Hermione was quietly sitting in her usual corner at the Three Broomsticks waiting for Harry and Ron to come. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun so that a great deal of it spilled out in waves overshadowing her face as she slowly sipped at her butterbeer. Others looking upon her would just see a pretty woman mulling over her drink. If one were to look closer though they would see the intense look of concentration clouding over her eyes.
Over the day she had tried to keep a close eye on Malfoy. What she found or the lack thereof was very confusing. She had come down to the dining room that mourning for breakfast and immediately noticed that Draco wasn't there. He seemed to be the talk of the day with the other teachers though. Hermione couldn't decipher which piece of the gossip was true and what was fanciful. Between being a secret assassin for Voldemort and holding Dumbledore under a spell there was nothing good said of him. She stayed for a few minutes at the table after everyone else left hoping that he would come down to eat. Which he didn't. Since she had her class schedules for AP charms and the new wards & protection charms classes finished 2 weeks before hand the last few days were free and Hermione was able to wander the grounds as she pleased. She had spent the majority of the afternoon in the gardens and around the lake. She leaned further over the table as she thought of her walk in the gardens.
It had been a great surprise to her to find Draco sitting on the ground in the rose garden. So great of a surprise she yelped. Immediately he made a swish of his hand and a flash of gold dust and he was standing to greet her. When she looked closely at him she could see the dark circles under his bloodshot eyes and the over all haggard look. The meeting didn't last long. Before she could ask any questions he claimed that he had to go and prepare for his class and promptly left her. As soon as he was gone she immediately fell to her knees searching the area that he had previously been working in. All she saw was the gold dust slowly disappearing into the ground.
When she came back from the gardens she immediately went to the owlry to send a message to Harry and Ron to meet her at the pub. The rest of the day she spent trying to keep her mind off the mystery named Draco by consuming vast amount of books in just a few sessions. When dinner finally came and her anticipation had mounted she found herself sorely disappointed when he never came. After super Hermione had decided that she had gathered about her wits enough to approach him with a civil conversation. Which would involve many forms of threats and great torture tools to follow through with her own version of an inquisition.
Hermione sighed, straightening her posture as she thought of her earlier idea that had left her as soon as she walked by his door.
"Hello? Hermione?"
"Gahh!" she nearly jumped out of her chair at the unexpected voice so close to her. "Harry, Ron!" she exclaimed jumping out of her seat to greet them. Both men smiled as she hugged them tightly to her and held her with equal fervor. Harry and Ron hung their coats up before they sat down to order their drinks.
As soon as Harry saw the far off look coming back to her eyes he immediately started to question her. "Hermione what with the urgent message? Weren't we going to meet in just a few days?"
"Tell me about Draco Malfoy." She said with extreme seriousness. Ron eyes widened in surprise while Harry paled.
"What do you need to know about that slimy git for? He's still on the wanted list." Ron replied, recovering first while Harry still looked a quite bit pale.
"That's just it! Yesterday he just strolled in the conference room and Dumbledore announced him Reamus's replacement. By the way, why haven't you told me Reamus would be in the ministry now?" After a few second while both men looked slightly shocked Harry answered.
"We thought you knew about Reamus? He decided to come over to the ministry a couple of weeks ago, cause you know we're looking for all the help we could get." Harry said looking down until the waitress came with the drinks. Then he just looked into his drink. Hermione's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Well, what about Malfoy?" she said looking from Ron to Harry. While Ron except her gaze Harry's eyes were to the ground.
"I told you, nobody really knows about him. Are you absolutely sure it was him?" Ron said.
"Yes I'm sure and what are you to not telling me?" she said now looking suspicious.
"There's nothing we aren't telling you." Harry mumbled. Ron sighed looking from Harry then to Hermione before he spoke.
"Oh bugger it. Hermione, Dumbledore made us promise that we wouldn't tell anyone….."
"Well fancy seeing the dream team here. Weasly, Potter, Granger." Draco's usual drawl seemed to have more of an icy glint to it as he nodded to each of them. Even in this respectable gesture he seemed to insult them. "Mind if I sit here?" he didn't wait for an answer as he walked past a slacked jaw Harry and Ron to Hermione. He set his Guinness on the table and tapped the ashes from his cigarette into the ash tray before sitting down next to Hermione.
"You know those things kill." Harry said sounding weary. Ron just glared.
