Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling and so have no claim over any names you recognise.
When the two loud shots rang out in the darkness, Hermione, who had only been asleep for thirty minutes maximum, jolted awake with a gasp. The entire ward seemed to freeze in place, every pair of ears, human and tenebris alike, rising in the air in a bid to sense any possible danger.
When the echoes of the bangs filtered out into the night and silence encompassed the area once again, every able body in the Ward sprang into action.
The first thought that ran through Hermione's mind was that they were under attack again. Questions and scenarios zipped through her mind with the speed of a Snitch.
Had the crowds just outside of the boundary found some way of breaking through the Wards like the gunman had?
How many intruders had passed through the Wards onto the grounds?
Had someone been shot? Had someone been killed?
"Who was that?" she breathed out loud, turning to face an alert Malfoy who was now standing by the side of her bed.
From what Hermione could see, Malfoy's eyes were narrowed, his gaze firmly fixed on the Ward's closed doors as if expecting someone to burst through them at any moment.
"I don't know." He answered in a quiet hush.
Hermione's gaze flew around the room, her eyes unconsciously seeking out Padma. The witch was half propped up in bed, her worried gaze on Blaise who had taken stance in front of her… the vampire guarding his Mate, prepared to protect her from any potential harm at any cost.
In the dim light with his cold eyes and sharpened teeth he looked every inch the predator he now was.
It wasn't until Hermione turned away from him and back to Malfoy that she realised in the time she'd been looking away, the blond had adopted a similar protective stance as Zabini, his broad body now shielding hers. He was standing so close to the edge of her bed that Hermione could barely see anything from behind his body.
Unconsciously seeking comfort and not fully aware of what she was doing until her fingers touched his, Hermione slipped her hand in his. She wasn't sure what Malfoy's reaction would be and was half preparing herself to pull her hand away when his fingers tightened around hers, squeezing securely once in reassurance.
Hermione would be lying if she said she wasn't shocked by the gesture but she accepted it gratefully.
And then the waiting game began. From behind the quiet of Ward's closed doors; she could make out the faint sound of Aurors yelling and their running feet up and down the corridor.
Dear Merlin, please don't let anyone else be hurt…
An age seemed to pass before the doors to the Ward were pulled open. Every tenebris one in the large room began panting and growling softly, waiting to attack whoever stepped inside. Hermione's own hand had fisted around her Wand, an offensive curse ready to be spewed at the tip of her tongue.
The curse was swallowed down her throat when Kingsley stepped inside. The wizard's calm, wise eyes took in the occupants of the room and Hermione knew from experience that the man was reassuring himself that everyone in the room was unharmed.
She detected his relief in the way his shoulders slumped slightly but in the next second, his professional Auror persona slid back into place and he strode purposefully over to where Blaise was still standing at the foot of Padma's bed.
Every single step Kingsley took was followed by every pair of eyes in the Ward and when the Auror spoke in hushed words to the vampire, Hermione's curiosity cursed the fact that unlike some of the others in the room, she couldn't hear what Kingsley was saying.
Her eyebrows rose in the next second when Blaise's voice rang out clearly, "No, the meeting will take place here. I will not leave Padma unguarded."
Hermione saw Padma cheeks flush in embarrassment before her lips moved to say something to Blaise, no doubt reassuring her Mate that she would be fine without him but Blaise cut her words off with a stubborn, sharp shake of his head.
Kingsley looked between the pair before he sighed and cast his gaze back around the room. Hermione smiled at him weakly when his eyes fell on her and Malfoy…and then dropped down to their still clasped hands.
Hermione fidgeted uncomfortably when she wasn't able to discern any expression on Kingsley's face. She didn't have to bear his scrutiny for very long however as two five seconds later he'd turned to survey the remainder of the patients in the room. Eventually he called over Healer Johnson and Healer Bentley, the group exchanging hushed words for a full minute before there was an air of general consensus within the group and Hermione watched Healer Johnson and Healer Bentley rush off in opposite directions.
