Chapter 25

Draco smiled up at Delphine, "So, about Halloween…"

"Really," Delphine paused in her motion and glared down at him, her skin covered in a glistening layer of sweat, "you want to talk about that now?"

His grin remained in place, "well, at least I know I have your attention." She glowered, but remained silent, so he continued. "I know our arrangement, and I am not trying to make things awkward." She wiggled, and Draco frowned. "But the frat is hosting a party, and we have been strongly encouraged to bring female guests. So, if you like, the offer is on the table."

Delphine remained silent for a moment before replying. "Thank you, I have been known to enjoy a frat party on occasion, but mainly when looking for a particular sort of entertainment. Currently, I have those needs, adequately, met." She grinned at his glare. "That, and, my interview at Columbia has finally been scheduled. It is Monday the 30th, so, I booked a flight on Friday to spend a long weekend, play tourist, scope out potential rental areas. I am guessing the party is that Saturday?"

"It is," he replied. "I will just have to coerce Jane to take pity on me, that or pay her off."

"You could always make a new friend."

Draco laughed, "I think I am at my quota this year. If I could find a way out of this thing, I would be convincing you to let me join you in New York in a heartbeat. But that does make me think, before you go, I will give you my cousins phone numbers. Not to foist my family on you, because most are complete rubbish, but I have two amusing ones, one is good in a pinch, and the other can always find some fun to be had."

Delphine laughed as well, "I have reached my quota for talking for this encounter, just shut up, and let me have my fun now."

He smirked, but kept his mouth shut.

~~DuDe = Duck/Delphine?~~

Anne and Bubba were sitting outside the library under a large oak. Bookbags being deployed as backrests, the pair were clicking on the laptops, enjoying the good weather, and wifi connection. Anne put her computer into the grass and stretched her arms above her head. Bubba paused from his research to watch appreciatively. Noticing, she deliberately prolonged the activity and smirked at him. "So, it has been about five weeks now, I guess you are worth keeping around."

He rolled his eyes, "Figured you'd finally come to that conclusion, I am damn'd awesome." Anne stuck her tongue out in response. "But what leads you to pointing out the obvious today?"

She turned his computer screen towards him, pairs of attractive and well-dressed couples on the screen in coordinating outfits. "Halloween shopping! If I am going to meet your friends officially, you can bet we will be looking our best."

Bubba chuckled, leaned over and kissed her softly. "Only for you, but know I draw the line at spandex."

Hermione sat alone in the Gryffindor stands listening to Blythe Rochdale call the Gryffindor-Slytherin match, wrapped in a heavy woolen cloak. Ginny was doing a brilliant job as team captain, and they were up 50-20. Her hand slipped into her pocket and she considered sending Draco a text to update him on the match and poke at the now friendly rivalry. She stopped herself though, unconsciously chewing her lower lip. How was it a friendly rivalry now? They were almost a year removed from the bloody conclusion to the war, but from her internship at the Wizengamot, Hermione knew that punishments were still being doled out, war criminals still being hunted. She knew that several people were still decrying the injustice that let a family like the Malfoys go free. Yet, through Ginny, and now the cell phones, she had seen first-hand how Draco, when removed from his family, and the pervasive taint of the Dark Lord, was, if not flourishing, at least improving to the point that it was hard to hold the anger against him that had been a near constant for years.

She was startled by a collective shout from the crowd. Harry and the new Slytherin seeker had the snitch in their sights and were engaging in high-speed acrobatics chasing the glittering gold projectile. Peering through her magical binoculars she could see Harry's face, a combination of his familiar determination, and something she hadn't seen since perhaps their first year, joy. Time was starting to work on him too, erasing some of the burden that had sat too heavily on him for too long. Ginny had been right in convincing him to come back and actually finish his final year of school. Not for the first time, Hermione wondered if she should have joined them. So many things would be different now if she had.

"Un-frickin-believable!" Delphine shouted. People brushed past her ignoring the outburst, eyes focused straight ahead or on the ground. They probably assumed the women dressed inappropriately for the cold New York fall was mentally deficient, and didn't want to engage as they moved onto the next step of their own trips. Delphine had stopped with her bag to read on of the signs directing her to ground transportation, trying to find the area for ride-share pick up, while poking the app to life on her phone. When she was satisfied she knew where she was going, and turned back to her bag, it was gone. Now she was standing outside of JFK, no luggage, no coat to protect her from the weather, no id, no money, and just her cell phone. She stomped to the ride share area and found a man lighting up in a small nook sheltered from the wind. With her best charming smile, she bummed a cigarette off him. He gave one up graciously enough, but it didn't escape her attention, that he quickly found an excuse to walk 50-yards away to finish smoking his own.

