Author's Note: First and Foremost, HUGE special thank you to my beta TigerAndDaisy and her partner. They seriously helped me a lot with this chapter and I always appreciate it! :)
Another announcement: Though my mom has been doing better since her stroke, I am now going back home tomorrow. My brother is coming to take over care so that I can return to my house and my life. Because I have been preparing to leave tomorrow, I have not written anymore of this story (though I have everything pretty much plotted). I am making no promises about chapter 34, but will try my best to get it written and posted Friday 12/10/2021.
Final announcement: I am also working on a side story which follows Narcissa's point of view: Acta Non Verba. The story is Latin for "Actions, not Words". I am planning on having that story posted to FF soon. If you would like to read the Prologue right, it is posted on AO3.
Finally, thank you everyone who has followed this story and continues to read, review, and favorite. I really appreciate all your support :) Without further ado, please enjoy this chapter.
They say time can stop when you reach a fork in your life path. The roads before you branch off in opposite directions, but you never really know the destination until you pick one and start walking.
Draco found himself at such a metaphorical path two days before the train was set to leave for Kings Cross Station in the summer of 1995. Since his first year and his sorting into the House of Lions, he always knew he would eventually have to make a choice, and it seemed the time had finally come upon him.
He could return home like normal and find himself enslaved to the blood purity politics down one road. In doing so, Draco would be trapped and forced into service of his father's Lord and Master. Down the other, he would live a dangerous life as a traitor, possibly never being allowed to see his mother again so long as she remained bound to Lucius. But with this one, he would be staying as true to himself as possible and be with the friends he had come to care dearly for. More importantly, Draco would be with the girl he had fallen in love with.
And his clever witch, who just so happened to be his best friend and secret girlfriend, always had a plan.
Living with the Grangers was strange, to say the least. It had only been two weeks since he walked off the Hogwarts Express with Hermione and rode home with her and her parents from Kings Cross Station. Yet, he didn't regret his decision. After finally releasing Rita Skeeter back into the world, Hermione cast a temporary glamour on him, making it easier for them to sneak out of the busy station and into the muggle contraption she called a car. The experience was… well, let's just say Draco never wanted to ride in a muggle car ever again.
How Hermione convinced her parents to let him stay with them for the summer was beyond him. Her mother, Kathryn Granger, was such a wonderful and sweet woman. She was witty like Hermione and shared the same kind eyes as her daughter. Her father, Robert Granger, was a different story. While he wasn't as open as his wife, he clearly was brilliant, and it was evident by the short, thick curly hair on his head that he was the one Hermione inherited her curls from.
Robert did not take kindly to learning that Hermione had a boyfriend, especially after Draco accidentally blew up their microwave.
"What is this device above the oven?" Draco asked the second day there.
"Oh, it's a microwave," Hermione said flippantly, momentarily forgetting that Draco did not grow up with muggle kitchen appliances.
He stared at Hermione for a moment, not understanding what the muggle device did or its purpose in the kitchen. Hermione looked up from the task she was doing to see the confusion on Draco's face.
"Ah, it's a… machine that heats food," Hermione tried to explain.
"You mean like a smaller oven? But why do muggles need two ovens?" Draco inquired as he started pushing the different buttons, amused by the different tones each button chimed.
Hermione tried to hide the smile behind her hand before schooling her composure, "It's not exactly like an oven. It uses vibrations known as microwaves to reheat or heat food. It's faster than an oven as well. Here. I'll show you."
After Hermione reset what Draco had pushed, she showed him how to set the cook time and start the machine properly. Draco thought he understood how it worked until he tried to heat one of those frozen meals from the icebox himself. He accidentally set the timer too high and forgot to remove the foil covering the packaging, causing the microwave to completely explode all over the kitchen.
Hermione and Kathryn just blinked at Draco while Robert griped about the careless mess the boy had made. The damage wasn't too bad until Draco tried to use Robert's toolbox from the garage, thus making the microwave unsalvageable.
He apologized profusely and even offered to convert the few gallons he had left to muggle money so that he could have it replaced, but Kathryn refused and insisted it wasn't the first time a mishap had occurred in this house. She told Draco some stories of Hermione's accidental magic while she and Robert removed what was left of the microwave. They went that weekend to buy a new one while Hermione took him clothes shopping in a muggle department store for the first time. Kathryn had given the teenagers a budget and told her daughter to get Draco a variety of shirts, shorts, denims, socks, and shoes. If he was going to survive in the muggle world then he was going to have to dress like one and learn how to blend in. Hermione kept him very organized and was patient with Draco as he tried on different styles to see what he liked. Had it been up to her, though, she probably would have spent all their money on the denims because Draco just looked so bloody fit in them!
The only one that ever questioned Draco's presence in the house was Robert. The muggle man thought it was odd that the young lad couldn't return to his own home. So, when Robert tried to bring it up on occasion at the dinner table, Hermione would vehemently defend Draco and almost demand her father to drop the subject. Draco suspected Kathryn had assured Robert many times that he was a good friend first and that they had always told Hermione if any of her friends were in trouble that they were more than welcome to stay.
