Suicide and Secret
Chapter Three
"Where are we going?" Draco asked trying to keep up with a pacing Hermione.
She knew what she'd do, get a secret keeper, so that no one would ever find
them and she could raise Draco as her own.
"Look, I can't explain. Not now, maybe one day all right. How would you like to stay with me?"
"I would like that, but what about my mother?"
"Well. Your mother is sick very sick. So you can't see her again alright." Draco's eyes started to fill up with tears, then it started he started crying. "Please. Draco, don't cry. C'mon let's go." Draco started screaming and crying then suddenly, a man out of nowhere came threw and grabbed Draco. "No!" Hermione screamed trying to chase after him.
"It's okay now, Miss I'm an Auror calm down."
"Draco. What are you doing to him?" She cried, suddenly a Muggle crowd gathered around her, and then everything went black. Hermione woke hearing voices. "Argh.Uh, Draco. Draco!" Hermione cried trying to sit up, she looked around she was in an Auror hospital. She saw her boss sitting on the bed.
"We found the man that helped him escape." Carlos said soothingly. "Well he actually forced Draco to escape, Draco was in shock he didn't understand at the time, the man released him and then gave him a potion that makes the person turn back into a young child depending how much Snivel Seed you put in it. He made it, so that he could take Draco out of the country and to safety without being caught, then he was going to turn Draco back into an adult when they got to safety with the reversal potion." Carlos looked as Hermione starred at him a little shocked.
"We gave it to him, but now Draco is in a coma, we want to wait till he wakes question him, then send him back to Azkaban." He watched as her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry. The Minister of Magic sent Auror's to guard you, incase the man that set him free tried to get Draco off you again. They let you travel, but made sure where you were going, then they saw you planning to leave with the kid, so they-they had-to" Carlos himself started crying.
"You were a threat Hermione. We know the Weasley couple and their twins know, who else have you told, we are going to interview everyone you met you better tell, me-please they might take away your Auror's license." Hermione sighed. She told him everything. He seemed a little relieved, "What you did was only an annoyance, we had to wipe a few Muggle memories, but other then that no major damage." 'How could he say that, there was major damage Hermione was never going to be able to repair some of the damage she had caused.'
"Please let me stay on the case. Please."
"I will pull a few strings. I will see. Hermione I will do this for you- only if you promise that you will take a holiday after this-please." She nodded he left. A few days later after Hermione rested enough in the eyes of Carlo she went back to the case. She was so grateful they let her back on the case. She started straight away with going for an interview with the man that took Draco out of Azkaban.
"Look, please talk to me. This is an un-recorded interview, I can get you a lighter sentence if you would just please help me tell me what you know."
"There is no lighter sentence for helping an escaped murderer." The man said with an angry growl added at the end. He was a large man, big built with a misshaped nose and dark hair.
"So Draco why did you help him?"
"Thought I'd get away with it didn't I?" He sneered. "Also I got paid."
"By who?"
"I told the other Auror's the same thing I'll tell you-nothing" Hermione kept trying to talk to him, but it didn't seem to work. So she simply got out and left, she went to go see Draco. He was lying there on the bed. A nurse was checking his pulse.
"Excuse me, what's wrong with him?" She asked she watched as the nurse turn to look at her.
"He just simply can't handle the memories, the conflict between the two separate memories, eventually one will take over. Or.." She looked into Hermione concerned eyes. "Or he may never wake and forever be trapped in an eternal slumber until his body gives in." Hermione felt her eyes prick with tears but she quickly wiped them away and regained composure.
"Well what's the cure is their anything faster?"
"Well-we could send someone inside his body, join his mind with someone else's but it means they would share memories, all their memories would merge, so sometimes it is hard to tell them apart, it can either cure them- or kill them." She said rather darkly and quickly walked away.
"Wait-Miss-how can you join minds?"
"By a potion!" Then she stalked off down the hall. Hermione went back to her office, to start another interview.
"That's it!" She yelled at the man. "Tell me your name, and what you want with Draco-why did you help him!" She yelled.
"My name-huh? How about Ben Dover." He laughed at his own joke, then Hermione grabbed her wand out his laughter cut short. "What are you doing with that?"
"I have been given permission to torture you until you speak the truth." She said and advanced on him she pointed her wand at his chest.
"No! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" He cried, "Please-just don't torture me!" She smiled.
"Alright tell me."
"Well-I have always boasted at my local tavern that I once got into Azkaban."
"Did you?"
"Yes. But I got caught-lucky I had a good lawyer and wasn't charged." "Why not?"