Delphine contemplated her options. She could use the ride share app on her phone and still get to the hotel, but once there she wouldn't have her ID or credit card to check in. She could go spend the day in airport security trying to get the rent-a-cops to find her bag, but she strongly suspected it would just be a waste of time. She sighed in resignation, and made a call.

Draco was surprised when his cell started vibrating, and more so when he saw the name float across the screen. He excused himself from the library table where he and Jane were working on their western civilizations term paper with one of his AO brothers. Once he made it to the library's atrium, he hurriedly answered, "Unexpected, don't tell me I am finally growing on you and you miss me already?"

"Don't be an ass," Delphine snapped, "I have just been subjected to a vicious New York stereo type, and had my bag stolen. I only have my cell phone let. Therefore, I am hitting you up for that introduction to your cousins you mentioned, and help in a pinch." Her voice lost its exasperating tone for a moment, when she added in a throaty purr, "Of course, I will make it worth your while."

Draco laughed, "Delphine, the opportunity to help is enough." He paused, stunned to find that he actually meant it. Draco continued hastily, "Though, I do have one or two things in mind, if you really want to make it up to me." He had laid the smarmy tone on thick to cover his own confusion. "Where are you at?"

After securing the details, he promised to call her back quickly. First, he called Cappella and was disappointed to find her at Cern for some sort of physics anniversary party. She started to gush about how it was 600 of the most talented physicists and engineers in the world, before he had to cut her off. "Capi, I promise, I will let you tell me all about it at lunch next week, and I won't even make nerd jokes. But right now, I have a mission. I have to go."

Altair, unsurprisingly, was at home, killing time before a normal Friday night's debauchery. After explaining the situation, and offering up an exchange of future favors, Altair agreed to go to the muggle girl's rescue, and play chaperone, consiglieri, and concierge for the weekend. Even agreeing to go in his own car to pick her up so he could avoid traffic by opening the garage up close to the airport.

"It's handled," Draco said when Delphine answered her phone.

"Handled?"

"Yes, handled, and I expect you to not complain and have a wonderful weekend. We can discuss how you plan on making it up to me at greater length when you are home." Draco's smirk could be heard across the phone. "My cousin Altair was fortuitously in the neighborhood. He should be pulling up within 10 minutes. You will be staying at his family's penthouse, in the guest room, for the weekend, and have full use of his credit cards to get any clothing or necessaries you might need. Don't cheap out either. He won't notice the money, and trust me, he is going to collect his own from me."

Delphine took a deep breath, "Thank you, Duck."

Draco leaned against a column in the library atrium. "It really is my pleasure." He stayed on the phone chatting with her until Altair arrived and picked her up. After he assured them that they were both with the right person, and threatened Altair to be on his best behavior, he hung up and returned to the table with Jane and his frat brother.

Bubba looked nervous. Draco handed him a beer, before passing one to Jane. The group had decided to pre-game in the boys' dorm room before heading to the AO party. Draco and Bubba had taken clean-up duty on the frat's tailgating party last weekend, and therefore had no duties at the party tonight. Bubba took a long swig from the bottle before looking at his cell phone again.

"Seriously dude, relax. You have been dating this girl over a month. We are not completely unpresentable in society. It will be fine." Draco said as he headed back to the bathroom. He was messing with his black hair, trying to get it the perfect level of messy. Part of Jane's agreement to accompany him to the party, was that they would also be in a couple's costume and she got to pick. The normally taciturn girl was a sight in black leather, teased blonde hair, and heavy make-up. She reeked of danger and punk-rock, and for a moment, Draco wondered about the unexplored aspects of his friendship with the normally quiet bookish girl. He quickly discarded the thought, because, he knew at it is root, it was tied to another bookish girl, with unexpected levels of badass.

