Note: As I promised I'm back a little faster!
I'm so happy you're enjoying this.
Buckle up!
A WEEK LATER (LATE FEBRUARY)
Malfoy Mansion
Draco enters the room and she motions for him to be silent. Aria is asleep. He gently comes closer to her and they watch their baby girl. Embracing her from behind, he kisses her neck.
"We made beautiful children." He whispers.
She smiles at him and takes his hand, leading him to their room. As she closes the door she asks, "Have you talked to him?"
He nods. "Yes, but you know Harry…" Draco sighs. "He's acting like a madman."
"But Hermione was right, wasn't she? Jack and Cho are missing, nothing else happened, no more threats no more nothing." Ginny walks around inside the room. Draco can tell she's a little impatient.
"Is something wrong?" He asks. She shakes her head.
"No, it's just-" She exhales heavily. "I'm tired of saying this but they deserve happiness! We need to find a way to help them, Draco!"
He raises his hands in the air. "Hey! I'm trying! As Head Auror I have access to a lot of things I never even imagined…" He runs his hands through his hair. "I understand a bit why Hermione gave me the spot." Everyone thought Harry would be Head Auror, but Draco understood Hermione's decision, Harry already had a lot to deal with and being Head Auror is exhausting. He sits on their bed. Draco worked like crazy for the past week, trying to discover something new or different, something someone missed, something no one else would pay much attention to and the only thing he found he didn't like. But I can't keep this from Ginny. "I found something at the department."
She stops walking, her eyes narrowed at him. "What?"
"It's about my mother." He has difficulty even saying the words out loud. He sees her features softening. Ginny knows it's a touchy subject for him. "I think she might know something about the prophecy."
"Are you serious?" She sits by his side on the bed.
"Yeah. There's a transcription of her last deposition. I never asked her what they asked or how things went…" He glances at her. "It was the day we went for our coffee and I didn't want to talk to her." He waves his hand in front of his face, dismissing the thought. "Doesn't matter." He takes a deep breath. "What matters is that she kept from everyone that Voldemort was furious with her at the very ending."
"Why is that?"
"She's a Seer." Ginny opens her mouth in shock. "She's the Seer that uttered Harry and Hermione's prophecy." Ginny doesn't move for so long Draco thinks she's frozen. "Gin?" She blinks.
"That's crazy!"
"I know."
"But- How? How no one saw this? A prophecy about Harry and Hermione and the Aurors ignored? And why was Voldemort angry with her? What happened?"
He sighs. "Apparently she didn't remember uttering it… you know how these things are, when it came to her she lost her memory after, she didn't remember what it said and the only person with her at the moment was my father." He almost spits as he says the word. "I'm sure he watched the words getting inside the orb and the tag it magically appeared, the Granger and the Potter." He rubs his face. "That was the main motive he pestered me for years to be mean to Hermione, to try to befriend Harry. He always asked if they looked like a couple and I never really got the reason why things like those were important. Later, when I was older I imagined it was because Voldemort wanted to know if Hermione was Harry's weakness." He shakes his head. "She said at the deposition that my father got rid of the orb, tossed it somewhere, it got lost." He stops for a moment.
"Then how-"
"My father was sure Voldemort would win this war, Gin. He only started doubting at the end when Harry was already destroying Horcruxes. For the first time he saw Voldemort scared. He told my mother about the prophecy, and they gathered that if this prophecy existed then it was obvious that Harry would conquer. They didn't want to be at the losing side of the war." He snorts. "My mother started planning a way to flee and Voldemort had his eye on her. He was suspicious, that's why things got a little… rough for my parents."
"Draco, how this never came up?"
"She didn't say at the deposition what the prophecy was about. She never mentioned Harry and Hermione, I just figured it out because I know of it. I'm sure Hermione have read that deposition, but before she knew about the prophecy… she would never imagine and we know she doesn't believe in Divination. Harry on the other hand, the only one that could figure it out, never had access to this transcription."