While continuing to live in the muggle world was a bit of an adjustment, Draco was plagued by nightmares causing him to barely sleep at night. Though the pull-out couch proved to be somewhat uncomfortable, he mostly would lie awake, hoping to find complete exhaustion and escape the terrors in the back of his mind. The fear of his family seeing him, finding Hermione; fear of what the rise of the Dark Lord would bring; fear that her parents would disapprove once they found out who his family was and where he came from; fear for his mother's life and what would become of her because of his decisions. After spending more hours awake, he finally felt like he had just rolled over to get some rest when he heard quiet steps coming down the stairs.
"I'm going to start breakfast. Your father has a root canal scheduled at 8:30 this morning. Did you want to help?" Kathryn asked Hermione, he presumed. Draco mentally surmised that she was speaking about something that had to do with their profession. On his first day with the Grangers, he finally learned what went into being healers of the teeth. Dentist, as her parents referred to themselves.
"Sure, Mum…" Hermione mumbled sleepily.
"Great, why don't you get the eggs and milk out. I'll grab the skillet and the flour," Kathryn directed.
"You should start the coffee pot first," he heard Hermione groan through the rattle of cabinets being opened. The comment made Draco smirk to himself. His clever witch was never a morning person, always preferring the strong taste of the rich, dark liquid to the weak leaves brewed in tea.
After a few minutes of kitchen noise, Draco heard the conversation resume with Kathryn trying to ask her daughter a particularly interesting question.
"So, Draco…" Kathryn trailed off as she began whisking the eggs.
"Mum…" Hermione's tone gave a hint to a warning. "Did you wake me up to interrogate me? If so, I'm going back to bed."
"No, no. I just want to talk, dear. I know you've told me that Draco is probably the dearest and closest friend you have ever had. I was just curious to learn how it evolved," Kathryn explained politely.
"Draco was the first friend I ever had. He was so nice to me on the train, and then when we got sorted into the same house, we were always pairing up because no one would be his partner." Hermione took a pause. He knew she wasn't admitting that no one wanted to partner with her either, whether because she was too intelligent or for her blood status. Prejudice existed in all houses, even their own. Eventually, she continued, "We spent so much of our free time together. Draco grew up in the Wizarding World, so he kind of took it upon himself to show me things and help me when I was struggling to grasp reality."
"He helped you manage your panic attacks," Kathryn stated. Her voice had a knowing edge to it.
He imagined Hermione nodding in confirmation when she went on, "Draco has it really tough in school, mum. People outside our house are… wary of him, and as a result, people can be cruel to him. Not that they aren't mean to me, but they just… really hate him, and Draco just has so much strength and courage for being able to face down that adversity. I admire him for it."
He felt pride and affection swell in his chest at hearing Hermione saying she admired him. Before he could overthink it, her mother asked, "Why do the students bully Draco? Is it because they are intimidated by his intelligence?"
Hermione chuckled wryly, "If it were only that simple."
Draco heard the sudden clatter of a dropped utensil when he heard Kathryn's voice become very sad, "Hermione. You can tell me anything. I may not understand wizarding society, but I can listen and try my best to help. I am still your mother."
"Well, as I said, Draco grew up in the Wizarding world. He comes from a very old family who can trace their lineage back for centuries."
"So, aristocrats? Doesn't explain why my daughter's fancy wizard boyfriend has been sleeping on our couch for the past two weeks," Kathryn stated bluntly.
"There's this political movement that witches and wizards who are not from traditional wizarding families should not be allowed into the community. A traditional family is often a pureblood, which is what they are called when being referred by their blood status. There are two other designations; Half-bloods are those who have one magical parent and one muggle parent, and then there are people like me who are muggleborn with no magical parents. They call…." Hermione cleared her throat, "They call people like me mudbloods because our blood is dirty. They think we shouldn't be allowed to learn and live with the magic. Draco's father is a supporter of that movement. He would never approve of someone like me dating his son," Hermione explained.
There. She said it. She ripped the muggle band-aid off and told her mother the truth. That he is from a line of bigots and radicals. Draco tensed, waiting for Kathryn's response, waiting for her to kick him out for being related to people who wanted to hurt and kill her daughter.
"That's quite discriminatory. How serious is this movement?" Kathryn asked.
"It's pretty serious now since the leader of it has returned. And the Ministry has taken the stance of denying it," Hermione provided vaguely, not wanting to go into details about Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Not to mention, Fudge had been making an absolute ass of himself by refuting Dumbledore's and Harry's claims about what happened with the Triwizard Tournament. In the end, Barty Crouch Junior had been returned to Azkaban and was set to receive the dementor's kiss any day now. After being interrogated by the Aurors, Ludo Bagman admitted to helping Junior with the plot to kidnap and pose as Alastor Moody but denied all claims that the Dark Lord had risen. Bagman lost his position within the Ministry and was sentenced to Azkaban for 10 years on conspiracy and kidnapping charges. It was quite the scandal, but more importantly, the incident and trial kept Rita's quill entertained as she wrote sensationalized article after article on Bagman's fall from grace. Though they released her on the condition that she stop writing articles about the golden quartet, he wouldn't put it past Rita's conniving nature to find a way around their blackmail.
"I see. That's a shame," Kathryn responded.