Draco's costume had been relatively simple, tight black leather pants, black hair dye and a chain padlocked around his neck. He quietly cast a warming charm on himself as he looked in the mirror, his torso exposed to the world. Draco was pleased that he had continued working out once getting to school. While still pale, he was by no means the emaciated wraith that he was portraying as Sid to Jane's Nancy. He made a snap decision and pressed his wand to his arm, releasing an illusion spell that he cast every morning. Dark ink appeared swirling into the shape of a snake and skull. He had started to wonder about his fanatic concealment of the Dark Mark. It could be the intro to psychology course he was in, but Draco wondered if, in order to make more progress away from what he was, he had to squarely face his past. Maybe the tangible reminder on his arm would help. He could hear noise in the dorm room, so he slipped his wand into his pocket, which had been magicked to conceal the rod. Draco flung open the door and sauntered in, trying to assume the body language of Sid Vicious in his swagger. A pretty dark-haired girl, with a short red cloak, covering an equally short flouncy dress stood with his back to him. Her arms wrapped around Bubba in his big bad wolf costume, this was obviously the little red riding hood, the trio had been waiting for.

Jane noticed Draco's return to the room first, and, also the first to notice the large evil looking tattoo on his arm. "Duck! That is some sweet ink, but how, when, did you do it?" She walked over to him and unceremoniously grabbed his arm, twisting it back and forth in the light to examine the ink.

Draco laughed awkwardly, breaking the illusion of disaffected punk rocker that he had been trying to project. "Well, you know a guy, who knows a guy, dark promises are exchanged," he laughed again, "or about a hundred quid. And next thing you know a drunk teenager is sporting ink of an underground death metal band."

Bubba had moved closer to the pair and looked, without touching. "Seriously, wicked, as you would say. But dude, we have been living together for months, how have I never seen this?"

Draco rubbed his arm in evident embarrassment, "Like I said…drunk mistake, I keep it covered most of the time. I need to man up and go for laser removal. But, I figured if Jane was going to condescend to be my escort this evening, the least I could do was help sell the costume a bit more."

Jane smiled, "nicely done, Duck. I approve, and for the record, don't think you should keep it covered up. Makes you look tougher, and lord knows you need all the help you can get with all the Bubbas around here." She winked at their resident Bubba to show the joke.

"Speaking of Bubbas, I have already broken my promise to be on my best behavior tonight, and not make it all about me," Draco said smoothly, extending the tattooed arm to Red Riding Hood. "Duck Foy, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

The girl hesitantly extended her hand and shook Draco's, her eyes considering the snake and skull as if it might float into the air and attack. "Anne, Anne Granger. Bubba has told me so much about you."

Draco gave her his most charming smile, and was confused to feel her stiffen as she pulled her hand away. She stepped back, pressing herself against Bubba's chest. He swore he could see fear, then hatred float through her sparkling dark eyes, before she smiled and was once again a young college co-ed getting ready to go to a party with friends. "Do I detect the sound of a fellow Brit? Bubba didn't tell me he was dating a country-woman of mine."

Anne laughed, the sound a golden peel, making him further wonder if he had imagined her reaction to him. "Far removed, I basically grew up in Houston, my father is an executive with the British Oil Company. Mom's actually from here, and I have dual citizenship. But I have been to London visiting family more than once, of course that was several years ago."

He saw it again, something in her eyes and body language, as if she expected him to know the significance of the timing. He didn't let his suspicions show on his face, determined for Bubba's sake to keep a pleasant demeanor around this girl that he was so obviously smitten with.

Draco for the rest of the evening steered himself and Jane as far away from Bubba and Anne as he politely could. Jane didn't mind Duck's uncharacteristic desire to sit in dark corners, drinking the "witches' brew" and watching the party goers make fools of themselves on the dance floor, or bobbing for apples in a tank filled with cheap vodka. One of the older AO brothers sat down next to the pair. The boy in a smart, but old fashion suit, his dark hair parted to the side and slicked down, a book of German cyphers stuck obviously in his pocket. After a moment of contemplating him, Jane said, "Alan Turing, subtle, but nicely done." From there, the pair began a discussion on the development of AI, and advanced mathematics that left Draco's head spinning. He considered Jane's condition, she had limited herself to the one beer in their room before the party, and had only been drinking water since. Jerry, the brother dressed as Alan Turing, had a reputation as an introvert, who brought the frat's collective GPA up, and was always there to lend a hand on their volunteer projects. Judging it safe to slip out, he sent Jane a text letting her know he wasn't going far and to let him know when she was ready to go, or if she needed a rescue from the math talk. He knew the second part was exceedingly unlikely, unless Jerry proved himself to be an idiot, Jane could talk number theory until she passed out. Draco partially suspected that if he hung around, she would still be talking it in her sleep.

