MrsMalfoy: Thank you, you're so kind :)

Chapter Twelve

The Department of Mysteries

"I have a lot of questions," Hermione murmured in a deep voice.

"And you know I can't answer you. In fact, I won't be able to talk to you about what you're going to hear... but I can listen to your opinion," he replied, smiling towards where her voice sounded from.

The orb glowed in his hands and the voice of their former Divination teacher echoed down the corridor. The two remained silent until the prophecy ended, and Draco put the orb back in its place.

"This... this is serious," Hermione said quietly.

"I know."

"Do you think what happened to Pansy is related?"

Draco glanced over to where he thought Hermione was, raising an eyebrow.

"I know you think it is. Three years... that coincides with..."

"With the Quidditch Cup final, yes."

Hermione walked over to him and caught one of his hands, interlacing their fingers. Draco could tell she was shaking.

"Do you think they're going to murder every pureblood there on that day?" Hermione asked in a whisper.

Draco sighed and she knew what he would answer if he could.

"You have to go, Hermione. More Unspeakables will be here soon and they may discover you."

She swallowed and Draco started walking without letting go of her hand, heading for the same door they had entered.

"I wrote to Blaise last night, asking him to come in slowly so you can leave at the same time. He's going to be here in just a minute. I'll open this door for you, wait for him to open the one leading to the corridor and get out of here as quickly as possible."

"I'll see you later," Hermione whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

Draco looked both ways, making sure they were alone, and kissed her forehead. He was surprised to feel that the cloak was icy cold to the touch, even though she was underneath it.

"Be careful," he murmured, opening the door.

He and Hermione stepped out into the hall. Draco approached the guards to ask if Kate had arrived and she walked down the hall to the black door at the end, standing to one side. It didn't take long for it to open and she saw the tall figure of Blaise. She stepped out at full speed and brushed his hand, letting him know she was there. Blaise glanced back, winking, and stepped into the dark hall.

When the door closed, Hermione ran towards the lifts and got into the first one that came up empty. She took off the cloak and stuffed it into her purple beaded handbag, which still had the undetectable extension charm on it. She waved to the two witches who got in on the seventh floor and, when the lift announced that they were on the first floor, she got off in the direction of her office, her heart pounding.

Hermione stopped walking when she saw that, next to her door, there was another very similar that wasn't there before. She shook her head and entered her office, her mouth agape when she saw that the door that connected it to the Minister's office had disappeared.

She went back out into the corridor and knocked twice on the new door.

"Come in."

Hermione opened the door and stared at Arthur with surprised eyes. He was sitting at his desk, reading The Prophet while sipping a cup of coffee.

"What happened?" she asked in confusion.

Arthur looked up from the paper and gave her a small smile.

"I think my secretary needs to have an office of her own, so I asked Magical Maintenance to move my door a few days ago. I won't have to invade your space every time I need to go out."

Hermione blinked several times.

"But... but why?"

Arthur sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"A lot of your friends come to visit you, especially Malfoy. The other day I was on my way out and I saw that he was... kissing you, so I thought this change was a good idea. I'll knock before I go in, I promise," he said, smiling as he saw her face turn redder with every word.

"Oh, God... I'm so sorry, Arthur. He doesn't kiss me in public places, I..."

Mr. Weasley held up a hand to stop her.

"Don't apologise, I've been young and in love too. Would you mind taking this up to the Department of Sport and Magic Games? Oh, and when you're done with the portkeys you can take it straight to the office on the sixth floor, I'm not going to check it. Everything you do is always perfect, Hermione."

She was still blushing and speechless. She nodded and picked up the folder the minister had pointed to, biting her lower lip and looking him in the eye again.

"It's all right, Hermione. Don't worry," he assured her.

She nodded again and left the office, closing the door. Then she noticed that there were now two plaques instead of one. Arthur Weasley's name was next to the door she had just closed and hers could be seen next to the other door, on a new gold plaque.

Hermione sighed, feeling very embarrassed. She made her way to the lifts and pressed the button for the seventh floor, wishing she'd run into something dangerous when she reached the chaotic Sports Department and end her suffering for good. She rolled her eyes at the thought that she was becoming as dramatic as her boyfriend.

Bloody Draco Malfoy and his intoxicating kisses. Surely he wasn't going to be amused to know that Mr. Weasley had seen them that day, when he'd lost his mind when he saw her dark lips.