"I didn't want to tell you. I was afraid you and dad would be worried, and I didn't want you to stop me from returning to school. I have to keep learning, Mum," Hermione pleaded.
"Sweetheart, I understand." There was a moment of silence in which Draco imagined Kathryn either hugging Hermione or giving her an empathetic look when she finally spoke again, "I think it might be best if we did not tell your father. He wouldn't be able to handle all this… newfound information."
"I completely agree," Hermione paused again before asking her mother what she had been dreading, "You aren't going to kick Draco out, are you?"
"Does he believe the things his family does? About the muggleborns and the half-borns?" Kathryn asked.
"Half-blood, and absolutely not! Mum… I thought that would be obvious by the fact that one, he's dating me, and, two, he asked to stay with me and not return home. He's terrified of what will happen to him if he does," Hermione defended.
"Then he can stay until you need to return to school. However, your father is not exactly thrilled with a boy staying on his couch, especially after destroying the poor microwave."
"Mum…"
"I know. I know it's not his fault, and we aren't mad at him. Well, Robert is still a little… perturbed, but perhaps you could contact Harry or Ron and ask them if he could stay with one of them?" Kathryn gently nudged.
Draco could just picture the contemplative look his clever witch was possibly adorning as she mulled over her mother's request when he was startled by Kathryn continuing. "It's not that we don't like Draco. He is a bit odd to us, as I am sure we are odd to him… but you do know you normally don't bring your boyfriend home for the first time as a refugee, right?"
Hermione laughed loudly at her mother's joke, "I know. I just… I had to protect him, Mum. I care about him a great deal."
"I can see why. Draco is quite handsome," Kathryn said coyly.
"Mum!" Hermione replied, clearly embarrassed by the teasing tone of her mother.
"It was just an observation. Besides, I think Draco has eavesdropped long enough that he should get up and set the table," Kathryn raised her voice slightly, causing Draco to stir from his bed.
Hermione laughed, "You're caught! How much did you hear?"
Draco flashed Hermione and Kathryn a charming smile. "Not much, but my apologies, all the same. I woke to the sound of your lovely voices and I just didn't want to interrupt."
"Oh, not at all, Draco, dear," Kathryn waved him off before returning to the scramble eggs.
Hermione couldn't help the blush that peaked at the top of her cheeks. She rolled her eyes when Draco winked at her on his way to set the table, "Since you probably heard everything, what did you think about Mum's point? I don't necessarily disagree with her logic, but I want to hear your thoughts," she said.
"Which one? The point she made when she said I was quite handsome?" Draco teased as he maneuvered around her with the dishes.
Hermione picked up a pinch of flour and threw it at the back of Draco's head, "Not that one. The one where she said we should contact the Weasleys' or Sirius and see if you can stay with them for the rest of the summer."
"Oh, that one," Draco replied. The playfulness instantly seeped out and was replaced with the somber reality of his situation. For all intent and purpose, he was on the run. He couldn't go back home and face his father for fear of being subjected to one of the evilest wizards in Wizarding World history. Draco would undoubtedly become a pawn or tool as part of whatever plot the Death Eaters would carry out for their master, and refusal would result in his death. Despite being sorted in the house of the brave, the news of the Dark Lord's return paralyzed Draco with fear and uncertainty. If it weren't for Hermione and even Ron and Harry, he would have drowned in self-imposed isolation. He would have felt like he had no identity. It didn't matter that his father tried to condition him into being proud and honoring his family name. But if the Malfoy name was going to stand for violence and intolerance, then he wanted nothing to do with it.
"Yes, what do you think?" Hermione pried as she began washing out a bowl in the sink.
Coming back to himself, Draco remained quiet for a moment as he genuinely contemplated how to answer before he spoke, "I think it would probably be better. I've intruded on your parents' hospitality, and I don't want you to lose time with them."
Hermione came up and placed her hand on Draco's back, "That's not what I meant, Draco." He turned around after setting the last plate down. "We would be going to the Weasleys. Together."
"But what about…." Draco tried to ask, but Hermione cut him off.
"They'll be fine. Besides, it's not like I'll never see them again," Hermione explained. Before she could continue to argue her point, she and Draco turned at the sound of a tapping noise on the kitchen window.
"Oh, look, Hermione! You got an owl." Kathryn said, opening the window to allow a familiar Eurasian Eagle Owl to drop the letter down.
"Ariel! Where in the world have you been?" Draco asked the intelligent bird.
The familiar gave his owner an impatient hoot before flapping his wings and flying off into the sky.
Hermione and Draco blinked at one another, unable to form a response to the animal's bizarre behavior. When she recovered, Hermione quickly opened the letter and read the contents. She smiled when she finished the letter and looked up at Draco.
"What?" Draco asked her, curious about the message.
"Looks like we are going to be seeing the Weasleys sooner than we think!"
A week had passed since the mysterious letter from Arthur Weasley that he and Dumbledore would be calling upon the Granger household sometime in the near future. Draco found it odd that Ariel had not returned to him after dramatically flying off when the bird delivered his message. Still, between his homework and what Hermione was calling his "muggle education," Draco didn't think anything of it until the adult wizards in question knocked on the Grangers' front door.