For the next few minutes there were hurried movements around the Ward and Hermione watched the goings on with thinly veiled confusion as the two Healers, along with Heather, began manoeuvring patient's around the room before they were eventually wheeled out of the Ward. In the end, and other than Padma, Hermione was the last patient still remaining in her hospital cot. Healer Johnson and Kingsley walked over to her and she prepared herself to be wheeled out along with the others.
"How are you feeling, Hermione?" Kingsley asked her when he neared.
"Good," she told the wizard, "My side is aching less and less by the minute," she answered truthfully.
"Mr Malfoy." Kingsley greeted as he turned to study the blond.
Malfoy nodded back coolly, no doubt wondering why such a prominent member of the Order of the Phoenix was addressing him so calmly.
Hermione quickly explained. "Kingsley is now the Head of the Auror Department. His Department are the ones who have been responsible for finding the underground laboratories and rescuing the former inmates. He also helped arrange the security of this Manor."
Draco pointedly looked over Hermione's bandaged wound and then back at Kingsley with a raised eyebrow, looking far from impressed at Hermione's words.
Hermione flushed in embarrassment at his silent rebuke but Kingsley remained ever unflappable. "I assure you Mr Malfoy that I will find out how Mr Dubh managed to bypass the extensive wards placed around the Manor in order to gain access and harm your Mate."
Hermione felt Malfoy's hand convulse around hers when Kingsley said the word "Mate" and there was silence for a short second as everyone looked at each other uncomfortably. It was Kingsley who got back to business by clearing his throat and looking back at Hermione.
"There is going to be another meeting behind held in the Ward in ten minutes. If you feel well I would like you to join us."
Hermione nodded her head, her curiosity not allowing her to make any other decision. "Can Malfoy stay too?" she asked in a quick breath.
Kingsley looked silently between the pair before Malfoy took the choice away from him. "I'm staying." He announced firmly, "I'm not leaving Granger's side."
Hermione's fingers tightened in his hold but she kept her eyes on Kingsley.
The wizard nodded, "Although I do hope you understand Mr Malfoy, that what is discussed in the meeting is of upmost confidentiality."
Out of the corner of her eye Hermione saw Malfoy nod once. Kingsley and Healer Johnson accepted his silent agreement and Hermione watched the duo retreat until her attention was diverted by the doors to the Ward scraping open.
James strode into the room, his red eyes flashing fiercely whilst he pulled along a furious Parvati who was trying in vain to dislodge her wrist from James's manacle like hold. When they reached the other end of the Ward where Padma and Blaise were situated, James directed Parvati to the empty bedside chair and deposited her into it.
His growl of "Sit" and "Stay" were audible even from where Hermione was lying in bed and her eyebrows rose at the order in his tone. They rose even more when Parvati merely sent James a deathly stare but otherwise followed his terse command.
"Merlin, is that Rosier?" she heard Malfoy ask from beside her.
Hermione tilted her head up to him. "You know him?" she asked with a frown.
Malfoy shook his head. "I remember him from Hogwarts. We never really had anything to do with each other since he was in his seventh year when I was in my first but I saw him a few times later..." he said before trailing off.
"…Later?"
Malfoy glanced down at her. "At Death Eater meetings." He stated simply.
Hermione flushed for having not realised what he was talking about. "Oh…"
They didn't say anything else after that and simply watched in silence as more people filtered into the room. In the next few minutes, Hermione's own bed was wheeled over to where the ever increasing group was congregating and she took a moment to ask Padma if she was okay. The witch replied in the positive and Hermione assured her that she too, was well.
And then the meeting started.
A hush fell on the room as Kingsley stood to speak. He got straight to the point.
"The situation has escalated," he began, his words being met with tense looks, "the gunshots you heard a short while ago was from an altercation between tonight's gunman, who we now know to be Mr Tom Dubh, and the tenebris one we rescued recently…the wizard whose DNA has been spliced with dragon DNA."
His words were met with a few gasps and more than one head turned towards the bed where the wizard with emerald eyes had lain since his arrival onto the Ward. Hermione realised with surprise that it was empty…
Dear Merlin, how had they missed the wizard leaving the Ward?
Kingsley continued, "I have here a vial containing the memory of the incident, extracted from Mr Dubh who has now been removed from the Manor's grounds and put in a safe house of which only I know the location. I feel it best if everyone here sees the incident first hand."