Hermione noticed that feeling in the back of her head, the same she got when someone was watching her.

She looked up to find Draco leaning against her door frame. His arms and ankles were crossed, and he had his typical smirk on his lips.

"It only took you twenty seconds today. You're getting better at this."

Hermione grimaced and closed the book about Magical Laws she was reading. Draco walked over to her and frowned as he glanced to the left.

"What about the door to the Minister's office?"

She waved her wand, tucking all the files on her desk into the folders.

"It's outside."

They both stepped out into the corridor and Hermione sealed her door with magic, so that no one could open it while she was gone. She had several cases about the Death Eaters in Azkaban in her office and all that information was top secret.

Draco interlocked their hands and they entered one of the lifts together.

"Why did they move it?"

Hermione sighed and looked into his eyes. She took advantage of the fact that they were alone to tell him.

"Arthur saw us the other day, when you... and that's why he asked for the door to be moved, so that I could have my own office," she said.

Draco was silent for a moment, but then a smile spread across his face. He leaned over her, brushing his lips against hers.

"If I had known, I would have done it sooner."

Hermione couldn't help but smile and kiss him back. When they stepped out into the Atrium, they were still laughing.

"I thought you weren't going to like that he'd seen you being so affectionate with me."

He shrugged as they entered one of the fireplaces, green flames licking at their skin. They appeared at the Leaky Cauldron and decided to stay for lunch in Diagon Alley.

"I'll be visiting you more from now on. I'll finally be able to do a lot of things to you in that office."

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head, squeezing his hand. Draco was still the same as when they first started dating, and he still made her feel butterflies in her stomach constantly.

He held the door to one of the pubs on the high street and raised his eyebrows in her direction. She grinned, leaving a caress on his cheek before stepping through.

They sat at his favourite table, the one furthest from the door, and she threw a muffliato on the table as soon as they ordered their food.

"I'd never have guessed you were such a gentleman, Draco. It still surprises me."

"I always have been, but only to those who deserved it. Ask Pansy," he replied, arching an eyebrow and giving her a mocking look.

"Were you only like that with her?"

"With Slytherin girls in general, except with the most annoying ones."

"The rest of us weren't worthy of seeing your good manners?"

"Exactly."

Hermione snorted, taking a swig of her butterbeer.

"I couldn't be nice to you, I had to hate you... Remember? You and all the blood traitors," Draco added quietly.

"Well, I'm glad I'm worthy now."

Draco rolled his eyes and shifted his chair, sitting closer to her.

"I'm the one who's not worthy," he whispered, lifting her chin with one hand and pressing their lips together.

She smiled and brushed his fringe away from his grey eyes with one hand, blushing.

"Do you always have to be so dramatic?"

Draco smiled back at her, but didn't answer. When the waiter dropped off their food, Hermione leaned towards him.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about that prophecy before."

"You know I can't, and besides, it was only going to worry you."

"And why did you do it now? Because of Pansy?"

Draco nodded as he chewed.

"So you think there's going to be an attack in the Quidditch final?"

Draco glanced at her wordlessly, poking another carrot.

"Who could be behind all this?"

"I can't tell you."

"That bit about love and hate? Do you think it means us?"

"I can't."

"Is there anything you can tell me?" Hermione asked, dropping her fork on her plate in frustration.

Draco put down the cutlery and placed one of his hands on her neck, resting it on the back of her head and tangling his fingers in her curls.

"I love your scent, your eyes, your mouth..." he whispered, running his thumb over her bottom lip.

Hermione felt her breath catch.

"And I love you, Hermione," he added, moving closer until he caught her lips with his.

Hermione closed her eyes and enjoyed the kiss, which was much shorter than she would have liked.

"I know you can guess what I would answer to your questions. You know me quite well and you're as smart as I am," Draco said as he moved away from her.

"I'm smarter than you," she protested quietly, still stunned by his words.

Draco took a large gulp of water and turned his attention back to his food, chuckling.

"I am," Hermione insisted, nudging him.

"I'll never accept that, no matter how much you say it," he replied, giving her a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes, sighing.

"I should have written the prophecy as soon as I got to the office. Now I don't know if I'm going to remember it all."

"That's why we have a pensieve in Malfoy Manor."

She looked up, widening her eyes in surprise.