"Oh," Hermione gasped in surprise. She immediately moved out of the way to allow the guests into her home. "Please, do come in."
"Mr. Weasley. Professor Dumbledore," Draco greeted, coming to stand next to her. He crossed his arms in front of him as he eyed the adults curiously, "How can we help you?"
"Hello, Draco, Hermione," Arthur returned, giving the teenagers a kind smile. "Dumbledore and I wanted to discuss some things with you. Is now a good time?"
"My parents are at the practice now. They won't return until after 5 o'clock," Hermione informed them. She looked uncertain about how the wizards would receive the news.
"Excellent," Dumbledore exclaimed, gesturing to the two armchairs in the living room, "Mind if we sit."
"Please," Hermione said. She and Draco took a seat on the couch across from Arthur and Dumbledore. The two shared a nervous look before turning their attention on the adults.
Arthur also looked a bit fidgety as he cleared his throat, "In light of… recent events, we would like to talk to you regarding…."
There was an awkward pause as Dumbledore gave the two Gryffindors a severe look. "Lord Voldemort has returned, and I'm sure you are aware from the articles in the Prophet that the Ministry is trying to distract the public from the rising crime rate… both in the Wizarding and Muggle world."
Though the news wasn't exactly new to either of the Gryffindors, it was still shocking to hear. Before Harry was discharged from the Hospital Wing and sent home with Sirius and Remus, he had warned them to keep a close eye on current events to see if anything suspicious had occurred. The boy-who-lived wasn't wrong. There had already been an abnormal number of strange disappearances reported on the telly, all occurring near well-known gateways between the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. They were undoubtedly due to some of Voldemort's followers celebrating his return. Draco and Hermione shared a brief look of understanding before turning back to face the Headmaster and Mr. Weasley.
"What do you need from us?" Draco asked.
"If you both are agreeable, we would like you to spend the summer with the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore informed them.
"The Order of the Phoenix?" Hermione repeated.
"Yes. During the First Wizarding War, I formed a secret organization as a counterpart to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We have many members, but you would not be joining in an official capacity."
"Then what…" Draco started to ask but was cut off.
"Instead, we would like you to come to headquarters and… stay close to, Harry," Arthur revealed. "He's been a tad… shaken since the last task and has been feeling slightly isolated."
Draco and Hermione looked slightly ashamed at hearing the implication in the man's tone. Hermione cleared her throat, "We haven't exactly written to him yet this summer. It's a little hard to when you don't have an owl."
"As it stands, my familiar seems to have run away! Is he staying at the Burrow, Mr. Weasley? Because the only time I saw him was when he dropped your letter off before flying right back out the window," Draco said.
Arthur gave the boy a sympathetic look, "Your owl has been staying with Harry and Hedwig. Which, honestly, I don't quite understand and hardly anyone can get close enough to the birds to figure out why. It is rather peculiar if you think about it."
"Indeed," Dumbledore added before returning to the previous conversation. "If you agree to come to spend time with the Order, you will remain there all summer."
"I don't know how my parents would take that," Hermione fibbed, though she was looking a little pale at the prospect of spending time in an unknown location. "They've barely seen me for a month."
"I'm afraid those are the terms, Miss Granger. I do not envy you having to live with one foot in each world," Dumbledore responded apologetically.
"Can we have the day to think about it?" Draco asked.
It was entirely unfair of Dumbledore to demand this of Hermione. Disregarding the fact that she was willing to give up her summer to stay with Draco at the Burrow, she hardly ever got to see her parents. It was not her fault that they were muggles and didn't feel welcomed in the Wizarding World. Plus, would they both be safe with this Order? Weren't they fine just staying here amongst the Muggles and not risk crossing the wrong paths?
Arthur looked at Dumbledore, as if seeking permission to respond. When the Headmaster nodded his approval, Mr. Weasley turned back to them with a smile, "I think that is fair. You can tell your parents about the situation tonight, and then we can come and get you in the morning."
Hermione let out a sigh of relief, "Yes, that's perfect. Thank you, Mr. Weasley. Professor."
"Well, I guess we will just leave you to it then. See you tomorrow," Arthur said. Slowly, the adults made their way back towards the front door when the Headmaster turned around with a conspiratorial look in his eyes.
"I would be cautious, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger. Our enemies are organizing against us this very moment." He paused, lowering his voice so that the youngsters understood he was serious. "Dark days lie ahead. Soon, there will come a time when we all must choose between doing what is right and what is easy."
With the ominous warning in the air, Mr. Weasley and Professor Dumbledore disappeared with a pop.
Draco and Hermione sat in silence for a moment, just taking in the information that had been dropped upon them. What exactly did Dumbledore mean by his last statement? True, they had been living somewhat disassociated with the realities plaguing the Wizarding World, but that did not mean they were completely immune to the rising perils. One thing that Draco for certain took from the conversation, even though he trusted the man as far as he could throw a Quaffle, was that Dumbledore felt threatened. Or, he was at least afraid enough of Voldemort's return that he sought to reinstate this Order that was originally formed to fight against the Death Eaters.
As if in a daze, Hermione suddenly rose from the couch and started walking into the kitchen. On instinct, Draco followed behind her. He leaned against the counter and watched her grab a red can from the refrigerator.
