to take in. "So who's in it?" He asked.
"That, of course, I can not tell you. How do I know you would not run away and tell Lord Voldemort or one of his followers" Draco's face fell. "Do not take it personally, Draco, there have been many good and seemingly loyal wizards and witches who have been corrupted by the power Voldemort has promised them in return for information."
"So, can I join?"
"This isn't a club you can join and get bored of and leave. This is an army, we may be headed for a war, Mr Malfoy."
"But can I join?" Draco asked again.
"There is no oath to joining the Order of the Phoenix. You must be trusted. I, as the founder, and dare I say, the leader, or the Order choose who is able to belong to it. I have already told you far too much to say that you can not join."
"Thank you." Said Draco. "But how do you know I can be trusted? This all seems far too easy."
"Well." Dumbledore sat up a little straighter and leaned forwards towards Draco. "For a start, you did not kill Mr Zabini when he came and told you about his plans to join. You also did not ensue any harm onto him, as, as far as I am aware, he is still perfectly healthy. Thirdly, you came all this way to see me. You know that I am, ahem, something of a great wizard and would be able to see straight through you, were you lying to me. And finally, I am an accomplished occlumense, and can see that you are being honest with me." He sat back again, smiling satisfactorily.
Draco sat, a little stunned. "Um, good. So can I know who's in it now?'
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows once more. "The entire Weasley family, Mr Potter and Miss Granger," Draco's heart leapt. "Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape, along with professors Flitwick, Sprout and Hadgid. Remus Lupin, you remember him, and well, the list goes, on but I think that's everybody you know."
"Thank you professor, this means a lot to me." Draco stood up, and shook Dumbledore's hand once more.
"If you ask her nicely, I'm sure Miss Granger will show you headquarters." Dumbledore said, looking straight into Draco's eyes.
Hermione was back in her flat, happily dancing around her living room. So what if her new boss was a bit of a creep, she had a new job, and a new career ladder to get climbing and she started next Monday!
There was a knocking at her door. "It's open." She called, settling herself down on her beanbag. The door opened and Draco stood there, smiling at her. She got to her feet again and ran over and put her arms around him.
"God, that's new." He said. Her hair smelt so good, and she felt so little stood by him like that. Draco weaved his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head lightly. "Good day too then I'm guessing." He felt her nod into his chest. "Should we sit down?" He asked her, and she let go.
She sat back down on the beanbag and he, a little grudgingly got on the couch. "You didn't answer my calls." He commented, noticing the "fone" on the floor beside his feet.
"No, I'm sorry. I didn't feel much like talking."
"Any particular reason…?" Draco asked hoping she'd elaborate.
"Well I went to see Harry, and we got into a bit of a fight, over you actually, and anyway, he ended up telling me that Ron is marrying that girl I caught him with." She shrugged, trying to act as if it didn't bother her at all.
"Damn." He stood up and moved to sit next to her, putting his arm around her, bringing her to lay his head on her chest. "I'm so sorry, Hermione."
"It doesn't matter. Because now I have you." Draco sat, a little stunned, as did Hermione at her own boldness.
"Remind me to thank him next time I see him." He squeezed her shoulders, making her smile. "But you're day today was good? What happened?"
"Well, I quite my job."
"You did?" Draco looked down at her in surprise.
"Yeah, and then I got a new one, at the ministry." She told him gleefully.
"Hermione, that's wonderful!" He let go of her, standing up and heading towards her kitchen. "This calls for a celebration! Do you have anything to drink?" She told him where to find her wine, and pulled it out, along with glasses. He brought them over to the sofa and poured them each a glass.
Hermione drank and sighed happily. "What's even better is I'm working with a friend of mine." He looked at her enquiringly. "Ginny Weasley, you know, Ron's sister." Draco nodded. "So what was your news?"
Draco put his wine glass down on the floor and turned to face her. "I know about the Order." She just looked at him, obviously trying to act as if she didn't understand him. "I know you're in it, and Potter and Weasley."
"How did you find out?"
"Dumbledore told me."
"You've seen Dumbledore? Why didn't you tell me?" She was hurt, and not to mention worried.