"Merlin…" Ginny whispers. "So, she only said she knew Voldemort would lose the war and she was trying to flee because of a prophecy?" Draco nods. "They didn't ask her what it said?"
"They did. But she claims she doesn't remember and she had a bubble interrogation at the room, it states that she didn't lie."
They look at each other intensively. He knows what she's going to say next and he closes his eyes before she does. "You need to talk to her."
"I know." He mumbles. "I don't want to though."
"Do you… do you think she might have something to do with it? With the wicked one?"
"I don't know. Maybe," he shrugs. "Maybe not."
"Have you told Harry? Hermione?"
"No. I don't want to yet." She frowns.
"Why?"
"Hermione is crazy dealing with the repercussion of her being Minister of Magic. Reporters don't leave her be. People at the Ministry whisper about her all day long. She got an open threat from a pureblood. I don't want to fill her mind with this right now, not before I have more information at least."
"What about Harry? You said he's acting like a madman?"
"Harry is…" He moves his hands in the air, not sure what word he wants to use to describe Harry at the moment. "He's shutting himself inside himself." Ginny raises her eyebrows.
"I know what you mean. He's being Harry."
"Yes, but it's so strange. It's been a long time since I've seen him like this. He barely talks to others. I had an Auror watch over him without him knowing… I fear he might do something foolish."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, but my Auror said he's been out every night, disappearing. He doesn't sleep, he doesn't eat. The other day he showed up limping. I tried talking to him and he said it was none of my business." Draco looks at her. "Yesterday I saw him and Hermione crossing paths at the atrium. It was brutal to watch. They kept looking at each other when they thought the other wasn't aware of it. They didn't speak and I don't think they did it inside their heads either. They're just ignoring each other like idiots."
Ginny sighs. "Okay, so we don't tell them for now." She gets up. "When are we visiting your mother?"
"We?"
"Of course 'we'! Dominic and Aria too, they need to meet their other grandmother!"
"You can't be serious!" He's shocked. No, no, not this. I don't want her in my life. Having a relationship with my children. "I'm going alone." He gets up and says it with the new tone of voice he recently discovered when giving orders to his Aurors. They don't dare contradict him. But Ginny is no Auror… she's his wife.
She laughs. "You wish, darling. So, when?"
He grunts and then smiles, pulling her into a kiss. "You're impossible." He kisses her again. "And I love you."
"Obviously, who wouldn't?" She teases him and Draco lifts her up, carrying her to their bed.
Animus Mansion
The words start to muddle in front of her. I need to rest. She's been reading a lot. Apart from all the work she has at the Ministry, when she gets home she opens the ancient books Marga gave her and starts to read. She's not sure what she wants to find inside them, but there must be something, anything. And as long as she keeps her mind occupied with this she doesn't think about… him.
But in a way I was right. Jack is gone and so is Cho, things appear to be quiet, but her worries seem only to grow like a big pile of books she lost control over. She's been studying the threats she received. By now she's sure the first note 'I see you' and the writing on the wall above her bed 'I'm coming for you' are from the same person. Probably Jack, but I need to be certain. They were written in blood, but she's still trying to track it, so far she's been accumulating failed attempts. There's no spell capable of telling her who wrote them or whose blood this is. So, she's been reading Marga's books nonstop, she can't lie to herself, she did find valuable information on them… like the spell which healed Harry after their encounter with those hooded figures. She sighs resting her elbows on the desk, her hands massaging her temples. She knew he'd hurt himself that day, but she couldn't be sure of the extent of it, so when she saw it on the next day at the Ministry…
She shakes her head. Don't think about him. Don't torture yourself. She takes a deep breath and tries to concentrate on what she's doing. This week alone she received another 100 threats… all because she's 'inferior' and shouldn't be allowed to occupy a position so important as Minister of Magic. She hadn't told Draco about them. She should, since he's Head Auror, but she doesn't want him to assign her a bodyguard. I can take care of myself. She told him about one of them because it were expected and Draco would suspect had she not informed him about something like that. She really doesn't mind these threats. Since they don't affect my daughters. That's what she's been fearing all these years. She knows kids can be mean sometimes and she knows that some more traditional families still see muggle borns as unnatural. As something that shouldn't exist. And she knows these families have kids that think the same way and are also at Hogwarts right now… however, so far, the girls seem fine. And that's enough for now.