He flashed her a charming smile, "Do you mind getting me a KoKo-Kola, love?"
Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes, sliding her can across the counter to him, "It's pronounced Coca-Cola."
When she replaced her beverage, the two clinked the aluminum together, silently toasting themselves.
Draco had a satisfied look on his face after he took a drink and set his can down, "Honestly, these fizzy drinks are the best thing you have ever introduced me to from the muggle world. That and sneakys."
"You mean sneakers," Hermione laughed. She slinked around the counter to wrap her arms around his waist, "I'll make a muggle expert out of you yet. You show quite a lot of promise."
Draco returned her playful look before he leaned down to press his nose to hers, "I have an excellent instructor."
Hermione couldn't help the sweet blush that started to bloom across her face as her lips parted in a soft smile. She gasped as Draco leaned down and met her lips with a restrained pressure that made her stand up on her tiptoes. Draco smirked at her eagerness as he pulled back just enough to catch his breath before leaning back down to reclaim her lips. The two closed their eyes and were lost in the sensation of their explorations as instinct took over. His hands rubbed up and down her arms while hers came up to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer. Draco was lightly teasing the hem of Hermione's shirt, causing the witch to gasp against his mouth when they suddenly heard the front door open. Hermione instantly jumped away and moved to the opposite side of the room while Draco casually took a seat at the counter. They tried to act casual and not jittery as the Gangers announced their arrival. It seemed their early return was most auspicious, for Hermione would be having the conversation about the rest of her summer sooner than later.
Draco and Hermione waited nervously in the living room for Mr. Weasley to come to collect them. Hermione's parents had not been thrilled to learn that their only daughter wanted to spend her summer away from them, but somehow between the two of them, they had convinced her parents everything would be alright. However, Draco suspected Robert was suspicious that something more was going on (namely that his daughter wasn't being entirely honest about where she would be staying). Still, his theories weren't concrete enough to keep the young Gryffindors from joining the Order of the Phoenix. At precisely 11 o'clock on the dot, the fireplace lit up bright green, and out stepped Mr. Weasley with a pleasant smile on his face.
"Good morning, children," he greeted them.
"Morning, Mr. Weasley," Draco responded.
Hermione looked stunned for a moment, before she cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, but... Mr. Weasley, how were you able to floo into my house?"
Arthur chuckled, "Oh, no need to worry, my dear. I have a friend in the floo regulation office who temporarily connected your fireplace to the network for a one way trip. He disabled access as soon as I was through so that no one accidentally pops in unannounced."
Though Hermione visibly relaxed at the news, Draco thought something was a little off with Mr. Weasley. He didn't know the Weasley patriarch very well, but the man seemed unusually chipper as he rocked on the balls of his feet and clapped his hands together, "Right, got all your things packed and ready to go?"
"Yes, sir," Hermione said, picking up Crookshanks's cage.
Arthur waved his wand and shrunk both their trunks before placing them in his pocket. He then gestured for them to follow him to the fireplace until he suddenly stopped. Draco had been so close to running into Mr. Weasley that he could see the threads of his robes.
"I almost forgot," Mr. Weasley turned around and pulled out a piece of parchment for Draco and Hermione to read.
The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
After a few seconds, Mr. Weasley cast an incendio and burned the scrap of paper right out of Draco's hand. He dropped it just in time, so the flames did not burn his hand.
"Right," the man said, "Hang tight, children. We are apparating to the Leaky Cauldron, and then you'll meet the next set of escorts who will take you to headquarters."
Hermione and Draco shared a look before they each grabbed one of Mr. Weasley's arms. Draco tried not to lose the contents of his stomach as he felt the familiar sensation of his body being twisted and pulled. No matter how many times he was a side-along with his mother or father, he always felt like he was going to be sick. Apparition to him felt like someone was trying to squeeze his body into a space he could not fit, but forcing him through all the same. When they found themselves in the familiar London pub, they were immediately greeted by the real Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks.
"Honestly, Arthur. Couldn't you disguise them before they left? Malfoy's hair alone is like a flare, and Granger's… relationship with Krum has made her more recognizable," Mad-Eye said gruffly. He flicked his wand, casting a color correction on Draco's hair, turning it into a dark brown. He then swished the red oak wood again, conjuring a hat to hide Hermione's voluminous curls.
"As if that is going to hide my rebellious cousin," Tonks challenged Mad-Eye before she turned to Draco with a smirk. Hermione was momentarily stunned at how similar it was to Draco's and mentally noted that it must be a family trait. "We'll have lots to catch up on once we get back to headquarters."
"Shh," Moody warned, "Not here, Nymphadora."
Tonks's smile immediately dropped from her face and her hair transformed to a fire engine red. She glared at the retired Auror with a murderous look. "Don't. Call. Me. Nymphadora."
"Right. Best be off with the youngsters now," Arthur cut in awkwardly. He looked very uncomfortable by the aggression that was building between Mad-Eye and Tonks. "See you lot later tonight."
Mad-Eye grunted and nodded at the red-headed man. "Arthur. Watch your back going into the Ministry."
"I know. Constant vigilance and all that, rot," Mr. Weasley replied, giving the man a salute before giving Tonks their shrunken trunks and exiting the pub.