And with that he uncorked the vial and the memory began to play out in the middle of the Ward.
ooo
The man they now knew to be Mr Tom Dubh jerked awake with a gasp, his head turning rapidly in the darkness, his mind obviously picking up on the danger in the room even if his eyes couldn't yet see it. His hands slowly unclenched from around the duvet and began scrambling around, searching for anything to defend himself with. When they encountered the gun, he snatched it towards his body greedily and Hermione watched as his body trembled with relief.
She watched with a bit lip as the part dragon stepped out from behind the shadows, struggling to control her gasp when she saw the malice in his icy green eyes that were so much like Harry's.
"Who are you? What do you want? Stay back or I'll shoot you!" Mr Dubh burst out even as his body retreated in fear.
The look of cold danger on the dragon's face deepened, "That's what I'm counting on." He said as he slowly continued moving forward.
Mr Dubh's hand shook so badly Hermione wondered if he might accidentally shoot himself. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, hysteria tinging his voice.
Hermione heard the tenebris one scoff, his features tightening to form a terrifying sneer. When he spoke, his voice was soft but mocking. "Why? Why? It's me who should be asking why! It's us who should be asking why. Why do this to us? You're a Muggle," he spat out, "I watched you when you came to see me in the laboratory. Your face would flinch in disgust at what was being done to us. And yet you continued to stand there- you continued to watch them torture us! Why?!"
Hermione gasped when a stream of blinding burning fire erupted in a jet like stream from the wizard's mouth. She flinched, raising her arms to unconsciously protect herself all the while watching Mr Dubh do the same as he cowered in the corner of the room, huddled on top of his bed.
The fire extinguished into blackened smoke and Hermione slowly lowered her arms, realising she wasn't the only one who had raised them in a bid to protect her body from the portrayed threat.
She heard Mr Dubh whimper before he began pleading for his life, mumbling out apology after apology.
"Please…please, don't hurt me. Please!"
The dragon walked over to him and with one clenched fist he pulled on the man's jacket until he was lifted cleanly off the cot.
"You do not know the meaning of the word hurt." The wizard growled out before unlocking his fingers.
Mr Dubh landed heavily on his knees in front of the wizard. No words were spoken for a few moments, the silence only being broken by the occasional muffled moan coming from Mr Dubh.
"You haven't answered me." The dragon stated.
Mr Dubh lifted his head, his frown and wild eyes showing his panicked confusion.
"…Why?" the tenebris one asked again.
"…M-money." The black haired man managed to choke out.
The dragon scoffed, "I know you did it for money." He spat out in a strained voice as he obviously struggling to remain calm. "I want to know why they did it."
The black haired man whimpered again before answering, "S-Science…Medicine. V-Vampire saliva stops b-bleeding. Wolves h-have a superior sense of smell. Veela- their wings….Y-You with your f-fire. Everything is coded by genes. You would change everything for the Muggle world. You're worth billions of pounds."
"And they decided that our lives were expendable!" the part dragon roared.
The second he unleashed his anger, fire burst free from his mouth. The streams of hot flames were much brighter than before and Hermione had to close her eyes to protect her sensitive eyes from the flares. Her exposed skin seared and stung with heat.
When Hermione thought it safe, she slowly re-opened her eyes, taking in the scene in front of her. The dragon was standing in the middle of the room, his eyes closed, fingers tightly clenched into fists at his side as he struggled to regulate his breathing, his nostrils flaring with every intake of breath.
Hermione found herself matching her breathing pattern with the dragon's in support.
She watched closely as he opened up his emerald gaze, took in one last deep breath before opening his mouth. Another stream of fire shot out and the wizard quickly closed his mouth, turning on his heel and walking to the opposite end of the room where he proceeded to punch the stone wall…repeatedly.
Hermione heard loud crack after loud crack and the Healer in her wanted to instantly soothe the pain he must be feeling. She watched with her breath held in her chest as the wizard's broad shoulders shook with strain as the man leaned his forehead onto the rough wall.
"I never wanted this." He whispered.
Hermione's breath was expelled in a soft whoosh when she heard those softly spoken words.