"Really? Where?"

"It's in a passageway, behind a wall in the library."

"And your father will let me use it?"

Draco curved his lips and cocked his head to one side, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Let's see if he dares to stop you."

Hermione made a face and poked at the last of her lasagne, popping it into her mouth.

"This weekend we'll have lunch with them, and then I'll show you the pensieve."

"All right... but I don't want you to argue with your father."

"I won't, but if he says something I don't like I won't stay quiet."

Hermione pulled a small purse out of her beaded handbag and left a handful of Galleons on the table.

"Do you have the cloak in there?" he asked in a whisper.

She nodded and they both got up and left the pub. On the way to the Leaky Cauldron, several wizards gave Draco dirty looks.

"Scum," one of them muttered as they passed by.

Draco snorted.

"Very original," he replied, taking one of her hands and glancing back, detecting the man's dark eyes still on him.

Hermione picked up her pace and the two of them headed back to the Ministry. Draco got into the same lift as her and escorted her to the first floor, leaving a quick kiss on her lips before she got off.

"See you tonight," she said, watching the golden grilles close.

Draco nodded and the lift descended again, but he got off at the eighth floor. He crossed the Atrium and, checking that no one was watching him, stepped into one of the fireplaces.

"St. Mungo's."

Green flames engulfed him and a few seconds later he appeared in the hospital reception area. He walked quietly to the information desk and drummed his fingers on it, drawing the attention of the woman behind the counter.

"Mr. Malfoy! Here again?"

"I like to use my free time to visit my favourite teacher," he replied, curving one corner of his lips.

"And he loves visitors, it's a pity he can't remember anyone. He'll be where he always is. If you can't find him, ask the healers. Third floor, room 49."

Draco nodded and started walking down one of the corridors, towards the stairs. They were all decorated with portraits of famous healers and lit by crystal bubbles floating up on the ceiling, full of candles. It always reminded him a little of the Great Hall and its floating candles.

He nodded to all the healers he encountered. Most responded in kind, though a couple of young women blushed at the sight of him and started to whisper. Draco ignored them and continued up the stairs, until he reached the third floor.

On that floor all the doors were made of glass and he could see the patients inside the rooms. He walked down the corridor to the end, opening the door to room 49. Three familiar faces turned their heads as he entered.

His jaw clenched as he saw Neville's parents sitting on one of the sofas. The man had a blank stare and he had never seen him speak, but the woman did look at him every time he went there. Alice Longbottom fixed her brown eyes on him, smiling sheepishly.

Draco walked over to her and pulled a lemon candy out of his pocket, handing it to her. Alice's face lit up and she accepted the gift, opening the candy and putting the paper in her pocket.

"Thank you."

He nodded and walked away towards one of the windows, where the figure of his old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher stood.

"You! Do you want another autograph?" asked Gilderoy Lockhart, smiling.

"Of course, Professor."

"I've got the photos in my place. Come with me," he said cheerfully, leaving the room.

Draco glanced sideways at the healer standing there and she gave him a smile.

"He's been more cheerful since you started visiting, and Alice loves it when you bring her sweets. You're a good man."

Draco arched both eyebrows, wondering if that woman would think the same if she knew what he was doing. He said goodbye to her and followed Gilderoy, who was waiting for him at the door to his room.

"How many do you want today? Five? Ten? You can share them with your friends."

"Five is fine," Draco agreed, closing the door.

He pulled out his wand and cast a muffliato, a locking spell and a blinding one so that no one could see what was going on from outside the room. Anyone passing by would think it was empty.

Draco took several steps towards Gilderoy, who was sitting at a small desk signing pictures of his face. He grimaced as he saw the typical fake smile the professor always wore during his year at Hogwarts, and sat down across from him.

"I've actually come here for another reason, Professor."

"What for?" Gilderoy asked, raising his quill and looking him in the eye.

"To continue my little experiment," Draco replied, pointing his wand at him.

Gilderoy smiled and continued writing. Luckily for Draco, he didn't understand anything and couldn't remember their encounters.

"Silencius."

Gilderoy glanced up and opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"Incarcerous."

Ropes wrapped around his body and bound him to the chair, but Gilderoy was still smiling.

"I'm sorry, Professor. But it's the only way," Draco muttered, raising his wand and pointing at his head.

"Legilimens."