"Right. You two," Moody pointed at Draco and Hermione, "Follow me. And stay alert!"
Hermione and Draco shared another look as they listened to the instructions. They were never more than a foot away from the Aurors, Moody in front and Tonks in the back. Draco noticed that they had only gone about five blocks or so before Mad-Eye sent them on a path through a park. While it was beautiful scenery and, on a typical day, would have made an ideal spot for a date, Draco was relieved when they reached the other side of the path. Something about the park didn't feel right, and he could tell Hermione was more guarded while they trekked through it than when she was in the Leaky.
"Sorry about that, Hermione. You probably are more sensitive to the muggle repelling charm we have over this section of the park," Tonks explained.
"A necessary precaution when members come for meetings," Mad-Eye added. He stopped abruptly in front of a row of townhouses. Wordlessly, he banged his walking stick three times on the concrete. Draco and Hermione watched the scene in front of them start to shift as the buildings shook apart to reveal a hidden unit that was not there before. Draco thought it was pretty amusing to see the muggles inside their homes, completely unaware that a magical residency was opening up without their knowledge. Before he could blink, a black front door popped out and was ready to enter through.
Moody interrupted Draco's musings with another grunt, "Well, what are you waiting for? In you go, son."
Without any more prompting, Draco and Hermione scurried up the front steps, unaware that Tonks had reverted their disguises, to find themselves in a dark-looking entryway. From what Draco could tell in the low light, the ambiance was that of an old stately home between the ornate rugs over the hardwood and the moving portraits that were silently screaming at the two Gryffindors as they stepped carefully down the main hallway towards a light at the end of the corridor.
"Silencing Charms," Hermione whispered to Draco.
He nodded, "And it looks like permanent ones at that." When they reached the end of the short hallway, they popped their heads through the doorframe to find some familiar-looking faces sitting around the table for lunch.
"Oi! About time you lot got here!" Ron smiled, getting up from the table to hug Draco and Hermione.
"We were wondering when Moody and Tonks were going to bring you," Harry added, also embracing them.
"It's good to see you, too," Hermione said.
"What is this place?" Draco asked at the same time.
Ron flashed the blond a smirk, "Didn't Dad tell you? This is headquarters!"
"For the Order of the Phoenix," Harry added with a smile, "And this is my new home."
"Really?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Yes! Sirius grew up in this house and was able to reclaim the property after he was cleared and able to take up the Black family title, which makes him…."
"The official head of the Black Family. Ah, that makes sense. And I take it the portraits on the wall are dear old family ancestors?" Draco speculated.
Harry shrugged, "We couldn't figure out how to undo a permanent sticking charm, so we just permanently silenced them instead. For the most part, we just ignore them. But there are loads more interesting things to tell you."
"Pup, why don't you show Draco and Hermione where they will be staying," Sirius suggested.
"I'm sure they are tired and would like to unpack their trunks," Remus added.
"Plus, you can show them your room," Sirius said in a not so subtle attempt to kick the teenagers out so that the adults could have a private conversation.
"And don't worry, dears. I'll have Kreacher send you up some soup for lunch. You have got to be knackered," Mrs. Weasley assured them before turning back to the stove.
Harry's smile faded a little, but he nodded his head, "Alright."
Draco and Hermione stared up the vast staircase, which had several landings and hallways leading off to different sections of the house. Harry led them up a few flights of stairs to a hallway full of guest rooms. "Hermione, you are going to be sharing with Ginny on the right there. Draco, Remus said to put you in the room across the hall, or you can bunk with Ron and me in my room."
"As fun as a sleepover would be, I would really like to sleep in a real bed and not something transfigured," Draco laughed.
"Don't blame you, mate," Ron agreed before following Harry up a half-flight of stairs to a private room.
The dark-haired wizard turned to his friends with a massive grin on his face before dramatically opening the door, "This is my room."
Harry's bedroom was… huge, for lack of a better term. It had many similar qualities to what Draco's former bedroom looked like, making the blond a bit nostalgic for his childhood room, specifically the things he was forced to leave behind when he fled. But he didn't voice any of this as he took in the massive queen size bed that matched an elegant dresser set. A private balcony also overlooked the street with the park, and there was a rather large en suite bathroom. The ceiling, which Draco took several long minutes to admire, was enchanted to look like a starry night sky. He jumped a little when he felt Harry nudge him with his elbow.
"The best part is that it's an accurate depiction. The stars change alignment based on what month and day it is."
"That's wicked," Draco smiled. He had never seen his friend look so content and carefree before.
"It's everything I could ever dream of. And more," Harry admitted in a small voice. "I never had anything like this when I was with the Dursleys."
"Do you ever wonder what happened to them after you left? Do you still keep in touch with them?" Hermione asked.
Harry scoffed, "Honestly, I couldn't give a damn. I hope Petunia breaks her back, Vernon dies of a heart attack, and Dudley chokes on his desserts."
"Harry!" Hermione admonished while Ron and Draco laughed. "It's not funny! That's really mean!"
The Gryffindor shrugged, "It's just how I feel."
"Besides, Hermione, you don't want to hear about Harry's awful muggle relatives. What you want to know more about is the Order of the Phoenix," Ron hinted.
