Monday, June 24th 5.40am.
Hermione awoke with a scream, sitting bolt upright in bed she tried to remind herself it was only a dream, what she had just seen wasn't real. Unfortunately the images of all the people she loved lying dead wouldn't leave her, especially the sight of Ryan and Draco lying unmoving at her feet.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Hermione felt a warm hand on her back and turned to find Draco looking at her in concern.
"Yes, I just had a bad dream." Hermione said, wiping at the tears that were running down her face.
Draco pulled Hermione back down into the bed, positioning her so that she was curled up against him. Draco ran his hand through Hermione's thick hair trying to comfort the upset witch. Hermione snuggled closer to Draco letting his scent calm her down, she was incredibly pleased that the blond was in her bed rather than the spare room. Unlike Friday and Saturday night he hadn't been in her bed after a round of amazing sex, instead he had been there to comfort her after the previous night's events.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Draco asked when he thought Hermione had calmed down slightly.
"No." Hermione shook her head and buried herself closer into Draco's body. The last thing she wanted to do was relive her horrifying dream.
"Are you sure, it might help." Draco said.
Hermione lifted her head and looked at Draco. "I just want to forget about it."
As she spoke Hermione moved so she was straddling Draco's waist. When she leant down and started kissing him forcefully, her hand wandering over his torso, Draco wondered if he should stop her. All thoughts of stopping Hermione left Draco's head as her small hand travelled down his body and into his boxers. Draco leant his head back onto the pillow and moaned loudly as Hermione's hand got to work.
Sensing that Hermione wanted to be in control, Draco gave himself up to the feelings of having Hermione on top of him. As her hand was working down below, Hermione kissed and nipped at Draco's neck producing loud moaning noises from the blond.
When Hermione suddenly stopped with her attentions Draco groaned disappointedly and opened his eyes to see why she had stopped. Hermione grinned down at the blond and started to remove her pyjama top. Draco watched with lust filled eyes as Hermione removed her top and then wriggled out of her pyjama bottoms. Draco lifted his hips as Hermione removed his boxers leaving them both naked.
Hermione leant down and kissed Draco, who tangled his hand in her hair, pulling her closer to him. When Hermione sank down onto Draco, it produced moans of pleasure from the pair of them as they were joined together. When Hermione started to move it was agonisingly slow, Draco was eager for her to move faster but he let Hermione set the pace.
Draco let Hermione keep control over their lovemaking, only holding onto her hips to help her ride him easier. Hermione continued to move slowly and steadily only speeding up her actions when she felt her orgasm approaching. When Hermione's movements became more erratic, Draco brought his hand in-between their bodies to help Hermione reach her climax. When Hermione reached her peak she threw her head back, calling Draco's name. Hermione's climax triggered Draco's orgasm and the pair rode out their ecstasy together.
Hermione collapsed onto Draco, thankful that they had silenced the room the night before. Last night Draco had silenced the room so that Ryan wouldn't hear how upset Hermione was but now she was thankful that their moans of pleasure and shouts of ecstasy had been hidden from her son.
"Thank you." Hermione whispered to Draco, kissing him softly on the cheek.
Draco kissed Hermione on the forehead, he understood that she was thanking him for letting her have control. At the moment her whole life was entirely out of her control as she was being targeted by this killer so any small amount of control she could have was important to her.
Hermione rolled off Draco and repositioned herself so she was curled up by his side. Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione and the pair of them drifted off back to sleep for another couple of hours.
Monday, June 24th 9.30am.
As Hermione sat at her desk, working on a case that was due in court later in the week, she could feel Draco keep stealing glances at her from across the room where he was sitting doing some work of his own. Hermione wasn't sure if the looks were to check she was okay or if he was watching her for some other reason.
Hermione looked up hoping to catch Draco looking in her direction, unfortunately for Hermione his blond head was bent over his work. She watched as he shook his head slightly at whatever he was reading and wrote something onto a separate piece of parchment.