"Because I was a kid. Anyway one day this guy comes up tells me about this Draco Malfoy, tells me he'd pay me to go free him turn him into a kid, take him out of the country and re-verse the spell back to an adult and leave."
"Did he tell you where to go?"
"No, I swear he didn't he just said get him out of England, go anywhere then he would take care of the rest." He gulped.
"Good." She said. "I'll see what I can do about having the charged dropped."
She walked out leaving a rather frightened man sitting down with wet pants. "Hermione, get anything out of him?"
"Yes. An idea-we need to take Draco out of the country in order to find the person that paid the man to set him free-oh-before I forget can we have his charged dropped?"
"Whose?"
"The man, in the interview room."
"Oh-sure, just let someone who broke into Azkaban out."
"He gave us the information we needed, he is just an idiot putting him behind bars would be nothing."
"Yeah well Draco won't even wake up-how are we supposed to take him out of the country-we can't his under strict surveillance as well. Auror's posted at his door."
"If I wake him up-will you drop the charges and let me take him out of the country?" He laughed.
"Sure I will."
"You swear."
"I swear."
"Good." Hermione turned her tape recorder off and walked away.
"You'll never wake him up you know."
Later that day Hermione sat across from Neville in his little Herbology store. "I am losing a lot of work for you-what's the emergency?" Neville asked extremely worried.
"I can prove Draco Malfoy is innocent of the murder of Albus Dumbledore." Neville looked a little shocked then he laughed.
"I am sure you could Hermione. But why should I help him."
"No, help me. To find the real killer and put him behind bars-Draco may be a vicious person but I can swear to you he never killed anyone."
Neville looked at her and sighed. "Well as a favor to you, but I don't think you can prove it." He said, "What do you need?"
"These ingredients. Can you get them?"
"Sure no problem, come back tomorrow morning alright?"
"Alright-thank you."
"I think he is the killer but if it will ease your mind-what do you need this for anyway?"
"Oh-you'll see trust me." She winked at him and left. She then started her research just like her Hogwarts days; she was at a library trying to find anything about a mind-joining potion. She found it but all it did was join their minds, nothing about what to do after you were in. Not enough people survived to tell the tale she thought. She decided she would just have to risk it, so she wrote down the procedure in which she needed to use the ingredients-she already remembered how the ingredients but how to use them was another thing-she made sure to copy it down carefully.
"Back are you? Your ingredients are in then back." He said as he saw her rush past.
"Good-thanks Neville." She quickly ran out the store and to her office where she began to mix the ingredients. It took her a few hours but finally she had finished the potion. She quickly went to the hospital but she couldn't visit without permission, last time she had Carlos's-but if she woke him up at this hour their was no way he would ever let her visit. Especially because he didn't want Draco waking up so she knew whom she had to call.
"Fred, George I really need your help are you sure your up for this?"
"Breaking into a hospital-to prove that your feministic hunch, that Draco Malfoy isn't a cold blooded killer, by going in to his mind and reading his memories-also putting his mind at rest, which by the way you don't know how to do yet-so that he can wake up and you can take him out of the country to find the man that helped him escape-who is also probably a Death Eater. Not to mention even if your right-and you see the memories you have to still prove his innocence with the only other witness to the murder being dead."
"What Fred is trying to say, is that we could get arrested or killed. Of course we don't mind!" George said smiling.
"Let me pack some things and we can go." Fred said putting a few things into a bag from the toy store he was in-making the last few late-night shoppers leave then close up.
"Alright-you don't think any of those shoppers heard did you George?" Fred asked a little worried.
"What that we are going to break into a hospital and try to set free a Death Eater who killed one of the most lovable Wizards of all time. No, I think they were all too smashed to realize."
"Well at least remind me why we are doing this."
"For the Draco you knew, the little boy lost inside the tough exterior." Hermione said looking at them pleadingly.
"Alrighty then. I'm ready to roll let's go."
Getting in seemed easy with Fred and George-they simply put this extra strong super-glue of their own invention to their shoes and walked up the wall of the hospital to Draco's window. They opened the window softly and went in. "That wasn't too hard, think anyone saw us?" Hermione asked.
"It's twelve at night, we walked up to the top floor of a hospital wing for criminals-I was more worried one of them would see me open the window and drag me in to do Merlin knows what to me!"
"I could have a guess." George said mischievously, "In other words though, Herm he was more worried about being violated then being seen."
She smiled then she looked out the door quietly the Auror had gone to sleep, that gave them plenty of time. "Guy's look guard the door, make sure to get out if the Auror comes in, or warn me alright?"