"I never wanted my life to turn out like this... I was going to do my time- then get out and start over. I would have had a life…a family that I would protect. Children that I would never let suffer like I did."
His words were interrupted with another punch to the wall before he spun around stalked back over to Mr Dubh. When he spoke, his words started with a whisper but grew ever louder. "I would have had a wife…but instead, you gave me a Mate I can't even talk to! A Mate who looked at me in the Ward with pity as she healed my broken body."
Hermione gasped as she realised who the dragon was talking about…There was only one other female on the medical staff who was currently "Mate-less"…Heather!
"A Mate whose flesh I nearly burnt to crisp when I tried to speak to her! A Mate whose skin I would blister if I touched her!"
Hermione's heart ached at the raw pain she heard in the wizard's voice.
"Because of you I have nothing…I am nothing!"
"Please…please, I'm sorry!"
"Your words are meaningless to me. Your snivelling apologies are worthless. Now stand." He commanded.
It took a few moments for Mr Dubh to comply and when he did so, he extended out his gun, his arm wobbling dangerously.
"Your downfall begins here."
Hermione had barely had enough time to register the ominous words in her ears before the dragon opened his mouth and waves upon waves of flames shot out across the room. In the middle of the burning heat, Hermione heard two loud bangs as the gun went off.
And then the memory disintegrated into a cloud of black smoke.
ooo
A ringing silence rang out in the Ward as every pair of eyes continued to watch the space where the memory had been playing. When it became clear that the recollection really had ended and they wouldn't be seeing more, all eyes looked away uncomfortably.
Hermione fell against her pillows, her mind racing with both questions and awful sadness and pity.
Dear Merlin, had the dragon just somehow committed suicide?
The silence was broken when the doors to the Ward were pushed open and an Auror took two stops into the room before coming to halt. Hermione flicked her gaze to Kingsley, in time to see the wizard nod his head once and the Auror took that as approval to step further into the Ward.
Kingsley moved to meet the man half way and Hermione watched curiously as the two exchanged whispers and two black files the Auror had been carrying importantly in his hands. Kingsley studied them both before he shook his head once at whatever he was reading and in the next second, he'd dismissed the Auror.
Hermione kept her gaze on the Head Auror as he walked back to the group. He didn't speak until the doors to the Ward were once again closed.
An eerie hush fell in the room and it was so suppressive that Hermione even stopped fiddling with the edge of the blanket covering her.
"The body of the tenebris one has been transported to St Mungo's to determine his official cause of death."
"-He's dead?" A vampire interjected.
"Shots like that shouldn't have killed him if they only injured me and Malfoy." James said as he nodded once in Malfoy's direction.
"That would be true if Mr Blackthorn was shot at an area of his body covered by his dragon scales…or if he hadn't purposefully manoeuvred his way into a position where the bullets had a direct hit to his heart."
"Mr Blackthorn?" Parvati questioned at exactly the same time as Hermione piped up, "Purposefully?"
Kingsley nodded at them both but he answered Hermione first. "From my first examination of the crime scene and Mr Dubh's memories, it seems evident that had Mr Blackthorn stayed in the same position, the two bullets would have only grazed his arm. Mr Dubh was firing blindly into the smoke, his aim was wildly off target."
A few faces twisted with hate, as if Kingsley was saying that the fact the man had been firing blindly made up for the fact that one of their own- their kin- was dead…whether he'd put himself in harm's way on purpose be damned.
Before anyone could voice their opinions, of which Hermione was sure there would be many, Kingsley opened one of the files in his hand and turned his head to Parvati.
"The tenebris one has just been identified as Mr Cole Blackthorn. Age thirty four. He was imprisoned from the age of twenty one for the murder of his father, Mr Damian Brecan."
Hermione's eyebrows rose at the information.
"Why did he murder his father?" Parvati questioned.
Kingsley's eyes skimmed down the file before his fingers twitched slightly at whatever information he'd just read.
It was a few moments before he spoke again, his tone steely when he did, "It is believed that Mr Brecan was sexually abusive to Mr Blackthorn from a young age. The records show Mr Blackthorn leaving home at the age of fifteen, after which he moved in with two other wizards who were in the same house as him at Durmstrang Institute. When he was twenty-one he tracked his father down and used the Unforgivable Curse on him."