"Too right, Weasley. I'm kind of shocked Sirius and Remus are letting Dumbledore use your home as headquarters," Draco said.
Harry looked a bit crestfallen as he plopped down on his bed. "It was so Remus and Sirius didn't have to lie to me and sneak out to meetings."
"I'm still not making the connection, Harry. Why would that matter?" Draco asked.
Harry sighed, "Because the first few weeks of summer I was sneaking outside and… taking a walk in the park after dark."
Hermione gasped, "Harry! That's dangerous. What if something…."
"I know, Hermione," Harry cut her off, a little annoyed by her lecturing, "And something did happen. A dementor showed up."
Ron was not surprised by the revelation, apparently already briefed on the incident, but Draco and Hermione looked utterly shocked.
"What was a dementor doing in… what's this neighborhood?" Draco asked.
"Borough of Islington," Harry informed him.
"Not important," Hermione reminded Draco sharply before turning back to Harry, "What happened? Did the dementor attack you?"
Harry shook his head, "No, I got inside the wards before it could. Sirius and Remus were furious and fired off a few Patronus charms, driving the dementor away. When the Aurors showed up, none of them believed that a dementor had gotten loose from Azkaban, but thankfully no charges were filed."
"Charges?!" Hermione cried out in outrage, "What could they possibly have to charge them with?"
"Inappropriate use of magic in front of muggles," Ron supplied, "similar to what Sirius got charged with last time he went to Azkaban."
"They simply can't!" Hermione yelled.
"Calm down, Hermione. They didn't because no muggles saw it," Harry clarified.
"Well, that's a relief," Draco added.
"Tell me about it," Harry agreed, "But back on topic. Sirius and Remus found out I stopped taking the sleeping draught that a healer prescribed, so I started having nightmares again. When I woke up from them, I would go outside to walk around and clear my head."
"Are you having the same nightmare from the Riddle House?" Hermione asked.
Harry shook his head, "This one is different."
"How so?" Draco asked.
Harry sat up and let out a breath he appeared to be holding in, "They aren't always the same. Most nights, I keep seeing this door that I've never seen before, but other nights I relive what happened to me in the graveyard. How Walden McNair bled my arm to perform a blood ritual before Voldemort tried to duel me."
"And…" Draco trailed off, trying to find the courage to ask, "Did you duel him?"
Harry nodded, "When Voldemort and I cast our spells, our wands connected because we have the same core, from the same phoenix. Dumbledore's phoenix, to be exact."
Hermione raised her eyebrow, "Fawkes can give feathers for wand cores?"
"Evidently so," Harry responded, "But the effect ended up being that a… force field-like thing was cast around us, and the ghosts of all the souls Voldemort had killed emerged from his wand. I believe Dumbledore called it 'Priori Incantatem' or a reverse spell effect."
"Who," Hermione whispered, "How… how many?"
"I lost count," Harry admitted, "But there was Mr. Bryce, the muggle caretaker, and Bertha Jorkins."
"The witch that went missing last summer?" Draco asked.
"Yep," Ron confirmed, "And the head of DMLE refuses to change her status from missing to murdered."
"Rubbish," Draco agreed.
"But that wasn't all. My parents showed up that night," the Gryffindor said with longing.
The room went still for a moment until Hermione broke the silence, "Harry, no spell can bring the dead back. You know that, right?"
Harry nodded, "I know. But it was nice to see them. If only for a moment. The ghosts distracted Voldemort long enough for me to run away. That was when the Aurors showed up with Sirius and Remus. They took me to the Hospital Wing, as you know, but I guess the squad caught no one that night because they all apparated away before the Aurors could put up anti-apparition wards."
"Why didn't the papers report on this?" Hermione asked. "Instead, they have been focusing on Bagman and other trivial things. It's like they have cut the column dedicated to the DMLE in half!"
"Don't you know! It's because they are keeping the attention off the kidnappings and acts of vandalism all across Britain," Ron said.
"We know," Hermione replied, "My parents may be muggles, but they don't live under a rock. We get the news too."
"And honestly, the muggle news network has been more informative than the Prophet anyway," Draco added.
"Dad thinks the Death Eaters are practicing on the muggles until they are confident enough to start taking muggleborns. Hagrid said this was how it all started last time," Ron revealed.
"Hagrid? You mean he's a member?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, though he hasn't been at the past two meetings. Dumbledore sent him on a top-secret mission," Harry explained. "We don't know where he went or when he's coming back."
"So, are we ever going to get to join this 'Order,' or are we just going to fiddle our thumbs all summer?" Draco questioned sarcastically, "Because from what I can tell, other than the nightmares, you seem perfectly fine to me, Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes, "Ron and I heard this in the last meeting. Dumbledore thought that by bringing you and Hermione to Grimmauld that you would distract me."
"Distract you?" Draco repeated.
"How have you heard what is being said in the meetings if you aren't allowed to attend them?" Hermione questioned with a skeptical tone.
Ron and Harry shared a smug look before producing a small radio from under the bed. Without further prompting, Ron turned the dial, causing low static to fill the speaker for a minute before the signal cleared up.
"Harry is just a boy, Sirius. He is not James!" Molly Weasley's voice screamed quietly through the speaker.