Once he was in the garden, Draco took a deep breath. The air wasn't as cold as it would be in Scotland this time of year, but it was still brisker than the normal Texas warm damp that he had become accustomed to. He could hear the sounds of amorous couples coming from the several garden benches spread out across the yard, and see the glow of cigarettes from the smokers' section at the far corner of the house. He really didn't feel like company though, and instead walked towards the detached garage, where he could lean against a wall while smoking a fag in relative peace.

Draco wasn't really surprised when a dark-haired girl dressed like a fairy-tale character stepped into the small pool of light he was inhabiting. He was surprised by the application of a full body bind curse, and a wand pointed at his throat. Draco kept his expression schooled though and managed a cold sneer. The girl obviously knew the fundamentals of the curse, but had none of the skill or cold hatred required to make it truly effective. He had received stronger damage from Longbottom. "Well, well, looks like we have a bitchy witchy instead of little red, doesn't it? If you wanted alone time with me luv, all you had to do was ask." His voice was a cold leering thing, and he took a certain pleasure in watching her shudder, suddenly unsure of herself. "Come on then luv, you have me alone in the dark, at your mercy, do your worst, you might find that you like it."

"Shut up!" She ordered in a loud whisper, "just shut up! You are a Death Eater! Explain how the fuck you are living with my boyfriend, before I call the aurors."

Draco laughed in response, "Seems you are a bit confused luv, I can't explain and shut up at the same time. But that's ok, I like complicated women." He waggled his eyebrows dramatically, "and the heaving bosom of outrage….it totally works for you."

Anne was visibly shaking now, but Draco couldn't bring himself to back down. Rationally, he knew he could talk himself out of this, that he didn't need to poke her fears, admit knowledge of the wizarding world. But somehow, dressed as Sid Vicious and exposing his Dark Mark for the first time in months, he was tired of playing meek, tired of feeling like he had to constantly apologize for his own existence. More than that, he was angry that without any evidence, or reason, some little upstart was threatening the new life he was building. She was a direct challenge to his new reality, and part of him wanted to destroy her for it. He took a deep breath, mentally stepping back from the brink. "You know what I mean, and call me luv one more time and I will curse your balls off."

"Look, Miss Granger, it seems we have gotten off to a bit of a wrong foot," He poured all the charm and warmth he could into his voice. Her hand pointing the wand at his neck was still shaking, but she remained quiet, seemingly willing to listen for a moment. "I know a Granger, back in England, maybe you do too. Her name is Hermione, she is the smartest witch of our generation, muggle parents who are in orthodontia. Ring any bells?"

The wand lowered, just enough to be pointing at his crotch. "That is my cousin. Don't think invoking her name will get you out of this. She is famous, one of the best friends of the Boy Who Lived, one of the heroes of Hogwarts, one of those that took down the Dark Lord. Everyone knows her."

Draco nodded, "All true. But does everyone know that when some jerk cursed her teeth she grew them back to perfect proportions rather than keeping their original sizing? Do they know that she finds it physically impossible not to answer a question? Do they know she has a killer right hook? Or, perhaps more to the point, do they know her cell phone number?"

"What?" Anne's wand snapped back to his face, "You are a bad liar, she doesn't even have a cell phone. That's it, I am getting aurors out here to take your ass in." She whistled and a small grey owl swooped in from the darkness.

"Now you are just being a silly bint," Draco visibly shuddered, braking the curse. He physically disarmed her, and quickly used her wand to cast a bubble around them. Anne screamed. "Scream all you want, but you are trapped in here with me, no sound or light are getting out. So, you might want to do us both a favor and take a deep breath and calm down." He stared at her, until she stopped yelling and gave up on her attempt to step out of the bubble.

"Good, now we are getting somewhere. Yes, as you so correctly noticed, that is a Dark Mark on my arm. It is real, placed there by Lord Voldemort himself. And, yes, I have been a very bad man." His eyes glittered in the dark, and he smiled, "But, it is not your place to judge my actions, and your assault upon my person was unwise. Now, I am going to reach into my pocket and pull out my cell phone, please don't freak out."