She resumes her reading, this book specifically is about the origin of magic and nothing really catches her attention, until:
No one really knows the identity of the first wizard or witch or why they held magic.
There are tales, common around old folks, that speak of hooded figures capable
of performing magic without a wand. These tales are vague, however, they all talk
about a family of four. Supposedly this family was the precursor of magic.
They protected their village and casted away any kind of darkness. No one can tell how
they were capable of doing such things, but it is known that they were unique, a single
mark branding each one of them, as a symbol of their power (see image below of the possible mark).
She's barely breathing. Her eyes wide staring at the image of the mark. A family of four. A mark. Her hand is unconsciously tracing her new scar above her heart. The image doesn't show a lighting as a mark, but it's pretty close to it. If she would describe it, she would say it looked like two letters 'S' intertwined. She grabs a pen and scribbles it down on her notes: §
She's shaking. It's just a coincidence. Nothing more. However, she's smarter than that. She knows it isn't. It means something. After taking a few deep breathes she keeps reading, curious to know the destiny of this family. But there's nothing more about them. She closes her eyes. Harry needs to know about this. The fact that she's been shutting him out in their connection for so long is draining her magically and emotionally. When he left ten years ago, this bond they share wasn't so strong as it is now, so the distance Harry put between them was enough to keep it dormant. She always felt it but it seemed like a silent buzz, nothing more. But now… it's stronger than ever. She was able to understand how to live with it and keep him out at the same time. He also knows how to do it, and he's been doing it too. It's like they raised a wall between them, a glass wall where they can see the other side but… not really. She bites her lip. She wants to talk to him. He's angry at me.
She sighs, her eyes falling on a few parchments she doesn't immediately recognize. What's this? Before she can reach them a loud tapping on the nearest window startles her. It's Marga's owl. She snorts, oh, perfect, exactly what I wanted. She sneers at the owl, but gives it a few treats. The letter is short but gives Hermione pause. Harry wants to go on a mission with Athena. Later this night. She grunts. I really shouldn't. She folds back the letter, cursing under her breathe. He doesn't even suspect I'm Athena. Marga is giving her the choice, telling her that if she chooses to go he will be waiting at the usual spot at 11pm. She glances at her watch, it's 9:30pm.
Her reason tells her to stay home, get some rest. Her heart on the other hand is beating wildly, eager to see him, be near him, and see what he's up to. She knows he's been doing something every night, Draco told her. She already knows her decision and she hates herself a little for it.
Outside Potter Manor
She can see him standing near the tree, his eyes lost in the dark sky, probably searching for her. He opens a timid smile when he sees her and she can't help feeling warm inside. He looks tired and… sad. Hermione can't help thinking she shouldn't be here, the more she meets with him as Athena without his knowledge, the more she puts their already fragile relationship on the line. She knows, but she just couldn't not meet him. She's curious about what he's been doing, and she can't lie, at the moment… she just wants to be close to him.
She lands on the strongest branch, her vivid and skillful eyes on him. He hasn't been sleeping. Harry comes closer and pets her. It's strange and nice at the same time. She can't really explain, it's a sensation unique to her animagus form. She notices he has a paper in his hand, she can't quite read what's written in it, so she screeches, Harry already understands her and he glances at the paper, but folds it and makes it vanish with some wandless magic.