"Alright" They said in unison. Hermione drank the potion then put it in Draco's mouth and watched him swallow, she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed on the floor. She saw herself in what appeared to be a tunnel-a tunnel of memories. She saw all of Draco's early memories, where his memories of her were, and they were mixed with the memories he really had, as she kept going she saw his good, and some were bad really bad, he saw the pointless beatings and odd punishments, then she found it odd, she saw memories of his first sight of her. An odd sensation brushed over her, was it Draco's feelings? Or was it just her seeing herself threw his eyes made her feel creeped out. She felt nothing as she went along, this only joined the minds, so you could see memories not know what a person was feeling.
Then she got to the end where she saw Draco sitting in the middle of a circular room, two things floating around him, one was the boy Hermione knew, the other was Draco's father both were yelling at him and Hermione couldn't understand Draco just sat there not knowing what to do. She walked threw his illusions and straight up to him, he looked her in the eye. "Draco?" She whispered, yet she couldn't feel her mouth moving.
"Granger.." She heard a faint whisper yet she didn't see Draco's lips moving, must be from being in his mind.
"Draco what's wrong, why can't you wake up." He looked at his father on one side then the little Draco on the other Hermione saw them screaming but couldn't hear them.
"They want me to choose."
"Choose what?" She asked.
"A side, good or evil. Right or wrong."
"Draco it can't be that hard."
"But it is. Everyone on the good side hates me-you saw my memories of the way I was treated, I got respect on the evil side."
"You also got betrayal, and imprisonment. Is that what you wanted? I saw you as a child-it wasn't your fault your father made you the way you were."
"Really, well how are you sure I never wanted to be that way?"
"Because I saw the inner child of you. Before your father poisoned your mind. Draco you could-can be more."
"Everyone thinks I am a murderer. I saw your memories I know."
"But Draco. You also saw how they treated the good you-which one would you rather have?" He just starred at her.
"I don't know. How can you prove I'm innocent."
"Trust me I can."
"Trust-it's highly over rated."
"Draco I know you had a bad life, everyone you ever trusted is dead, gone or threw your trust in your face. But trust me, I can prove it I won't give up on you Draco, I saw you memories of the murder-you were knocked out by something while talking to Dumbledore on what to do, you went to him on advice about what to do about your father ratting on you-you didn't go there to kill him Draco." He just looked at her.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Y-yes." She said. There was a bright light and then she was awake again, and she watched as Draco woke up too a little drowsy. "Quick let's get him out of here." Hermione said and picked Draco unplugged all the cords. She heard the door rattle and saw Fred and George holding it shut.
"Alright well we'll hold the door open our bag and get out the rug." She did as she was told and took it out, that's when she realized it floated.
"How did you do this?" She asked a little surprised.
"Charmed now get Draco onto it and go out the window." She did as she was told and watched as Fred ran and George ran for the window and jumped threw, George hitting his head on the way out. It was quick and before Hermione knew it they were up in the clouds out of view and far away.
After the excitement died down Hermione started remembering Draco's memories. She looked at him he starred at her; she now knew everything about him except how he felt. She had the memories but she didn't had the voices of the memories just the images, she mustn't have made the potion strong enough.
"I know your memories too." He said looking at her strangely. They just sat there starring at each other, then it was broken.
"So Hermione, where do you want to go?"
"How about your house?"
"Are you sure that's safe?"
"We need to go to Percy though, or Ginny, so I can get permission."
"For what?"
"We just kidnapped a killer. I need to say I had permission from someone to do it."
"Well why didn't you get it before?"
"Well if I show up with Malfoy at his home, it's rather accusing, and he would have to agree that he gave permission otherwise he is in helping an escapee."
"But he didn't." Fred said a little shocked.
"But we can say he did." Smiled Hermione.
"Look Draco, look what you did to our Hermione." George laughed, heading the carpet for the Weasley home. Draco was looking at Hermione, but she couldn't understand what he was thinking. His cold gray eyes pierced into hers then he blushed and turned away. Hermione felt a little unnerved, she never saw him blush before!
The carpet just stopped out front the house and that's when Hermione saw Percy heading straight towards them. "What do you think by making us all worry about you then show up this early in the morning on a carpet now less, probably illegally used I may add. And.you show up with Hermione! You know Mum and Dad aren't too keen on seeing her around here anytime soon," Hermione felt slightly offended but it was understandable. "Oh Merlin! You have also got a convicted criminal after you, stand back!" Percy said holding his wand shakily.