"Do not tell me how to raise my godson, Molly," Sirius threatened her. There was a heavy silence before Draco's eyes widened at hearing his mother's voice.
"Molly isn't wrong. Harry and Draco are still children, Sirius."
"And how long do you expect them to stay naïve to the events unfolding around them?" Sirius retorted.
"As long as possible," Narcissa spat back.
"You can't keep them in the dark! History is repeating itself, Cissy. As we speak, the Dark Lord is taking up residency in your home and breaking bread at your table!" Sirius argued back.
"I know," Narcissa's voice quaked a bit before she cleared her throat. "But I'm trusting you, cousin. I'm trusting you, Remus, and Severus to watch over my boy. Because Salazar help me if something happens to him…."
"We swear, Narcissa. We will treat Draco as if he is our own," Remus promised.
Narcissa sighed, "Thank you, Remus." She paused again, "You have the key and the vault number?"
"Yes," Sirius replied.
"Good," Narcissa responded, "It's not even close to his whole inheritance, but it was all I could salvage. It should cover the rest of his schooling and a few years after."
"Don't worry," Remus said, "We will explain everything to Draco."
"You have protected Draco as much as you can, Cissy. For now, you must focus on protecting yourself. Where does Lucius think the boy has gone?" Sirius asked.
"He spun a tale to the Death Eaters that Draco is visiting distant relatives of the Black's in France and will not be home until school starts," Narcissa revealed. "Lucius knows Draco ran away, and he is furious, but not enough to reveal Draco's apparent defection to the Dark Lord."
"For the best," Sirius stated.
"I should probably go. I've stayed out far too long, and…." Narcissa's voice drifted off through the sounds of footsteps leaving the kitchen. The radio static returned, prompting Ron to turn the dial once more and shut the radio off.
The four young Gryffindors stared at one another as they digested the information. After a few seconds, they all spoke at once.
"You ran away? Mate, where did you go?" Ron asked.
"Voldemort is staying at your house? Can you get us in so we can take him out?" Harry questioned.
"You two explain what that device is now! How is that old muggle toy still even operating?" Hermione demanded.
"What did Molly mean?" Draco asked Harry.
Everyone went silent, looking to see who would answer first. It was Ron who mockingly raised his hand.
"I'll go first. We started using this fabulous device when Fred and George got caught using their Extendable Ear's gadget. Mum has been forcing us to clean out some of the spare rooms, and that is where we found this!" Ron explained.
"Surprisingly, it's not a muggle device because it can work with all the magical interference. However, it is similar to one. It has a microphone that you can attach anywhere in the house, completely undetected, and then you listen to the conversation in the other room by flipping the switch, as you saw," Harry finished.
Hermione raised an eyebrow but overall had an impressed look on her face. "So, do you think you can take the radio to Hogwarts and then listen to Order meetings throughout the school year?"
"Exactly!" Harry exclaimed.
"Nice," Draco added. His smirk dropped though when Harry pressed him with a severe look.
"What do you know about Voldemort taking up residence in your house?" Harry interrogated.
Draco crossed his arms, "First I've heard of it. I never went home after I got off the Hogwarts Express."
"So, again, where did you go?" Ron asked.
"Stayed with Hermione," Draco mumbled.
"Mate, you stayed with Muggles? For over a month? How did you survive that?" Ron questioned.
"Bloody Hell, mate. They're humans, not animals," Draco chastised.
"Oh," Ron made eye contact with Hermione, who had a murderous glare in her eyes. "Sorry, 'Mione."
Hermione didn't say anything, which prompted Harry to reveal what he actually meant when he questioned Draco.
"From what we gathered from the Order meetings and why Dumbledore called everyone together, Voldemort has started to build up an army again. Someday, the Order is going to have to fight, and I want in."
Draco's breath caught. Mr. Weasley might have lied to him and Hermione about why they needed to spend the summer with Harry, but the man had been right to be concerned. Standing before Draco wasn't a sad and isolated boy who was haunted by the traumas of his past. No, Harry looked aggravated and determined. Like he was going to raise his wand and charge upon Malfoy Manor any second.
"And what exactly are we going to do, Harry? Strom Draco's house?" Hermione challenged him.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her, "It's an idea."
"It's suicide!" Hermione yelled at him. She had tears pooling in the corner of her eyes with how frustrated she felt. "It's dangerous and reckless! You barely got past him the last time you saw him. What makes you think that a month and a half is going to change anything?"
Harry didn't say a word, but Draco could tell he was fuming. Hermione wasn't wrong, and Harry knew this, which is why the boy-who-lived was currently grinding his teeth and not engaging further in the argument. Ron, as usual, was standing behind Harry, ready to back him up when Draco stepped in between Hermione and Harry.
"How about we just keep doing what we are doing. Listen in on the meetings, gather intel, and then explore this dream you are having," Draco suggested as diplomatically as possible.
Harry was still angry, but he calmed down enough to nod. Hermione tersely informed everyone she was going to unpack her trunk and that she would see everyone at dinner, signaling that she wanted to be left alone. As Draco watched her storm out of the bedroom, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of tirade he would be getting from his witch tonight regarding their friend's behavior.