"This isn't an official Believers mission. I'm doing a few things on my own and I wanted you to come with me, Marga said it was no problem." He looks at her and she opens her big wings, agreeing with him. What are you up to, Harry? His eyes fall just a little bellow her chest, on a place her wing was hiding a few moments ago. She sees him frowning and getting even closer. "What happened?" His voice is low and she has no idea what he's talking about. Harry extends his hand towards her and his finger traces gently across whatever caught his attention. "It's a lightning." He whispers and she doesn't react for a few moments, he's looking deep into her eyes, the same way he would look at her human form. She screeches again, louder this time and playfully beaks him. She didn't think the scar would show, damn I didn't think about it at all. Harry narrows his eyes and takes a step back, but after a moment he shrugs. "I don't thinks it's going to be dangerous, but you have my back like always, right?" She beaks him again. Harry exhales, relieved. "Thanks, I knew I could count on you… things have been difficult lately." He's talking about us. She tries making him talk some more but he doesn't.
He pulls a portkey out of his pocket. "Ready?" She lands on his shoulder as an answer. It's so weird and yet so good to be near him again, even if like this. She soon feels the pull of the portkey and they're gone.
She can't recognize where they land. It's a forest, which one she has no idea. Harry raises his wand and lights the place. He looks around, unsure. She flies above, trying to grasp exactly their location with hers eagle's amazing sense of space. As far as she can see, tall and imposing trees are everywhere, but at the far north there's a wide river. We must be far from home. She flies to him again, he's mumbling some kind of enchantment and she soon understands it's a tracking spell. She takes the moment to observe him closely, he has his eyes closed while concentrating and she traces his features slowly. Bags under his eyes indicate his lack of sleep. The wind blows against them and brushes away his hair, she can see his scar clearly. It's bright red. Must be hurting. Hers hadn't hurt anymore since the day it appeared.
He opens his eyes, finishing the spell. A blue ghostly line comes out of his wand and traces a way around the forest.
"Let's go." He nods for her and starts following the blue line. Hermione flies behind him, paying attention to everything in close proximity, but apparently there's no one there, only them. If he's not looking for a prophecy, what is it then? They keep going for quite some time and she's growing anxious. Finally a small abandoned house appears amidst the trees. Harry walks faster now, determined and she's bursting with curiosity. What's this place?
He enters the house as if it's his own. She flies above, landing at the roof and a skylight allows her to see inside. The house is not abandoned at all. Harry seems very comfortable and she realizes it's because the house is his. Then she hears a cracking sound. Her senses go on high alert, someone is approaching fast. She screeches highly. Harry looks up at her and exits the house. He stops at the front, raising his arm towards her. She lands on it and Harry says:
"It's okay, I forgot to tell you someone is coming. I don't think we're in danger, but you're here in case something happens." He looks at her. "If anything happens to me you need to go to Hermione." She feels a stab in her chest. I shouldn't be here. She thinks about coming clean right then and there, but the person that nears the house surprises her so much she doesn't react. Harry motions for her to land at the roof again. She takes a while but goes, then she watches carefully as Cho Chang stops in front of him. What the hell?
Her heart is pounding. A billion questions burning inside her, her emotions wild. But the sheer anger of betrayal takes over her. Are they together? Does he trust her? She's working with Jack! She tries silencing her thoughts to listen to their conversation.
"Thank you for meeting me, Harry. I know you don't trust me right now, but I wish you did."
"I think you know how difficult it is for me to do that, Cho."
"I know. But my actions will speak for themselves. I'll help you."
Harry doesn't answer right away. But after a while he nods slightly. Cho doesn't seem to have noticed Hermione on the roof, she has eyes only for Harry.
"Do you know where he is?" Harry asks.
"No, I swear I don't." Cho shakes her head. "He contacted me only once since he disappeared."
"Where are you staying?"
"Now, Harry," She snorts. "I can't trust you yet either, can I? You might tell Malfoy or Granger my whereabouts. I'm apparently a wanted witch now."
"I won't tell them. They don't even know I'm here. But I understand the secrecy." She smiles at him. "Why are you helping me, Cho? Really? I know you have something to do with this. I know you hate Hermione and-"
She lowers her eyes and takes his hand in hers. "I'm doing this for Lily, Harry. You may think I'm lying, but I won't let you doubt my feelings for that girl. I love her and I truly believed we would be a family some day. Maybe we still could."