"No Percy!" Hermione cried jumping in front of Draco. "His innocent, I can prove it, just please sign this and I swear we'll leave you alone!" She said standing defensively in front of Draco.
"Sign what! Innocent! Him! Hermione, I heard some things about you recently but this-I am going to call the Ministry his got you under his spell!" He went to turn but Fred and George stopped him.
"No Percy! I believe Hermione, she is not crazy, sign the contract now!" Percy glared at them.
"Or what?!" He boomed looking them dead in the eye.
"Or we'll give the Daily Prophet an in depth account of your life, including baby photo's. Also tell them about other photo's you have in your room they would be interested in." Fred smiled.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"You know us-we would." They said in perfect unison making it slightly creepy.
"Alright. But you better tell me what's going on, and I want you to never use this against me again if I sign this paper. What is it?"
"It says that you granted me the custody of Draco. That you let me take him to a safer place, and conduct a search."
"I don't have the power to do that." He said.
"I know you do."
"Well even if I did I need your superior's consent!"
"Here." She threw him the tape of her conversation. "That's all you need listen to it, it's evidence." She said and looked at Draco, realizing that he was standing there in night robes not that thick.
"Alright. Hermione, you can take the carpet. Percy sign the paper then come with us, we'll tell you the entire story." He nodded.
"Wait Hermione, how do you use this?" He said holding the tape.
"You father should know, don't tell him what it's about though." Draco said and Percy slowly nodded given Draco an odd look of suspicion.
"Hermione pulled Draco back down onto the carpet and left with good-byes from Fred and George.
"So how did he know our father knew how to use this."
"Don't worry it will all be explained in due time." Fred said smiling at his brother. She watched them walk to the house until they were just specks.
"Wait I don't know how to use it!" She gasped at the sudden realization.
"Don't worry I do. Where do you want to go?" He asked her.
"To the country, to a small town called Brighten. Can you go there?" He nodded and the carpet slowly flew into the direction of Brighten. "Draco, why did you blush before?"
"Oh-uh-I saw one of your memories." He said going red again he looked at the ground, Hermione couldn't, she was petrified of heights and for this one person whom she didn't even like very much she had to go up in the sky three times. Once to go get him, and getting away from the hospital and now going to her parents country town, it was the only safe place at the moment.
"Well-none of my memories are embarrassing to me, are they?" She asked looking at him a little worried.
"No-more to Ron then you if anything." She gasped at the realization of what he meant, she too turned red. "Sometimes it is very lucky to be a virgin." He smiled. She gave him a look. "C'mon I never had a permanent girlfriend and I have been in Azkaban for a while don't forget." He said defensively. She nodded in understanding.
"What was that, in your mind before?"
"My torment. One side was the past you made for me, one that gave me-a strange feeling towards Muggles, sort of a liking. The other, was the past I had without you in it, it was my hate, my anger. But when they came together, along with everything I know at this present time, I had to make a choice."
"Why didn't you instantly pick my-I mean the good side."
"What do I have on your side? Both sides sucked but at least the dark side accepted me."
"I accept you."
"But only because you want to finish of your case. Admit it I saw your memories."
"But you didn't hear what they said, or read my thoughts or feelings. I didn't make the potion strong enough. I do accept you, I understand what it's like."
"What-what's like?"
"To want your parents to pay more attention, to care, to say they love you."
"Yeah well it's too late for me. No one will ever love me now. Everyone I know is dead or disappeared. Everyone I ever knew. Gone." He said almost mournfully.
"You have me."
"No I don't! You are just here because you pity the child me, I remember. I know Hermione, you wouldn't even think twice about helping me out if I was like I am now."
"I am now aren't I?"
"But only because of my child self. You never liked the other me."
"Well maybe that's because you were being a bastard to me all the time!"
"You are a Mudblood it's how I feel about them alright?"
"Well that says it all doesn't it!" She said turning away from him so he didn't see the tears building.
"Look, I don't know how I feel. You screwed it all up, but a lifetime of hate, next to a few days without it." He looked at her. "I am not too hopeful my hatred would ever go away."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because, you're the only one I can tell." She looked at him. "Besides I don't think I am going to live much longer and I wanted you to know these things." "Why?"
"A thank you. For trying."
"Trying what?"
"Trying to save me." He then turned away and that's when she realized they were in Brighten. It was early dawn, not many people would have seen them, so she decided to make her way up to her parents little farm house.