Hermione watched Draco for a few minutes before he realised he was being observed and lifted his own head to look at Hermione. Hermione smiled at Draco who smirked back before the pair of them returned to their work.
Ten minutes later Hermione and Draco had still been working despite the odd lust filled look shared between them when a knock on Hermione's office sounded and Harry and Ron entered the room. Ron was carrying a stack of newspapers under his arm, causing Hermione to wonder what was written in them.
"I thought you might want to be brought up to date." Harry said to Hermione as him and Ron entered her office closing the door behind them.
"Thanks Harry. I would appreciate it." Hermione said.
Everyone headed over to the sofa and chairs in the corner where Draco was currently working. As Draco tidied his work, Hermione slipped onto the sofa next to him leaving the two chairs for Harry and Ron. Once everyone was seated Ron threw the papers he had been carrying onto the table.
"Have you seen today's papers?" Ron asked, gesturing to the pile on the table.
"No. I avoided them." Hermione admitted, eying up the papers on the table. "Is it bad?"
"They've all made the connection to you and wonder why you're being targeted." Harry said. "There's also a mention of Melinda's death in the Prophet."
"And a few of them already know about Susan, though they don't mention her name." Ron said, sounding angry. "The reporters turned up at the park about ten minutes after we did last night."
Hermione went pale, wondering what sort of rumours were being spread about her.
"We're going to have to issue some sort of statement before the rumours get out of hand. I've left a message for Theo to contact me when he arrives and we'll sort something out." Harry said, sighing and running his hand through his messy black hair.
"What about Susan when did he get her?" Hermione asked, trying to focus on the dead woman rather than worry about herself.
"We spoke to the owner of Flourish and Blotts, Susan left just after they shut yesterday but never arrived home." Ron said. "Another witness in Diagon Alley says he saw Susan head towards The Leaky Cauldron. He also said there was a man that followed her through the passageway into the pub's back yard. He has no idea what happened next, although we suspect the man was the killer and he kidnapped Susan right there."
"And a few hours later she was dead in the park." Hermione said quietly. "He's speeding up. Both with the time between victims and the time he has them and kills them."
"I know." Harry spoke just as quiet as Hermione had previously. Neither wanted to admit that it was a real possibility he would be coming after Hermione soon.
"Do you have any positive news?" Draco asked, not happy that Hermione was slipping into her melancholy state again.
"No. I spoke with Charlie last night and he swore he had never told anyone about Hermione taking piano lessons when she was younger so that's another dead end." Harry said, shaking his head with disappointment. "Michael's due back today so I'm hoping he has some news regarding Pansy."
"You still think she's involved?" Draco asked sceptically.
"Yes. I'm convinced of it." Harry said. "I only wish I could have personally looked into her disappearance but with all these killings I haven't had any free time."
"I'm sure Michael's doing a good job." Ron said, rolling his eyes. He thought that searching for Pansy was a waste of time and effort, in his opinion if the former Slytherin wanted to disappear then it was good news for everyone else.
A knock on the door disrupted the conversation and Kingsley walked into the room with a grim expression on his face.
"Oh god. Is there another victim?" Hermione asked the Minister for Magic.
"Kind of. This arrived in my office a few minutes ago from Azkaban." He said, handing Harry an envelope.
Harry opened the letter and started to read.
"Mr Shackelbolt, I regret to inform you that one of our inmates was found seriously ill this morning. We suspect he has been poisoned somehow. The prisoner is in the hospital wing but the effects of the poison have all but killed him and he won't survive the day. I will leave you to inform his family so they can arrange to make a final visit if they wish to do so. I have also enclosed a note we found in the prisoners cell as I suspect it is vital to an Auror investigation currently on-going." Harry read the letter out loud, leaving out the identity of the prisoner. He then reached into the envelope and pulled out another note like the one found on Narcissa.