Hermione restrains herself from having a reaction. She can see Harry squeezing Cho's hand and bringing it to his lips. "Thank you, anyway."
Cho nods and brushes away a few tears. She takes a step back. "He's not acting for now. You don't need to worry. If nothing urgent comes up I'll meet you next week, same day, same hour."
He agrees and Cho is gone after a curt nod. Harry exhales, sitting at the step of the small porch. Hermione flies down, standing next to him. He's desperate. She can't really blame him for asking Cho for help. Hermione would do the same if she could. And she has no right to be angry at him, she just feels sad. Sad that they can't do this together. It's obvious why Jack is doing nothing for the time being. We're not together and things should stay that way. She notices he's crying silently. Something inside her breaks and she steps closer, touching his head with hers, trying to comfort him the best way she can. To her surprise he does something he never did, he fully embraces her. Harry tries hugging her eagle form as if she was a person, and she doesn't react, but she lets him. She stays there while he cries, while he sobs. She would stay there forever if he needed her to. But after a while he releases her, wiping away his tears.
"I'm sorry about that." He sighs, running his hands through his hair. "I'm just so overwhelmed right now." He looks at her. "Thank you. I know you can understand me. It meant a lot." He gets up, brushing the dirt off his trousers. "Our little tour is not over yet."
He takes his wand out and again a blue line guides them inside the forest. This time he talks to her while they follow the line. "I change the house location everyday, not even I know where it is, so I have to search it every time I'm here. It's clever, really, if even I don't know where it is, no one can take the information from me, right?" He gives her a little smile. "I came up with this spell by myself." He shrugs. "Hermione would be proud, I think." She can't contain herself and she screeches, agreeing with him. She is proud. "You think so too, huh?"
They keep going and her curiosity to know what he keeps in this house is driving her crazy. There's no way of asking him like this. He doesn't say. What he does say is "I've been looking for something for the past week, I swear I think I walked this entire forest already, but I just can't find it. It's so frustrating."
He keeps walking, his eyes searching the dirt beneath his feet and in front of him. While she follows, she can't help thinking about the text she just read. About the family of four, about those marks. Her own scar. She takes a moment to realize Harry stopped on his tracks. He's pressing his hand against his forehead, leaning forward. His scar. She flies in a circle, coming to stand in front of him. It's a little hard to find her around so many trees but she's used to it. She hears him grunting. "Shit." She screeches and Harry raises his eyes to her. "It doesn't hurt all the time… but when it does," he grunts again, "it really, really hurts." She can see him sweating and can't stop the fresh wave of guilty that hits her. I should be by his side, dealing with this. She stops her thoughts. If she begins to wonder about how he's feeling she won't be able to be rational about their situation… and someone needs to.
Harry stays crouched for a while, waiting for the pain to go away and eventually he kneels. Suddenly he's pressing both hands against the dirt. "It's here." He whispers. The moment he closes his eyes, Hermione knows what he's doing. He's tracing whatever he wants to find magically. She'd seen he do it many times while searching the orbs. But what exactly does he want to find this time? She flies above, anxious, something telling her this won't be good.
And she's right.
Harry retrieves from a hole he just dig, a small stone. Its blackness is bright. The resurrection stone. Oh, Harry. She flies to him, her talons ready to fetch the stone, but Harry is faster. "NO! Athena! What's wrong with you?" She's flapping her wings wildly, screeching and trying to beak his fisted hand. "STOP!" She doesn't and Harry tries to keep her away from the stone. "Don't make me-" He snorts and extends his other hand at her. Hermione freezes mid air. She shouldn't be surprised by how powerful he is, but she is, nonetheless. I trained with him, I should expect this. But she was never the target of his magic. The power of his binding on her is overwhelming. She can't escape. So she just watches as he uses the stone.
It's terrifying.