She watched Draco march gloomily a little behind her, she walked to the door, and realized it was open. Her parents never left the door open. She watched and that's when she saw her mother and father on the floor, dead.
"Look, I can't explain. Not now, maybe one day all right. How would you like to stay with me?"
"I would like that, but what about my mother?"
"Well. Your mother is sick very sick. So you can't see her again alright." Draco's eyes started to fill up with tears, then it started he started crying. "Please. Draco, don't cry. C'mon let's go." Draco started screaming and crying then suddenly, a man out of nowhere came threw and grabbed Draco. "No!" Hermione screamed trying to chase after him.
"It's okay now, Miss I'm an Auror calm down."
"Draco. What are you doing to him?" She cried, suddenly a Muggle crowd gathered around her, and then everything went black. Hermione woke hearing voices. "Argh.Uh, Draco. Draco!" Hermione cried trying to sit up, she looked around she was in an Auror hospital. She saw her boss sitting on the bed.
"We found the man that helped him escape." Carlos said soothingly. "Well he actually forced Draco to escape, Draco was in shock he didn't understand at the time, the man released him and then gave him a potion that makes the person turn back into a young child depending how much Snivel Seed you put in it. He made it, so that he could take Draco out of the country and to safety without being caught, then he was going to turn Draco back into an adult when they got to safety with the reversal potion." Carlos looked as Hermione starred at him a little shocked.
"We gave it to him, but now Draco is in a coma, we want to wait till he wakes question him, then send him back to Azkaban." He watched as her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry. The Minister of Magic sent Auror's to guard you, incase the man that set him free tried to get Draco off you again. They let you travel, but made sure where you were going, then they saw you planning to leave with the kid, so they-they had-to" Carlos himself started crying.
"You were a threat Hermione. We know the Weasley couple and their twins know, who else have you told, we are going to interview everyone you met you better tell, me-please they might take away your Auror's license." Hermione sighed. She told him everything. He seemed a little relieved, "What you did was only an annoyance, we had to wipe a few Muggle memories, but other then that no major damage." 'How could he say that, there was major damage Hermione was never going to be able to repair some of the damage she had caused.'
"Please let me stay on the case. Please."
"I will pull a few strings. I will see. Hermione I will do this for you- only if you promise that you will take a holiday after this-please." She nodded he left. A few days later after Hermione rested enough in the eyes of Carlo she went back to the case. She was so grateful they let her back on the case. She started straight away with going for an interview with the man that took Draco out of Azkaban.
"Look, please talk to me. This is an un-recorded interview, I can get you a lighter sentence if you would just please help me tell me what you know."
"There is no lighter sentence for helping an escaped murderer." The man said with an angry growl added at the end. He was a large man, big built with a misshaped nose and dark hair.
"So Draco why did you help him?"
"Thought I'd get away with it didn't I?" He sneered. "Also I got paid."
"By who?"
"I told the other Auror's the same thing I'll tell you-nothing" Hermione kept trying to talk to him, but it didn't seem to work. So she simply got out and left, she went to go see Draco. He was lying there on the bed. A nurse was checking his pulse.
"Excuse me, what's wrong with him?" She asked she watched as the nurse turn to look at her.
"He just simply can't handle the memories, the conflict between the two separate memories, eventually one will take over. Or.." She looked into Hermione concerned eyes. "Or he may never wake and forever be trapped in an eternal slumber until his body gives in." Hermione felt her eyes prick with tears but she quickly wiped them away and regained composure.
"Well what's the cure is their anything faster?"
"Well-we could send someone inside his body, join his mind with someone else's but it means they would share memories, all their memories would merge, so sometimes it is hard to tell them apart, it can either cure them- or kill them." She said rather darkly and quickly walked away.
"Wait-Miss-how can you join minds?"
"By a potion!" Then she stalked off down the hall. Hermione went back to her office, to start another interview.
"That's it!" She yelled at the man. "Tell me your name, and what you want with Draco-why did you help him!" She yelled.
"My name-huh? How about Ben Dover." He laughed at his own joke, then Hermione grabbed her wand out his laughter cut short. "What are you doing with that?"
"I have been given permission to torture you until you speak the truth." She said and advanced on him she pointed her wand at his chest.
"No! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!" He cried, "Please-just don't torture me!" She smiled.
"Alright tell me."
"Well-I have always boasted at my local tavern that I once got into Azkaban."
"Did you?"
"Yes. But I got caught-lucky I had a good lawyer and wasn't charged." "Why not?"