After reading it, Harry placed the note onto the table so everyone could look. Hermione, Ron and Draco all sat forward to read the note although they all had a suspicion of its contents. This time the note read; I WARNED YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE GET TOO CLOSE TO GRANGER. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE FAIL TO HEED MY WARNINGS. GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN, GRANGER ONLY BRINGS DEATH AND MISERY TO THOSE SURROUNDING HER.
"Which prisoner was poisoned?" Ron was the first to speak asking an unnecessary question.
Harry and Hermione looked at Ron in total shock, appalled that he could be so insensitive while Draco snorted at Ron's ridiculous question.
"What?" Ron asked, not understanding why he was getting dirty looks from his two best friends.
"I think they're stunned that you could be so stupid as to have to ask the identity of the person involved." Draco said snappily to the redhead.
"The prisoner was Lucius Malfoy." Kingsley explained as Ron still looked confused.
"Sorry." Ron winced, suddenly understanding the looks Harry and Hermione had been throwing his way.
"Harry and Ron, you'll need to go and investigate." Kingsley told his two top Auror's before turning to Draco. "Do you wish me to inform your mother or would you rather do it."
"I'll do it later." Draco said.
"It might be too late later. From the sounds of things he hasn't got long to live. Wouldn't Narcissa want to see him." Kingsley said cautiously.
"No." Draco said shortly, not explaining himself.
"I'll be off then. I'll leave you to decide on the best course of action." Kingsley said, getting up and departing Hermione's office.
"Do you want to come with us and see your father?" Harry asked Draco.
"Why would I want to see that bastard." Draco spat, sounding angry. "I'm staying here to look after Hermione."
"I can get Terry to watch Hermione, she's perfectly safe in the Ministry." Harry said, trying to convince the blond to come with them.
"That sounds like a good idea, Harry." Hermione said. "Can you arrange it and Draco will meet the pair of you in the atrium in ten minutes."
Draco turned to glare at the witch beside him while Harry nodded and practically dragged Ron out of the room. Ron was unhappy with leaving his former wife alone with an angry looking ex Death Eater.
"What the hell, Granger?" Draco stormed as soon as they were alone. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone and there's no way I'm going to visit him."
"First of all, I'll be perfectly safe. Terry will be here and I have no plans to leave my office until you return." Hermione said forcefully.
"Even if I agree you'll be safe here, I'm still not going anywhere near my father." Draco said, distain dripping from his voice as he called Lucius his father.
"I know things are difficult between the two of you, but he's dying." Hermione said, placing a hand on Draco's arm hoping to calm the blond slightly. "You may not want to see him now, but if you don't go you'll regret it later."
Draco shook his head stubbornly, the last person he wanted to see was his cruel and vindictive father. "I don't think I can." He finally admitted.
"Why not?" Hermione asked, hoping she wasn't pushing Draco too far.
"Because he's the reason I've got this." Draco said, pulling his shirt sleeve back and revealing his faded Dark Mark. "He's the reason I witnessed things that still give me nightmares."
Hermione felt bad for pushing Draco, she thought his reluctance to go and see Lucius stemmed from his bad childhood and the fact that Lucius wasn't exactly a loving father. She had no idea that the memories of the war were still so fresh and painful for the former Slytherin.
"Maybe you need to see him so you can finally move on." Hermione said cautiously.
"Perhaps." Draco admitted after a long silence, recognising Hermione had a point. Maybe once he knew that Lucius was finally out of his and his mother's life he would be able to let go of the hatred he felt for the man he had once admired so much.
Hermione smiled slightly, pleased that Draco had listened to reason regarding Lucius.
"You have to promise me one thing though." Draco said. "You don't leave this room until I come back."
"I promise. I'll stay here and wait for you." Hermione said, reaching over and kissing Draco lightly on the lips.
Draco pulled Hermione closer to him and kissed her properly until they were interrupted by a knock on the door and Terry popping his head into the office. Satisfied Terry wouldn't let Hermione leave her office, Draco headed down to the atrium to meet Harry and Ron.