Anne's eyes were shooting daggers at him, but she remained as still as if he had placed a curse upon her. "You do realize it is 6:00 in the morning in London. Hermione is not going to be pleased with this call, if she even answers it. And if I must work my way down the phone book and call that idiot boyfriend of hers, or your vaunted Boy Who Lived, you might find that I will become less than forgiving about tonight's activities." He swiped the phone to life and put it on speaker.

A sleepy voice answered after the third ring, "Snakehead? What the hell?"

"Books, such a delight to speak with you too. Please accept my apologies for waking you up in such an unpleasant manner." Draco kept his voice light, but allowed himself a quick detour of thought about how he might otherwise wake up his former foe.

The voice, slightly more alert, "uhm, Draco? I repeat, what the hell?"

An unexpected tingle went up at her use of his first name. In all the years of discord, it had always been Malfoy, pronounced as if it was dung on her shoe. "Well, yes, Books, just getting to that. It seems, I have just had the pleasure of meeting your cousin. Lovely American bird named Anne. Say hello Anne."

The girl had taken a step closer to Draco upon hearing her cousin's voice, and cautiously said, "Hermione? Is that really you?"

"Anne? What are you doing with Draco?" Hermione's voice from an ocean away now sounded fully awake but no less confused. Draco smirked at the girl in front of him and flipped her wand around, offering her the handle.

"Funny story there Books, seems Anne and I are attending the same university. Add to the comedy of errors, she has been dating my roommate."

"Bubba?" Hermione broke in, as she tried to connect the dots. "Anne, I thought you were dating someone named Benjamin."

"Uhm, well, his given name is Benjamin. I couldn't really admit I was dating a Bubba, could I?" A delicate flush now stole across Anne's skin, and Draco surrendered his anger to the hilarity of the situation. "Anyways, do you really know Duck? This boy claims he knows you, but he is flaunting a Dark Mark. I have read the papers about how aurors are hunting dark wizards that have been fleeing justice. Why else would he be here if not to be hiding from justice?"

"Duck…yes, I know Duck." Hermione paused, "I know you have your reasons, and I have already partially slipped, do you mind?"

Draco smiled, then realized she couldn't see his silent answer. "No, go ahead, if I have to trust her with the fact that I am a wizard, and she has to trust me with the knowledge that she is a witch, she might as well know my name. Besides, she is related to you, I doubt she would let the mystery stay uncovered long."

Hermione laughed, "You are not wrong."

"Someone mind filling me in?" Anne complained. Draco noticed that her wand had disappeared, and her body language while still alert, was far more relaxed than any she had displayed thus far.

"Anne, before you, should be standing a blisteringly pale, scrawny, prat of a man. White hair, superior attitude, permanent sneer."

"Hey!" Draco complained.

"Actually, black hair, perfectly delicious abs, but the rest matches," offered Anne.

"That's better," Draco preened slightly.

"Really?" Hermione queried, "I might need pictures, or I wouldn't believe it. In any event, said person, is Draco Malfoy. Former Death Eater, but officially adjudicated and sentenced by the Wizengamot, and as long as you don't catch him in England in the next few years, he is within his rights to be free. Draco, the girl that likes to jump to conclusions, but is normally right, is my cousin, Anne Granger. You two play nice, I am going back to sleep."

With that the phone line went dead. Draco and Anne stood staring at each other. Draco finally broke eye contact and slid his phone back into his pants and pulled his wand out. He made no move that could be interpreted as threatening. "Miss Granger, I have nothing but respect for your cousin. I am going to consider this night an understandable, but unfortunate occurrence. If we are good here, then, for Bubba's sake, as well as your cousin's, I hope we can reset our introduction in a few days, and find, if not a way to be friends, a way to coexist." Draco flicked his wand and the glittering bubble surrounding them disappeared.

Anne's owl swooped excitedly to her shoulder, buffeting Draco with a powerful wing stroke as she went. Anne nodded slowly, then deliberately turned her back on Draco and went back towards the party. Draco sighed, he pulled out another cigarette and lit it by snapping his fingers. "Well, that rabbit is out of the hat," he muttered to the darkness.