"Because I was a kid. Anyway one day this guy comes up tells me about this Draco Malfoy, tells me he'd pay me to go free him turn him into a kid, take him out of the country and re-verse the spell back to an adult and leave."
"Did he tell you where to go?"
"No, I swear he didn't he just said get him out of England, go anywhere then he would take care of the rest." He gulped.
"Good." She said. "I'll see what I can do about having the charged dropped."
She walked out leaving a rather frightened man sitting down with wet pants. "Hermione, get anything out of him?"
"Yes. An idea-we need to take Draco out of the country in order to find the person that paid the man to set him free-oh-before I forget can we have his charged dropped?"
"Whose?"
"The man, in the interview room."
"Oh-sure, just let someone who broke into Azkaban out."
"He gave us the information we needed, he is just an idiot putting him behind bars would be nothing."
"Yeah well Draco won't even wake up-how are we supposed to take him out of the country-we can't his under strict surveillance as well. Auror's posted at his door."
"If I wake him up-will you drop the charges and let me take him out of the country?" He laughed.
"Sure I will."
"You swear."
"I swear."
"Good." Hermione turned her tape recorder off and walked away.
"You'll never wake him up you know."
Later that day Hermione sat across from Neville in his little Herbology store. "I am losing a lot of work for you-what's the emergency?" Neville asked extremely worried.
"I can prove Draco Malfoy is innocent of the murder of Albus Dumbledore." Neville looked a little shocked then he laughed.
"I am sure you could Hermione. But why should I help him."
"No, help me. To find the real killer and put him behind bars-Draco may be a vicious person but I can swear to you he never killed anyone."
Neville looked at her and sighed. "Well as a favor to you, but I don't think you can prove it." He said, "What do you need?"
"These ingredients. Can you get them?"
"Sure no problem, come back tomorrow morning alright?"
"Alright-thank you."
"I think he is the killer but if it will ease your mind-what do you need this for anyway?"
"Oh-you'll see trust me." She winked at him and left. She then started her research just like her Hogwarts days; she was at a library trying to find anything about a mind-joining potion. She found it but all it did was join their minds, nothing about what to do after you were in. Not enough people survived to tell the tale she thought. She decided she would just have to risk it, so she wrote down the procedure in which she needed to use the ingredients-she already remembered how the ingredients but how to use them was another thing-she made sure to copy it down carefully.
"Back are you? Your ingredients are in then back." He said as he saw her rush past.
"Good-thanks Neville." She quickly ran out the store and to her office where she began to mix the ingredients. It took her a few hours but finally she had finished the potion. She quickly went to the hospital but she couldn't visit without permission, last time she had Carlos's-but if she woke him up at this hour their was no way he would ever let her visit. Especially because he didn't want Draco waking up so she knew whom she had to call.
"Fred, George I really need your help are you sure your up for this?"
"Breaking into a hospital-to prove that your feministic hunch, that Draco Malfoy isn't a cold blooded killer, by going in to his mind and reading his memories-also putting his mind at rest, which by the way you don't know how to do yet-so that he can wake up and you can take him out of the country to find the man that helped him escape-who is also probably a Death Eater. Not to mention even if your right-and you see the memories you have to still prove his innocence with the only other witness to the murder being dead."
"What Fred is trying to say, is that we could get arrested or killed. Of course we don't mind!" George said smiling.
"Let me pack some things and we can go." Fred said putting a few things into a bag from the toy store he was in-making the last few late-night shoppers leave then close up.
"Alright-you don't think any of those shoppers heard did you George?" Fred asked a little worried.
"What that we are going to break into a hospital and try to set free a Death Eater who killed one of the most lovable Wizards of all time. No, I think they were all too smashed to realize."
"Well at least remind me why we are doing this."
"For the Draco you knew, the little boy lost inside the tough exterior." Hermione said looking at them pleadingly.
"Alrighty then. I'm ready to roll let's go."
Getting in seemed easy with Fred and George-they simply put this extra strong super-glue of their own invention to their shoes and walked up the wall of the hospital to Draco's window. They opened the window softly and went in. "That wasn't too hard, think anyone saw us?" Hermione asked.
"It's twelve at night, we walked up to the top floor of a hospital wing for criminals-I was more worried one of them would see me open the window and drag me in to do Merlin knows what to me!"
"I could have a guess." George said mischievously, "In other words though, Herm he was more worried about being violated then being seen."
She smiled then she looked out the door quietly the Auror had gone to sleep, that gave them plenty of time. "Guy's look guard the door, make sure to get out if the Auror comes in, or warn me alright?"