In a blink, loved ones appear in front of them. People she thought she would never see again. They're all there, their shapes ghostly, but there. Harry is crying again. She hears him whispering "mum, dad" and they are there, an inch from Harry. Lily looks at her and opens a kind smile. She knows. Will they tell him? James is proudly staring at Harry.
"Don't cry, son. Everything is fine." He says.
Harry shakes his head. "No, dad, it's not." He keeps shaking it and Lily finally averts her eyes from Hermione, concentrating on her son. Hermione wants to look at the others there, but she's transfixed by the image of James and Lily. "Hermione doesn't want to be with me, and everything is a mess, I fear for my daughters every second of the day, I- I'm lost, I don't know what to do."
"Yes, you do, son." Lily says. Her voice is kind, yet firm. "You'll get through this. You only have to keep doing what you've always done best." Harry stares at her, waiting. "Protect the ones you love." He gives her a little smile, but shakes his head.
"I don't know if I can."
"You can." James says. "You've done an amazing job so far, Harry. Lily and Laura are fine and they're amazing." James opens a big smile now. "You and Hermione are great parents."
Hermione doesn't miss the way he nods at her. She's relieved Harry is too self absorbed at the moment to notice.
"You have to let us go now, Harry." Lily says.
"I don't want to." He looks like a child. It breaks Hermione's heart. "I love you. I miss you."
"We love you, son. And we miss you too." James says.
"Let us go now, Harry." Lily repeats and this time, Harry succumbs, releasing the stone, crying. The same way they appeared, they're all gone.
Before Harry sets her free again he secures the stone inside that same old snitch Dumbledore gave him so many years ago. He looks at her with intensity and lets her go. She flaps her wings and screeches, angry.
"You have every right to be angry, I'm sorry." He inhales deeply. "It's time to go." He extends his arm, waiting for her to land on it. She's unsure of what to do. Hermione wants to talk to him about the stone, about what he's planning to do with it, about his encounter with Cho. But I can't. Not yet. So she finally goes to him and the familiar pull from the portkey takes them back to Harry's.
TWO WEEKS LATER (MID MARCH)
Malfoy Manor
It's the fifth time he tries reaching his mother. Ginny stopped coming with on the third. Apparently Narcissa is nowhere. It's like she vanished. Draco stops outside the gate of his old house. This place is a dump. People said she moved from this house, but he didn't find her anywhere else, so… she must be here. It makes sense. When he left England reporters and those who lost loved ones at the war would find her anywhere to throw things at her, or to ask her questions. Draco couldn't take those things. And he couldn't look at her. He sighs and pushes the gate open.
The walk from the gate to the front door is filled with bad memories. He can't remember details, but the fear was very real, the lack of love and affection too. Even if his mother tried mending things at the end, he never accepted it. He only found love with Ginny. Friendship with Harry. A sense of protection and care with his son. He's not the same Draco Malfoy who walked these grounds many years ago. And he hopes to find a different Narcissa also.
He enters the house without ceremony. A house elf appears immediately. Draco looks at it. Hermione wouldn't approve. "Call my mother." He says and the elf nods, disappearing.
The inside is dark and sad. There's no life, no joy. Like always. He doesn't wander around. He's pinned to the floor, his eyes at the main stairs, he's sure she's coming from there. He can't tell how he feels. He doesn't care.
She doesn't come from the stairs, but he hears her heels clicking around the house and soon she's walking to him. Draco notices every change in her: the whiter hair, her slower pace, her visible wrinkles. She stops. Still very far from him and nods.
"You're here." She states in awe. Then, she lowers her eyes. "Come, let's talk in the study."
Draco wants to object, he hates the study. His father used to beat him there, while his mother did nothing to stop it. But you're not that kid anymore. You can do this. He clicks his tongue and follows her, his jaw set in nervousness.
The house is so empty that he can hear every step they take, he can almost hear the house creaking. They enter the study and she turns to him. "You look well, son."
Draco purses his lips and ignores her. "I need to ask you something." She nods.