Hermione gulped upon hearing the information and she couldn't help the tears that began to sting at her eyes.
"I would have had a life…a family that I would protect. Children that I would never let suffer like I did."
Cole's words spoke softly in her mind and she closed her eyes. She jolted when she felt Malfoy's fingers clench around hers in unspoken comfort- Merlin she hadn't realised she was still holding onto him. For a few moments her frazzled mind debated on whether she should let go… whether he wanted her to let go.
She loosened her fingers slightly and Malfoy's answering response of contracting his hold on her hand meant she immediately latched back onto him.
"How could he be sent to prison when that disgusting man had been abusing him since he was a child?" Padma demanded to know.
"Regardless of the consequences Miss Patil, Mr Blackthorn took the law into his own hands. He used an Unforgiveable Curse, a spell which when spoken carries a maximum sentence in Azkaban. The Wizengamot was lenient in this case however; Mr Blackthorn was sentenced to only fifteen years in Azkaban."
Something tugged at Hermione's mind and when she'd figured out what it was and quickly did up the Arithmetic, she gasped audibly, "He would have been free…"
All eyes turned her way but Hermione kept her gaze fixed on Kingsley's, "If he hadn't been taken he would have been freed in just over a year."
Kingsley nodded his head once in confirmation.
A tear dropped from the corner of Hermione's eye. The news of Cole's impending freedom made the horror of the situation all the more worse. She felt such sadness at the fact the wizard had felt so helpless he'd been driven to do something like this to himself.
She watched numbly as Kingsley closed Cole's file and shuffled to open the second. Hermione wasn't sure if she wanted to listen to anymore but the inquisitiveness in her couldn't help itself from forcing her to listen intently.
"Minutes after the shooting, Mr Dubh confessed that he isn't the pure Muggle he has been portraying... He is a Squib." Kingsley said calmly.
Hermione's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.
Kingsley continued, "Mr Dubh was born to a middle class Wizarding family in Ireland to his parents, a Miss Amelia Cullen and a Mr Jack Rosen, aged sixteen and seventeen respectively. He was given up for adoption at birth but spent his life at the Aingeal Orphanage when it became evident he had no magical ability. On his seventeenth birthday he left and joined the Muggle World after which the Ministry has no records of him…until today that is."
Hermione hated herself for the tingling of empathy she felt for the black haired man. He'd played such a crucial role in making sure the atrocities that were only just now being unearthed remained hidden from all knowledge. He'd been an accomplice in the torture of so many witches and wizards, Malfoy included, and yet she still felt sadness at what his life in the Wizarding World must have been like.
She knew first-hand what it was like being a second class citizen in the Wizarding World and she felt a connection with the man, no matter how much she wanted to refute it.
"What happens now?" Zabini asked in his perpetually neutral toned voice.
Kingsley turned to face the vampire. "As I stated a few minutes ago, the situation has escalated. Before today the charges against anyone apprehended in connection to the underground laboratories was kidnapping and torture, unfortunately now with Mr Blackthorn's death…it is murder."
All air left Hermione's lungs. Murder…
"But it was defence…" Parvati stated.
Her words got a harsh response of snarls and angry growls…even James looked more than his usual annoyed at her. Parvati handled the other looks with cool professionalism but she matched James's scowl with a sneer of disgust.
"Don't look at me like that Rosier. We all just saw the evidence first hand. Mr Blackthorn was purposefully goading Mr Dubh with all that fire. For Merlin's sake he even stated that he was counting on the Muggle shooting him!"
Hermione agreed but kept silent. Kingsley spoke before James could lash back.
"Despite your words being true, Mr Dubh can still be tried for complicity to murder. As can all the others apprehended."
Parvati quietened. There was no doubt about the truth behind Kingsley's words.
"He's guilty." A Vampire stated simply.
"For once, I actually agree with a vampire." A werewolf growled out. "The black haired bastard stood by, watching behind the safety of those with wands as they tortured us. He's guilty."
