Finally, a search for the truth. What will Hermione discover? Thanks, JKR, for creating this possibility.

The Mystery of Draco Malfoy

Chapter Twenty-One: Investigation

Andromeda welcomed her with open arms, and Hermione settled into Tonks' old bedroom. Immediately, she began taking shifts caring for little Teddy. His adorable face kept her smiling, and she knew that being around this baby was just as healing for her as it had been for Ginny and Andromeda.

Andromeda was careful to give Hermione space; she and Teddy spent a large amount of time at 12 Grimmauld Place, inviting Hermione to join them, but not pushing when Hermione declined. After a few days of quiet, Hermione began to talk.

"Andromeda, what is the matter with me?" she began one morning as they sorted laundry together. "Why did I take a stand against Ron when I actually agree with him? He's right: Malfoy is dangerous, and I told Malfoy that I never wanted to see him again after he hurt me."

"Did he harm you, Hermione?" asked Andromeda in alarm.

"Yes. See, here are the marks," Hermione released the glamour charm that covered the fading bruises on her neck. "Malfoy scared me, Andromeda, and I knew I could never trust him again. So why am I so worried about him? I'm very worried, and I want him to be safe. It is very confusing. Why must I argue with Ron, when I agree with him that Draco Malfoy is bad news?"

"When did this happen? What did he do to you?"

"It was when I last saw Malfoy, in the drawing room at Malfoy Manor. Before he sent me home, he tried to strangle me, Andromeda. I almost passed out."

Andromeda frowned. "Do you think he was under a spell again?"

"It doesn't matter. He had never injured me before, not even when he was cursed. This time he did. I cannot live a life wondering if the person I'm...friends with... will be safe."

"Absolutely not. You are quite right, my dear. Still, I wish I could have been there to see what was happening."

Hermione stared at Andromeda curiously. "Of course you can be there, Andromeda. We can watch my memory and see how Bellatrix was controlling Malfoy. I would like some answers too. Let's begin an investigation."

With that, they planned a day at McGonagall's cottage, dropping off the baby with Harry and Ginny, then using Professor McGonagall's pensieve to watch the event that had destroyed any possible future for Draco and Hermione. Hermione jotted notes beforehand to prepare for the investigation.

Questions about Draco Malfoy

1. Murderer: 4 unsuccessful attempts on my life. Was Malfoy controlled by Bellatrix during the last attempt just as he was during the previous attempts?

2. Friend: Tears, rejection of Blood Purity, a verbal commitment to the Order, a successful rescue. Was this a sincere conversion or a ruse?

3. Memories: Why had his memories of me been tampered with? Was it a failed attempt to obliviate Malfoy?

4. Emotions: Why am I so worried about him? Why am I not glad to be free of him?

Hermione looked up at Andromeda Tonks when she entered the room.

"I just dropped Teddy off," announced Andromeda.

"I'm ready," replied Hermione.

When the two plunged into Hermione's memory, Hermione began to shake. It was the dratted Malfoy Manor drawing room, she knew, as well as the presence of Bellatrix. The place gave her the creeps. Andromeda noticed and placed her arm around Hermione.

Hermione had no desire to watch the events unfold between Draco Malfoy and herself, but she did want to examine everyone else in the room. Someone was controlling Draco. She watched Bellatrix first. Bellatrix looked powerful, maniacal, and was singing her wandless French spell. Hermione glanced at Malfoy. Yes, his eyes were glazed over, and he began shaking. He was trying to fight the spell Bellatrix had cast, she thought. Or perhaps he was still recovering from the removal of the first curse.

This is so unfair! Hermione thought to herself. Poor Malfoy never had a chance to recover from the first curse before he was hit by a second.

Next she watched Narcissa Malfoy. The woman looked incredibly tense, her eyes traveling from Hermione Granger to her son, but she was beautiful and poised as always. Hermione snorted.

Finally, Hermione's eyes traveled to Lucius Malfoy. She hadn't noticed him before because she had been so deathly afraid of Bellatrix and angry at Narcissa. Now, she watched Lucius standing in the shadows, and her blood chilled. Lucius Malfoy focused his attention on his son. He linked eyes with Draco and began to squeeze his hands together as if he himself were strangling Hermione Granger. Draco Malfoy began imitating his father, squeezing the life out of the Hermione Granger in the memory.

What? Lucius Malfoy was behind it all?

Hermione pointed Lucius out to Andromeda. Andromeda raised her eyebrows and her jaw dropped. Then she but motioned for Hermione to join her by Draco. As she drew near, Andromeda waved her wand, saying "Revelio" and colorful bands appeared around Malfoy. A green swirl attached him to Bellatrix, but a silver web connected Malfoy to his father and mother as well as Bellatrix. Was this how they controlled their son? Andromeda gestured toward a glowing bond between Draco and Hermione.

What on earth was that?

Before she could ask Andromeda, she heard Hermione's faint whisper in the old French dialect and saw Malfoy's eyes clear. Immediately, they swirled away.

So, apparently, the spell Hermione had found in the little French book had worked. She would make a note of it.

Oh, no. They were still in the memory!