"I heard you're Head Auror now. The uniform looks good on you." She motions with her hands, emphasizing what she's saying. "I'm happy for you."
"I read one of your depositions. You talk about-"
"I want to see my grandchildren." She blurts out. He stops, stunned. He wants to answer her that she will never come even close to his children, that she could never be a grandmother like Molly. He wants to hurt her. But Ginny doesn't want that. She wants to give her a chance. Draco sighs.
"You will. In time." He says. She nods, unsure but accepting. "I want to know about the prophecy you talked about on your last deposition."
She moves her eyes, as if trying to remember. "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."
"You know. I don't want to play games."
She folds her arms in front of her, her eyes sharper. "You shouldn't get involved with this, Draco. Doesn't concern you."
"Tell me about the prophecy."
"I don't remember it exactly. I'm telling you the truth." He stares at her, flatly. "It's a long prophecy and it's been a long time, but," She exhales, "if you must know, it talks about Potter. Potter and Granger. And their daughters." Draco closes his eyes at the confirmation. "I'm not sure what you want me to tell you."
"Everything."
"Fine. It came to me on September 1st, 1991, but I don't recall what it said. One moment I was there, talking to your father and the next I was on the floor, my nose bleeding. He had an orb on his hand and I saw the tag. It's crazy how these things appear when a Seer utters a prophecy. We couldn't hear it. Only Potter and Granger would be able to. At the time we had no idea who she was and your father looked extremely shaken by the prophecy. He didn't want to tell me what it said, he claimed it was unimportant and untrue, just another thing I'd failed." She looks down. "I don't know what he did with it, and I never gave it another thought." She shrugs. "Why should I, right? Well, maybe I was foolish, maybe not. It only came up again many years later, near the end of the war."
"Did Lucius tell you what it said?" He finds himself incapable of saying the word 'father'.
"He did. But I swear I don't remember everything, it was, though, clear that Voldemort would lose. I made sure he did." She gives him a pointed look. "There was a wicked one I think, something like that." She waves her hand.
"I don't believe you. I think you're hiding something."
"Stop suspecting me, Draco. I'm your mother. I love you." He flinches at her words. "I did my best, I'm sorry it wasn't enough, I'm-"
He raises his hand. "I don't want to hear this." She stops, at least. "The prophecy-"
"If you want me to tell you more, I need to hear the prophecy again."
He snorts, unbelievable. "What makes you think I have it?"
"You don't, but Potter or Granger must. Or else you wouldn't be here."
"I don't have time for this." He mumbles and turns around, leaving the room. She comes after him.
"My grandchildren, Draco!"
"Goodbye, mother." He waves without turning. The moment he's out of the house, he takes a deep breath before heading to the Ministry. He has to deal with Hermione and Harry now and he's not looking forward to it. And later I have to tell Ginny that my mother wants to meet her grandchildren. He sighs and apparates.
Ministry of Magic
Harry heads to Draco's office with his head down. He barely slept the night before. He had a meeting with Cho. Jack hasn't contacted her these past weeks and he's not sure what he thinks of that. He only took Athena to his first meeting because he wasn't sure what to expect of Cho… and he knows the eagle must be furious with him because of the binding spell he casted on her. But I had to. Harry's not sure what Athena knows about the Hallows, but by the way she reacted she didn't agree with his decision. He sighs, his mind wandering to the reason why Draco called him to his office.
He knocks at the door and his friend's voice comes from the other side. Harry freezes the moment he steps inside. Hermione is already there, sitting on the couch. Harry hesitates. They hadn't talked since the day they broke up. Well, theoretically there was no relationship to begin with, so… Harry doesn't look at her, but he knows she's watching him.
"Come in, already." Draco says, leaning against his desk and crossing his arms. Harry stops at the middle of the room, his hands inside his pockets. Being this close to her suffocates him. He can smell her perfume and hear her breathing. He swallows dry.
No one says a thing. Draco watches them, his eyes going from one to the other. Harry sets his jaw and Hermione sighs, finally saying:
"What's this about, Draco?"