The finality of the sentencing in the wolf's tone caused Hermione to shift uncomfortably. "Has Mr Dubh said anything else? Maybe about whom he was working for?"
Kingsley shook his head. "The man is still in shock. He has also suffered burns on his face and arms which he is currently receiving medical attention for. Once he has been cleared by the Healers, I will conduct his interview at the safe house personally."
"So what happens in the mean time?" Parvati asked.
"Nothing. We will be containing the incident. If the current situation were to reach the ears of the remainder of the Wizarding World, or even the other tenebris ones, any hope of the two species living side by side may be lost. Nothing I have spoken in this room is to be repeated to anyone not currently present."
There were general nods of agreement.
"Have you found out who the breach in security was?" Padma asked.
"My first priority now is seeing to the situation with Mr Dubh. I will be handing over investigations into the breach in security to three trusted Auror's who have so far not been involved with setting up the security for the Manor. They will be carrying out interviews with every staff member, Auror or otherwise, over the next few days."
"Am I not right in assuming that the Aurors took Unbreakable Vows to keep anything to do with the tenebris one's a secret just like we did?" Healer Johnson asked, gesturing both to Healer Bentley and Hermione and Padma.
Hermione jerked her head in Kingsley's direction- she too had made the same assumption. She was shocked when Kingsley shook his head, "All Aurors make a Vow when joining the department that they will do everything in their upmost power, training and magic to protect the Wizarding World."
"And we as Healers made the same Vow to Merlin that we would do everything in our power, training and magic to protect every patient under our care." Healer Bentley blustered out in an affronted tone.
Kingsley was saved from answering when the doors to the Ward opened once again. The same Auror that had stepped in previously did so again and Kingsley motioned for him to speak.
The Auror cleared his throat, "The Healers have cleared Mr Dubh for questioning Auror Shacklebolt."
Kingsley nodded his head once before he turned back to the other members of the meeting, "I am afraid this meeting will have to end here," he stated before glancing between Zabini and James, "I will update the both of you in regards to the situation once I have carried out my interview with Mr Dubh."
Zabini nodded once, his face still blank whilst James nodded stiltedly, his jaw clenching making it obvious he was grinding his teeth together.
As Kingsley walked away from them, Hermione watched the remainder of the occupants of the Ward begin to filter back in. Her eyes caught on familiar lime green robes and her breath hitched in her throat as Heather caught her eye and gave her a small smile which Hermione forced herself to return.
The nurse carried on with her duties, carefully settling in a recently rescued werewolf and Hermione couldn't help wondering…
Did the witch feel different? Did she sense that something had changed? Hermione knew that logically, there was nothing stopping the women from going on with her life- falling in love, getting married and having children- but did she know…deep down… that her Mate- her other half- had just committed suicide?
The thought soured Hermione's mouth. The only thing that grounded her and kept the nausea at bay was Malfoy's thumb absently stroking over the skin on the back of her hand.
Hermione concentrated on the motion and allowed the strokes to lull her back to sleep.
Author's Note: So I'm back! I know this update took longer than I'd planned or you'd hoped but I did have a good reason! I burnt the pads of my fingers testing out this new fancy steam iron I bought my mother. Unfortunately the burns made it impossible to type (I even had to take time off work since my fingers were all bandaged up) but the pain has faded to numbness now so I thought I'd take the bandages off and let the skin breathe a little! So apologies for not responding to any reviews or PM's you sent me! But as you can now see- I'm still alive!
In other news, I had the most amazing holiday! I officially want to move to Singapore and all you Perthians who made out your hometown to be the worst place to visit in Australia are too hard on your city! There's so much to see in the surrounding area- I managed to pack in loads in the short time I was there! It was amazing!
In my second bit of news- I passed my Master's degree with distinction! Yay! I know it seems cheesy but all that hard work did eventually pay off which I'm happy about! Thank God!
Back to the world of Harry Potter, if you haven't already read my author's note at the end of Meus Contraho (Chapter 52) please do so and consider donating to the cause (you'll get to see the continuation of the Drunken Stupor Trilogy if you do!).
I think that's all for now- as always, thank you so much to everyone who's read and reviewed the fic so far. Until next time, Curiositykils!