Hermione blushed and tried to pull Andromeda out, away from what was going to happen next, but it was too late. Malfoy was kissing Hermione Granger everywhere-cheeks, lips, eyes, hair, forehead- then he pulled her close to him. Hermione was mortified that Andromeda was seeing such an intimate moment. Andromeda circled the pair, observing Draco Malfoy closely, so Hermione joined her. Hermione looked into Malfoy's eyes, and saw love. Draco Malfoy was experiencing love for Hermione Granger, but the Hermione Granger in the memory was experiencing shock and fear. This Malfoy was not under a spell. This was the real Malfoy. Andromeda and Hermione watched the real Malfoy rejected by a harsh, angry, and terrified Hermione Granger. And this Malfoy looked devastated as he sent Hermione Granger on her way to safety. Hermione began to weep.

When Andromeda and Hermione emerged from the memory, Andromeda folded a sobbing Hermione into her arms. As Hermione shuddered and inhaled to control her blubbering, Andromeda stroked her back reassuringly. What a wonderful friend she has been to me, thought Hermione, but that thought made her cry even more.

"I'm sorry," Hermione gasped. "You have been so kind, Andromeda. It's just so sad. It's all my fault that Malfoy didn't get away. I should have grabbed him when he activated the portkey. I should have brought him with me. I knew he needed me. That's why I haven't been able to let go of my worries, even though I rejected him."

"I can certainly see why you reacted the way you did, Hermione. That was a terrifying experience. But obviously, the two of you are very close. When did your relationship begin?"

"No, we really had no relationship. We were just becoming friends," Hermione insisted.

Andromeda looked skeptical. "That was not merely a kiss between friends. And I noticed that the two of you were holding hands the day you came into the kitchen for tea. Something has been going on between you. Did you notice the glimmering bond?"

"No, really," Hermione insisted. "We were just becoming friends. What you saw in the memory was the first time Draco had ever kissed me. And I don't know what that strange light was. Was it magic?"

"What I saw looked like love, Hermione. Draco loves you. The glimmering light is a bond of love. How could that have happened in such a short time? Were you friends before you kidnapped my nephew? Did you have a romantic history?"

"No. We were only enemies. Truly, Andromeda."

"Perhaps Draco has been in love with you for a long time, Hermione. Perhaps that is why his memories of you were missing. And how ironic that he would be sent on a mission to kill the woman he loved."

Hermione blushed, but she didn't argue with Andromeda's rationale because she had come to the same conclusion.

"I think I know when it all started...at least when this obsession with Malfoy began for me, Andromeda. Would you mind visiting this memory with me?"

Hermione poured the vial labeled "Hermione Granger at Malfoy Manor" into the pensieve and held Andromeda's hand as they entered the drawing room at Malfoy Manor once again.

This time Hermione was on the floor writhing in agony under Bellatrix's Cruciatus. Hermione ignored the figure on the floor and stepped over to Malfoy. His horrified, agonized look melted her heart once again, and she longed to comfort him. This was the moment. Hermione looked over at Andromeda. Andromeda circled Malfoy and pulled out her wand.

"Revelio," she whispered. Immediately, a light shone. It was a golden light that circled from Malfoy's eyes to Hermione's, connecting the two. Andromeda checked her wand for a reading. "He is taking your pain, Hermione."

"What?"

"Yes, Malfoy is using Legilimency to access your mind. He is giving his strength to you and taking your pain on himself."

Hermione touched the glimmering bond that firmly connected the two. It was solid, three-dimensional, and full of light. "It's why I survived the Cruciatus curse. It's why I was able to resist Bellatrix. I knew he had helped me in some way, but I didn't realize the extent. Andromeda, this was the moment that I began to love Draco Malfoy."

Andromeda nodded. "This bond is unusual. I've not seen anything like it, except you know, in marriage ceremonies. It's similar to an unbreakable marriage bond."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. It certainly explained the unwavering commitment she seemed to have had to Malfoy. It explained her sudden ability to read him. It explained why the Dark Side needed to oblivate his memory of her. It explained why he couldn't kill her when he tried. But unbreakable? Would she always been attached to Malfoy? The thought struck fear into her.

Hermione asked, "Is this a spell that can be broken?"

"No," Andromeda replied. "It's a bond. Bonds are rarely broken."

"How did he cast it?"

"He sent you his heart, I think," Andromeda guessed. "And you must have accepted it and sent yours in return."

The two stepped out of the memory in the pensieve and re-entered Malfoy's old room in McGonagall's cottage.

"This is real, then," Hermione said as she mulled over the information gleaned from the memory. "This isn't a spell that can be broken or changed. He was there for me when I needed him most. Now, I need to be there for Malfoy."

The two witches drank tea as they pondered how to get Draco Malfoy away from the Malfoy Manor. Ideas were shared and notes were taken. Hermione had hoped that Andromeda could visit, but Narcissa had not returned her owls. Perhaps Harry would know what to do.

Hermione went to Hogwarts to research bonds. She wasn't sure that she wanted to break the golden bond between them, but she wanted to have the option so she didn't end up trapped in a relationship with a dangerous Death Eater. Her findings were not as satisfying as she had hoped.

The next morning Draco Malfoy was on the cover of the Daily Prophet. Headlines shouted, Draco Malfoy, War Machine!

Hermione let the cold, sneering photo of the hard faced, silver-blond Malfoy sink into her. She perused the article and began to feel nauseous as the article re-capped the number of lives Draco Malfoy had single-handedly destroyed.

She was too late.