"I went to see him earlier today, to tell him I've swapped sides. Then I asked if I could join your Order and he said I could." A smile started to break across Hermione's face.
"Draco, that's wonderful. It really is."
"He said you'd take me to the headquarters sometime too."
"Yes, but not just yet. Headquarters is where Harry lives. I don't think either of us is welcome there just now."
They passed the evening away, laughed, cuddling together, getting used to being with one another.
"It's time I got going." Draco said finally, getting to his feet and stretching, giving Hermione a glimpse of his toned and muscley stomach. "I'll see you tomorrow, after you finish work, ok?" She put his arms around her as Hermione stood up to and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Hermione could sense that he was going to kiss her. She tried to ready herself, flicking her hair out of her face and pouting her lips slightly. Nothing could have readied her for it though. She didn't have an enormous amount of experience at kissing boys, but she could tell she didn't need it to tell Draco would be amazing in anybody's books. She felt herself melt as his lips caressed hers. It didn't last long, a few seconds, maybe more, but it felt like years longer.
"God, Hermione." Draco said, breathlessly, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "Where did you learn to kiss like that?"
She stared at him, surprised. "Me? That was you."
"It looks as if we may just be perfect for each other."
"Good morning, Miss Granger." Mr Crawley greeted her as she strode into the office on Monday morning. "May I introduce you to your closest work colleague, Miss Ginny Weasley." Hermione heard a squeal and Ginny ran towards her, flinging her arms around her old friend. "It would appear you've already met."
"My god, 'Mione, I can't believe we're going to be working together, this is going to make it so much more fun." Ginny let Hermione go, stepping back to look at her. "We have so much to talk about.
They gossiped as Ginny showed Hermione to her desk and sat down at the desk opposite her. The desk was completely bare.
"So, how come you dropped out of school?" Hermione asked Ginny, who shrugged.
"I went back in September and then realised just how few people I like in the school with your year gone." Ginny started to rifle through papers, stamping some, signing others. "It just wasn't the same. I mean, who were my favourite people at school? You, Harry, Dean, and… Ron, I suppose." She carried on, a little nervously.
"They seem lucky to have you." Hermione said, laughing and nodded at the huge pile of paperwork Ginny had already got through.
"It's a pretty easy job. Read stuff, if it looks boring, stamp it, if you think it's worth looking at, sign it and at the end of the day we give it to the upper classes."
"What happens to the stamped papers?"
Ginny laughed. "They go to dad's department."
"So, doing anything interesting this evening?" Ginny asked, pulling on her cloak at the end of the day.
"Going to see the boyfriend." Hermione told her, smiling as Ginny's mouth fell open.
"Who? Tell me who! Now!"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Hermione told her, knowing it was true. "I'll explain tomorrow. It will give you something to look forward to."
"No fair." Ginny stuck out her bottom lip.
"That hasn't worked since you hit puberty, Gin." Hermione informed her. "What about you? What you up to?" The lift arrived and they both stood inside.
"I'm going to go and see Harry. We've been seeing a lot of each other recently." Ginny's face turned the same colour as her hair.
"Hello!" Hermione called out through Draco's mansion of an apartment. She stood nervously, straightening out her clothes and running her fingers through her hair. She smiled as the door to the kitchen was opened, and Draco came through it backwards, carrying a tray laden with food.
"Oh. Draco, you mustn't keep cooking for me."
"I didn't. That's the wonder of house elves." Hermione's eyebrows shot up in disapproval. "Oh, no, you're not really as disapproving of the whole house elf thing as everyone says are you?"
"Yes, yes I am."
"Ok." Draco said, dropping the tray and whipping out his wand and making it vanish before it even hit the floor.
"Oh, no, I didn't mean…" Hermione's voice faded away. Draco smiled and waved his wand at the table in the centre of the living room and the tray appeared upon it. "Very fancy."
As you've probably all realised by now, I love gettiing reviews! Actually makes me smile everytime I get a new one, so make me happy, make my day, and review. I've got chapters 10 and 11 ready to go, but again i have to warn you, I'm back to school on Monday, which is my 16th birthday, so updates won't be so often.
Please review
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