Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.
Chapter 10: A Conversation with Malfoy
"What?"
Lucius' voice echoed in McGonagall's office. His usually white face was now as pale as a sheet of paper.
"What did you just say? Draco did what? The Granger girl is where? When?"
"Please calm down, Mr. Malfoy. I am working on this matter, and I will bring her back safely," said McGonagall calmly.
Lucius tightened his grip on his cane. He sharply turned to Draco, who was awkwardly standing beside the entrance door.
"Draco, how dare you mess around with a time-turner! How dare…!"
"I, I just…I didn't know how it worked…" said Draco in trembling voice; his face was also paler than usual.
"Please, Mr. Malfoy. Draco made a terrible mistake, indeed, but he also holds the key to bring Miss Granger back."
"What is that?
"I have this chain…and I can talk to Granger through it," answered Draco as he showed chain tied around his wrist. Lucius recognized it immediately.
'That chain…She had it with her when she bumped into me in the corridor that day…'
McGonagall spoke again.
"Don't worry, Mr. Malfoy. We'll solve this problem and neither Draco or your family will be affected by it—if we succeed in bringing her back."
Lucius' face was still serious; he curtly nodded and hissed to Draco.
"Follow me outside, Draco."
Lucius stepped out of the office and Draco reluctantly followed his father.
Back in 1976, Hermione was chatting with the Marauders and Lily in the Gryffindor common room.
"I can't believe it!" exclaimed Hermione. "Why Malfoy? Why, of all people, Malfoy who detests Muggle-borns?"
"Well, at least you didn't get someone like Mulciber," said Sirius who was lying down on a couch by the fireplace.
"What do you mean?"
"Although Malfoy detests Muggle-borns, he doesn't go around cursing them like some of his friends do."
"Huh, really?" replied Hermione in disbelief. "Aren't they all Death Eaters?"
"Yeah, but he's a Malfoy. He has a reputation to keep. I guess he just ignores the very existence of Muggle-borns."
"And he's the Head Boy, after all," Lily joined in the conversation. "Dumbledore must have seen some merit in him. He hasn't done anything bad to me although we share the common room. We scarcely talk, anyway."
"Just be aware of the fact that there are hundreds of girls who will kill to switch their place with yours," said James jokingly.
"Why?" asked Hermione in a confused voice.
"Because they think they have a better chance to sleep with him if they are his Potions partner," replied Sirius with a wide grin on his face. "And apparently my partner thinks similarly because she never stops batting her eyelashes at me. It's just too hard to keep every girl pleased."
"Keep them pleased as much as you can, Sirius," said James. "Just don't produce any puppy while you're in school."
James winked at Sirius and everyone burst into laughter, but Hermione felt a slight pang in her heart because she knew that Sirius' future was going to be terribly lonely.
Lucius roughly pinned up his son against the wall as soon as they got out of the Headmistress' office.
"Do you have any idea how it will affect the family if Granger doesn't return? How dare you mess around with a time-turner?!"
"I already explained! I didn't know…"
"Didn't know? Didn't know?! Then you should have kept your hands off of it! If Granger does not return, the family name is—"
"Stop it!" shouted Draco as he shook off Lucius' grip on his shoulder. "What family name is there to keep anyway? If you really cared about the family, then you shouldn't have gone to Azkaban in the first place!"
Lucius was silent. His face stiffened, his lips tightened from anger, but he remained silent. Draco continued.
"Why should I restore the family name you ruined? Why, why I?"
"Be carefully of what you say, Draco." Lucius' voice was trembling from his effort to contain his anger.
"No, I won't! I've had enough of this. No wonder Granger hates you even in the past!" With that, Draco stormed out of the place.
Lucius stayed where he stood. He was still in shock from what has just happened. The nightmares from Azkaban seemed to be coming true. In his cold cell at Azkaban, Lucius had nightmares every night. He screamed and screamed but nobody seemed to hear it. Nobody seemed to care about him. Everyone rejected him—Narcissa, Draco, his fellow Death Eaters, Voldemort…. He leaned upon his cane. And Granger…Draco mentioned Granger…She hates him even in the past? Why does everyone hate him? Narcissa. Does she hate him too?