"Alright" They said in unison. Hermione drank the potion then put it in Draco's mouth and watched him swallow, she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed on the floor. She saw herself in what appeared to be a tunnel-a tunnel of memories. She saw all of Draco's early memories, where his memories of her were, and they were mixed with the memories he really had, as she kept going she saw his good, and some were bad really bad, he saw the pointless beatings and odd punishments, then she found it odd, she saw memories of his first sight of her. An odd sensation brushed over her, was it Draco's feelings? Or was it just her seeing herself threw his eyes made her feel creeped out. She felt nothing as she went along, this only joined the minds, so you could see memories not know what a person was feeling.
Then she got to the end where she saw Draco sitting in the middle of a circular room, two things floating around him, one was the boy Hermione knew, the other was Draco's father both were yelling at him and Hermione couldn't understand Draco just sat there not knowing what to do. She walked threw his illusions and straight up to him, he looked her in the eye. "Draco?" She whispered, yet she couldn't feel her mouth moving.
"Granger.." She heard a faint whisper yet she didn't see Draco's lips moving, must be from being in his mind.
"Draco what's wrong, why can't you wake up." He looked at his father on one side then the little Draco on the other Hermione saw them screaming but couldn't hear them.
"They want me to choose."
"Choose what?" She asked.
"A side, good or evil. Right or wrong."
"Draco it can't be that hard."
"But it is. Everyone on the good side hates me-you saw my memories of the way I was treated, I got respect on the evil side."
"You also got betrayal, and imprisonment. Is that what you wanted? I saw you as a child-it wasn't your fault your father made you the way you were."
"Really, well how are you sure I never wanted to be that way?"
"Because I saw the inner child of you. Before your father poisoned your mind. Draco you could-can be more."
"Everyone thinks I am a murderer. I saw your memories I know."
"But Draco. You also saw how they treated the good you-which one would you rather have?" He just starred at her.
"I don't know. How can you prove I'm innocent."
"Trust me I can."
"Trust-it's highly over rated."
"Draco I know you had a bad life, everyone you ever trusted is dead, gone or threw your trust in your face. But trust me, I can prove it I won't give up on you Draco, I saw you memories of the murder-you were knocked out by something while talking to Dumbledore on what to do, you went to him on advice about what to do about your father ratting on you-you didn't go there to kill him Draco." He just looked at her.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Y-yes." She said. There was a bright light and then she was awake again, and she watched as Draco woke up too a little drowsy. "Quick let's get him out of here." Hermione said and picked Draco unplugged all the cords. She heard the door rattle and saw Fred and George holding it shut.
"Alright well we'll hold the door open our bag and get out the rug." She did as she was told and took it out, that's when she realized it floated.
"How did you do this?" She asked a little surprised.
"Charmed now get Draco onto it and go out the window." She did as she was told and watched as Fred ran and George ran for the window and jumped threw, George hitting his head on the way out. It was quick and before Hermione knew it they were up in the clouds out of view and far away.
After the excitement died down Hermione started remembering Draco's memories. She looked at him he starred at her; she now knew everything about him except how he felt. She had the memories but she didn't had the voices of the memories just the images, she mustn't have made the potion strong enough.
"I know your memories too." He said looking at her strangely. They just sat there starring at each other, then it was broken.
"So Hermione, where do you want to go?"
"How about your house?"
"Are you sure that's safe?"
"We need to go to Percy though, or Ginny, so I can get permission."
"For what?"
"We just kidnapped a killer. I need to say I had permission from someone to do it."
"Well why didn't you get it before?"
"Well if I show up with Malfoy at his home, it's rather accusing, and he would have to agree that he gave permission otherwise he is in helping an escapee."
"But he didn't." Fred said a little shocked.
"But we can say he did." Smiled Hermione.
"Look Draco, look what you did to our Hermione." George laughed, heading the carpet for the Weasley home. Draco was looking at Hermione, but she couldn't understand what he was thinking. His cold gray eyes pierced into hers then he blushed and turned away. Hermione felt a little unnerved, she never saw him blush before!
The carpet just stopped out front the house and that's when Hermione saw Percy heading straight towards them. "What do you think by making us all worry about you then show up this early in the morning on a carpet now less, probably illegally used I may add. And.you show up with Hermione! You know Mum and Dad aren't too keen on seeing her around here anytime soon," Hermione felt slightly offended but it was understandable. "Oh Merlin! You have also got a convicted criminal after you, stand back!" Percy said holding his wand shakily.
