A/N: Hey guys, so here's another chapter for you. I would have had it posted already but my computer went on a funny one, all good now though. So hopefully you like it. It's getting harder and harder to write now because I do have so much on at the moment but I won't give up on it.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.


Trouble in the Sweet Shop

Chapter 26


Hermione had apparated them to the safest place she could think of, somewhere Blaise could not step foot in. The wards on her own home were down to him and she wouldn't have enough time to raise the security, should he follow them. They had landed in the kitchen of the Burrow, or rather they had crashed in the kitchen of the Burrow, smashing everything in their path.

Within seconds of the crash, the door to the lounge had swung open to reveal the two figures of Mr and Mrs Weasley, staring down at the heap of people on the floor. A small scared boy was peering out from behind them, his eyes wide with fear, immediately they softened as he realised what or who had just crashed into the house and he pushed passed the Weasley couple and into the arms of his daddy.

"Hey little man!" It pained Draco, but he managed to wrap his arms around his son and hold on tight. He hid his head in his sons hair, but Hermione noticed he shook a little; he was crying. Nothing could ever break the bond between this father and son, they were inseparable. Draco pulled back to look at his child, expecting to see the cheeky smile his son always had, however Scorpious was crying.

"What's up Scorp?"

"You're hurt, you're hurt really bad and I was scared you wasn't coming back, I thought I was bad and you wasn't coming home." The small boy wept in his father's arms.

"Oh Scorp, you could never be bad, and I'm not hurt that badly. I'll be better again soon." Draco looked at his wife who was sitting and watching her family, so many things were going through her head right now. Once Scorpious had calmed down she had to take Draco to St Mungo's and go to the Ministry about Blaise. He was probably out there somewhere looking for them, there was something different about him, something making him do this because she could see the fear in his eyes. She also needed to go home and and place more wards around her home. All of these thoughts came at once and she still hadn't got the chance to even say hello to Draco.

Within minutes Draco had calmed Scorpious down, he was currently sitting in his mother's arms sucking his thumb. Tear tracks down his face.

"Ok so we should probably go to the Ministry and tell Harry and Ron what's going on and we need to take Draco to St Mungo's..."

"Hermione calm down, you take Draco to St. Mungo's and we'll go to the ministry. Once everything is OK with Draco, we'll meet up and decide what's next. Look You take Scorpious, he needs to be with both of you now, I will owl you as soon as I know what's going on OK?" Ginny was the only logical thinker at the minute, once she had gotten Hermione to agree, she immediately went to her destination. It had been almost 20 minutes since they had gotten out of Blaise's and she was very aware that as every minute passed by they could be losing time to get Blaise and figure all of this out.


"Good, he deserves a good beating." Ron was met with a quick slap to the head by his mother. This was his reaction to Draco being attacked by Blaise.

"Ronald, you stop that now. Nobody deserves that."

"I'm not going to pretend to feel sorry that he got what he deserved. You all seem to forget that Malfoy was the enemy, he is a death eater, who brainwashed Hermione and she deserves better." Ginny just sat there, snarling at him, she just couldn't believe he had the audacity to say this.

"Just let it go Ron and get over it. You really are being ridiculous now. We need your help, it is your job. Harry?" Harry stood there thinking over everything, he did feel betrayed by Hermione and the Weasleys but he was devoted to his job. He had been fighting the dark side since he was a child and he lived to rid the world of danger. He didn't want anyone to ever live like he had, this made him the more rational thinker of the pair.

"OK, let's make some notes, get all the points together and go from there." Ginny grinned and Harry smiled briefly not looking at Ron, but turning to get a clear file and sitting down at the desk with quill in hand.

"HARRY?"

"Ron, Ginny is right, we have to forget everything that has happened, at least for now. It doesn't matter who is in trouble, what matters is that we are Aurors, the only ones in the office at the minute. We can't pass this case because we hate the victim. We have to just suck it up and get on with it. It is our responsibility to help anybody, that includes Malfoy."

"You can do what you want but I can't stay...I just can't" Ron left the room, leaving Ginny giving details to Harry.

"Don't worry, he hasn't got a choice. He's my partner, whatever case I do, he has to do. Regardless of whether he wants to or not." Ginny nodded.

"But I will need to take individual statements and talk to Hermione and Malfoy."