Lucius brought his hand to his forehead. His head was hurting more than ever. More new memories from the past were coming back….
"Here, Grandel."
Hermione saw Lucius waving at her in the corner of the library. She walked toward his direction and sat down beside him. There were already piles of books on the desk.
"What's with all these books?" asked Hermione.
Lucius looked at her as if she asked the most obvious question in the world, and curtly answered,
"To find out what ingredients we need. Don't you remember that Slughorn told us we have find them on our own?"
"Oh, but we don't need all these books," laughed Hermione. "All we need is Moste Potente Potions from the Restricted Section. It's all in there."
"You researched it already?" Lucius raised an eyebrow.
"Er…no, I've just read it before…you know, for background reading." Hermione gave an awkward smile but his blue eyes remained cold.
"That makes the task easier," said Lucius. "Then let's decide who will find what…"
'Granger!' Draco's voice suddenly rang in Hermione's head. 'Granger, answer me!'
"What's the matt…oh, um, I'll be right back. Sorry." Hermione quickly left her seat, ignoring Lucius shouting behind her back.
"Hey, Grandel! Where are you going?"
Hermione rushed into her room and shut the door tightly.
"What is it, Malfoy? What's the matter? Did you find the way…"
'No, no. McGonagall told me to contact you everyday. That's it.'
"Oh, okay." Hermione's face darkened. "But you are trying there, right? You are all trying to bring me back?"
'Yes, McGonagall and all the Headmasters in the portraits are working on this matter. Even Potter and Weasley are researching in the library. So be assured.'
Hearing her best friends' names made her go teary.
"How are Ron and Harry? Are they still worried a lot about me?"
'Yes, yes. They're still worried to sick, so please tell me you are fine and nothing has happened there.'
"I am fine and nothing has happened here. What about there? Has anything happened?"
After a short pause, Draco replied,
'My father came to school today.'
"Oh, did he? What did he say? Did he remember me?" said Hermione sarcastically, but he said nothing back. "Malfoy?"
'He hates me now.'
"What?" asked she, sensing something was wrong in his voice.
'My father, he hates me now. He thinks I'm an embarrassment to the family. He always has. Now he's even more ashamed of me because of what I've done to you.'
"Malfoy, I'm pretty sure he's just upset…" But Draco cut her across.
'No, you don't know him. The only thing he's worried about now is how the family will be affected if you can't come back. All he cares about is the family name, when he's the one who brought it down by going to Azkaban!'
Hermione did not know what to say. It was surprising to see —hear, to be precise— him in such vulnerable state. She barely knew Draco to say anything that could comfort him, but at least she tried.
"He risked his life in the battle to save you, Malfoy. He loves you. Maybe he's worried about the family name because he's conscious of what he's done."
'…Maybe. But just maybe.'
"Try to see the bright side. He's still your father."
'Granger?' said Draco after a short silence.
"Yeah?"
'I don't know why I'm telling you this kind of stuff.'
"I was wondering the same thing," said Hermione as she laughed lightly.
'Don't tell anyone or I will...'
"Don't worry, Malfoy. There is no one to tell, anyway. I'm all alone here." There was both sadness and loneliness in her voice.
'...I will find a way to bring you back. I will.'
"...Thanks."
There ended their conversation. Hermione quickly got up from her bed and headed toward the library; Lucius must be wondering why she suddenly disappeared.
Living up to the family name must have been hard for Draco. Maybe that's why he disliked Harry so much because he was always in the centre of attention—the place a Malfoy should belong. Feeling sorry for Draco, Hermione entered the library.
A/N: I am so sorry for my late update! I've been so busy with school. So many readings and assignments! But oh, well, it's better to be late than never. Enjoy this chapter and please post a review!)