It's so weird to hear her voice. He misses her. He lowers his head, stopping himself from looking at her.
"Well, since you asked, Minister…" Draco reaches behind him and pulls out an enormous pile of papers from his desk. He throws them in front of him. They hit the floor with a thud, scattering all around. A few reach Harry's foot. Harry widen his eyes. What's going on?
"No need to be so dramatic, Draco. You can simply tell us." Hermione says. She seems tired.
"Well, you tried hiding them from me, Hermione, but I found them." He gestures in front of him. Harry raises an eyebrow and takes one paper in his hands. He starts reading it while Draco and Hermione share a staring contest.
You filthy bitch, your days are counted. I will slit your throat while you sleep and then you can go back to your muggle home, DEAD!
And that's just one of them, there must be thousands similar to that one. Threats. On Hermione's life. He finally looks at her and is surprised to find her looking back at him. Harry tries not to react. Hermione purses her lips.
"They mean nothing, Draco." She says, averting her eyes from Harry.
"It's not up to you to decide that, Hermione. I'm Head Auror and I consider some of them real threats." Hermione is getting up from the couch and Harry immediately takes a step back. He wants to keep as much distance as possible from her.
"And I'm Minister! I don't have time for this-"
"Oh, you do!"
Harry clears his throat and they look at him. "Why am I here?" He can see Hermione flinching at his words. He knows they're harsh. Of course he worries about her, of course he wants to know about these threats, but Draco could've just told him… yet he called both of them to his office. "So?"
Hermione takes another step towards the door, her eyes hurt. "I'm assigning you a bodyguard, Hermione!" Draco's words are firm and she shakes her head.
"No, no way. It's not happening! You can't do that!"
"Auror Potter, you're the Minister's personal Auror from now on."
"What? You can't be serious!" Harry says, his heart racing.
Him and Hermione are practically side by side, their faces a mask of indignation and anger towards the Head Auror. And then… Draco smiles.
"I can, I am and you two must obey me." His smile widens. "I won't let the Minister die while I have the best Auror in the country moping around."
"I'm not moping!"
"I can defend myself!"
They say at the same time. Draco raises an eyebrow at them. "This is not up for debate. You know you have to accept this, Hermione. I even read every duty I have as Head Auror." Draco laughs a little. "It's fun to outsmart you sometimes." He points at them. "You can begin right now, by the way. Harry, you have to follow the Minister 24 hours a day, every day, until I find the situation secure again."
"I swear, Malfoy," Hermione points at him and takes a step in his direction and Harry sees a little fear inside Draco's eyes. "I would hex you if I could. And believe me…" She lowers her voice, "you would not like it."
Harry feels something bubbly inside him and he realizes he wants to laugh at Draco's face, his own discontentment at the situation forgotten for a brief moment. But then the implication of what Draco is asking of him hits him fully.
"Draco, I have other things to do at the department, I-"
"Stop. Both of you. I'm the superior in this situation. Obey me." He looks at them pointedly. Hermione exhales and massages her temple with her fingers. She looks beautiful with her black skirt and silky blue blouse. A cloak around her shoulders, her hair down. And the high heels that accentuate her legs… Harry closes his eyes. I can't be around her 24 hours a day. "You can go now." Draco sits on his chair and starts reading a file.
Harry can tell Hermione is thinking the same thing he is. Maybe she'll excuse him the moment they cross the office's door. Yes, she could do that. After all I'm her personal Auror. She can boss me around. They seem to share the same realization and smile a little at each other. They turn to leave and Harry moves to open the door for her. She's already half way out when Draco says, "And Hermione," she stops, "remember that I'm the one that Harry must obey and if you give him an order that there's no purpose or that contradicts mine directly and he obeys… I'll have to dismiss him for not following orders."
Harry squeezes the doorknob. There's no way out of this mess. Hermione doesn't answer, she just resumes walking, heading to her office upstairs. And Harry follows.