"They're at St. Mungos. Draco's pretty beaten up and they just want to check him out, make sure he's OK."

"OK so I'll need to speak to Ginny first and get the basic story before I go and check everything out. Then I'll have to go and see Hermione. Ideally I'd make Ron go but he seems reluctant already so I'll just leave him for today. I'll talk to him later about it." Mr and Mrs Weasley began to exit the room, they smiled encouragingly to Ginny who at that moment looked like the small frightened girl being interrogated. Yes, she was used to talking to Harry but she hated doing anything like this, what if she got something wrong? What if she got in trouble because she interfered? She wanted to help Hermione but didn't want to cause any problems for her, she didn't need this right now.


Hermione was waiting with her young son in the waiting room at St Mungos. She was watching Scorpious play games, he had calmed down and didn't really understand what was happening or where he was right now but he was having fun playing. She couldn't help but smile and remember her own childhood, no matter how big the problem or how much she had been upset, playing games always calmed her and made her forget what she always worried about. It seemed Scorpious had taken this same trait. The boy was only 4 and yet his personality was already so complex; when Draco was missing, Hermione had only told him he was busy but somehow the young boy worried he had done something bad and made Draco leave. This was what made Hermione think, he seemed so innocent and care-free yet Hermione could see her little boy thinking for himself and growing up. Before she would know he would be going to Hogwarts. It scared her a little knowing how fast the past 5 years had been for her and how she wished she could just freeze time or at least slow it down. For now, she could only treasure her time with her little family.

She was shaken from her thoughts by Draco exiting the room with the healer, he shook his hand and Hermione acknowledged her work-mate as he said something to Draco and walked away.

"Every thing's fine." Hermione hugged her husband tight, she let out the breath she was holding and some of the stress from today sailed away. She pulled back and smiled at her husband, kissing him tenderly on the lips, he took her hand and sat back down in the waiting room to explain everything.

"They didn't heal anything because once I explained what had happened they wanted the Aurors to take a look at the damage, so they just made sure nothing was infected and tested my head, to make sure there was no lasting damage from the cruciatus curse."Hermione gripped his hand tighter and nodded, being a healer herself, she saw the damage the cruciatus curse could do, even being cursed once could affect someone for the rest of their life so she felt so happy and lucky knowing that everything was OK. Once she felt ready to face the next step, she stood, fingers still linked with her husband and called to their little boy. He ran over and was hoisted in the air by his dad, he was give something to perk him up and give him a little more strength. The family entered the fire and flooed back to the Burrow.


Back at the Ministry, Harry was preparing to leave with the Weasley's. They had owled Hermione to let her know what was happening, they were heading to the Burrow to talk to Hermione and Draco and get their sides of the story. Harry had packed his case files away to take with him, he had notified Ron about what was happening and that for today Harry would deal with it but first thing tomorrow, Ron would be brought up to scratch and would help out on the case because that was his duty. He reluctantly agreed.

Harry was in the Atrium, ready to depart. He was just waiting for Ginny and Mr and Mrs Weasley to check out and have their wands returned to them. Each member of the public upon entering the Ministry, had to check in their wands unless they were a member of staff, who would have to present their official Ministry Staff Identity card.

"POTTER!"

Harry turned to see his head of department, jogging towards him. He had just told him he would be heading out on a new case and that Ron was still in office, should he need anything.

"Sir?"

"Potter, you're working on the Malfoy case right?"

"Yes sir" He had reached Harry who had motioned for the Weasley's to stay put whilst he talk in private with his boss.

"I think you should follow me." He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head in the direction he was about to head. Harry nodded and quickly went to the Weasley's, letting them know they should carry on and keep Hermione and Draco at the Burrow, until he could arrive. Quickly turning on his heels, he caught up to his boss and followed him swiftly, upon reaching his department and into the office he saw two Aurors standing either side of a man with his head hung. Their wands were pointed at him but he seemed like he wasn't going to put up any sort of fight soon.

"Zabini?"


A/N: Ok so trying to keep you all in suspense a little longer but I'm only doing 19 hours at work this week so some serious writing is going on. Hopefully I'll upload again pretty soon, I'll do my best anyway. Once again thank you so much for all of the support and for just reading and sticking with this story, I know I say it a lot but I really appreciate it and I love reading my reviews so thank you.

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