"No Percy!" Hermione cried jumping in front of Draco. "His innocent, I can prove it, just please sign this and I swear we'll leave you alone!" She said standing defensively in front of Draco.
"Sign what! Innocent! Him! Hermione, I heard some things about you recently but this-I am going to call the Ministry his got you under his spell!" He went to turn but Fred and George stopped him.
"No Percy! I believe Hermione, she is not crazy, sign the contract now!" Percy glared at them.
"Or what?!" He boomed looking them dead in the eye.
"Or we'll give the Daily Prophet an in depth account of your life, including baby photo's. Also tell them about other photo's you have in your room they would be interested in." Fred smiled.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"You know us-we would." They said in perfect unison making it slightly creepy.
"Alright. But you better tell me what's going on, and I want you to never use this against me again if I sign this paper. What is it?"
"It says that you granted me the custody of Draco. That you let me take him to a safer place, and conduct a search."
"I don't have the power to do that." He said.
"I know you do."
"Well even if I did I need your superior's consent!"
"Here." She threw him the tape of her conversation. "That's all you need listen to it, it's evidence." She said and looked at Draco, realizing that he was standing there in night robes not that thick.
"Alright. Hermione, you can take the carpet. Percy sign the paper then come with us, we'll tell you the entire story." He nodded.
"Wait Hermione, how do you use this?" He said holding the tape.
"You father should know, don't tell him what it's about though." Draco said and Percy slowly nodded given Draco an odd look of suspicion.
"Hermione pulled Draco back down onto the carpet and left with good-byes from Fred and George.
"So how did he know our father knew how to use this."
"Don't worry it will all be explained in due time." Fred said smiling at his brother. She watched them walk to the house until they were just specks.
"Wait I don't know how to use it!" She gasped at the sudden realization.
"Don't worry I do. Where do you want to go?" He asked her.
"To the country, to a small town called Brighten. Can you go there?" He nodded and the carpet slowly flew into the direction of Brighten. "Draco, why did you blush before?"
"Oh-uh-I saw one of your memories." He said going red again he looked at the ground, Hermione couldn't, she was petrified of heights and for this one person whom she didn't even like very much she had to go up in the sky three times. Once to go get him, and getting away from the hospital and now going to her parents country town, it was the only safe place at the moment.
"Well-none of my memories are embarrassing to me, are they?" She asked looking at him a little worried.
"No-more to Ron then you if anything." She gasped at the realization of what he meant, she too turned red. "Sometimes it is very lucky to be a virgin." He smiled. She gave him a look. "C'mon I never had a permanent girlfriend and I have been in Azkaban for a while don't forget." He said defensively. She nodded in understanding.
"What was that, in your mind before?"
"My torment. One side was the past you made for me, one that gave me-a strange feeling towards Muggles, sort of a liking. The other, was the past I had without you in it, it was my hate, my anger. But when they came together, along with everything I know at this present time, I had to make a choice."
"Why didn't you instantly pick my-I mean the good side."
"What do I have on your side? Both sides sucked but at least the dark side accepted me."
"I accept you."
"But only because you want to finish of your case. Admit it I saw your memories."
"But you didn't hear what they said, or read my thoughts or feelings. I didn't make the potion strong enough. I do accept you, I understand what it's like."
"What-what's like?"
"To want your parents to pay more attention, to care, to say they love you."
"Yeah well it's too late for me. No one will ever love me now. Everyone I know is dead or disappeared. Everyone I ever knew. Gone." He said almost mournfully.
"You have me."
"No I don't! You are just here because you pity the child me, I remember. I know Hermione, you wouldn't even think twice about helping me out if I was like I am now."
"I am now aren't I?"
"But only because of my child self. You never liked the other me."
"Well maybe that's because you were being a bastard to me all the time!"
"You are a Mudblood it's how I feel about them alright?"
"Well that says it all doesn't it!" She said turning away from him so he didn't see the tears building.
"Look, I don't know how I feel. You screwed it all up, but a lifetime of hate, next to a few days without it." He looked at her. "I am not too hopeful my hatred would ever go away."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because, you're the only one I can tell." She looked at him. "Besides I don't think I am going to live much longer and I wanted you to know these things." "Why?"
"A thank you. For trying."
"Trying what?"
"Trying to save me." He then turned away and that's when she realized they were in Brighten. It was early dawn, not many people would have seen them, so she decided to make her way up to her parents little farm house.
She watched Draco march gloomily a little behind her, she walked to the door, and realized it was open. Her parents never left the door open. She watched and that's when she saw her mother and father on the floor, dead.