"So I've heard." He replied with a level gaze toward Harry. "So, Hermione is there anything in particular I need to know about the upcoming year? I haven't been able to talk to Dumbledore much and he directed me to you."
Hermione scowled at him. She was becoming severely annoyed with the mocking glint in his steely gray eyes. The scare only enhanced this effect. "Did you follow me?" she asked her eyes growing darker
"Actually pro. Sinistra would like to talk to you about some of your new ideas of lunar wards. If you would allow me to walk you back I would like to ask my questions." He got up and put out a hand towards Hermione. She ignored the offered hand and gave Harry and Ron a look that said, "you will answer to me latter'. She then left with Draco who had forgotten his beer.
"I'll never understand why Dumbledore trusts that bastard!" Ron looked fiercely after the still swinging door.
"Relax Ron," Harry said with a sigh. "Just be glad the git isn't dead. Wonder what happened." He said the last part quietly, weary of the patrons in the bar.
"Yeah. What would make Dumbledore want to get him in Hogwarts so fast?"
"I don't know but it must have been the last mission. We never got a report back from it. Do you think he blew cover?" Harry asked draining the last of his liquor.
"Possible." Ron muttered. He never really saw why Harry put so much concern in the insulting, prick. As far as he was concerned Malfoy could lose an arm and a leg just as long as he got his reports in on time.
"Well we have to get back to work. Hopefully Draco will keep a low profile for 'Mione if he really doesn't want to be found."
Ron snorted at that statement. How the hell has such loud, obstinate, attention grabber go into espionage? Low profile, ha! "We better get going or else Sirius and Moody will have our arses on a platter."
With a chuckle Harry agreed.
Nothing could be more romantic than walk from Hogsmead to Hogwarts on a warm autumn night with a full moon. Not even including the total dish that was standing next to her. Hermione sighed. Why couldn't Draco Malfoy had been born ugly? The lake wasn't far away the light wind rustled the trees and made the long blades of grass glimmer in the moonlight. The lake looked more like satin with diamonds embedded in it as they neared. Draco had only asked her a few questions to which she had snapped back answers then they had fallen into a deep silence. Slipping another glance toward him she noticed the bruises under his eyes were still there but he somehow looked more alive. The night was becoming to him.
Hermione, sick of the silence, decided that right now would probably be the most ample time to question him. "Where have you been the last few years?" She blinked in surprise, was subtlety so lost upon her?
"Not very subtle are we?" he said mirroring her thoughts. "What I had done is in the past and none of you business. Don't ask about it again."
Appalled by his abrupt answer she stepped in front of him and put and hand out to his shoulder to stop him. "I beg to differ," she said with poison in her voice. "But it is my business to know if you are a danger to anyone in that school. If you do anything to harm a hair on any of the children I will make sure you live out the rest of your days in pain."
His eyes flickered down to the hand set firmly on his shoulders then to the menacing witch. He had the inane urge to show her just how dangerous he was. "Now how exactly is that idle threat suppose to scare me if I have no imagery?" he purred, leaning into her.
"I will cut off you dick and shove it where the sun don't shine."
Draco looked at her evenly before stepped back laughing. "That visual enough for you, Malfoy?"
"Hmm yes quite enough." He said as they continued walking. The spark in his eyes seemed to have left him now and what was left was a dull silver.
"Well are you going to answer my question then? Or do I have to follow through with my threat?"
"Ask Harry about it."
"Why Harry?"
"You could be very annoying, you know that?"
"You are more evasive than I could ever be annoying." She snapped back. Draco gave a great mental sigh. Torture wasn't as bad as having a 'conversation' with this girl. He had enough on his hands without her suspicions.
"For the last few years I have hidden out in one of my father's old chicken farms, making billions of dollars on ebay by selling children's livers and backbones."
"Your lying."
"Really? And however would you figure that." The sarcasm practically dripped from Draco's mouth. He walked on faster trying to evade the persistent witch. Before he could get more than a few strides ahead of her, she had walked ahead and stood in front of him. The thought suddenly passed Draco's mind that this was not a women use to not being answered to.
"Draco Malfoy you will answer me." Her voice now had a true note of the power that lay within her. He looked at her thoughtfully before he made his decision. Then he smiled at the logic of it that would surly keep her from getting to far into his life.
"I'll give you, as you muggles say it, collateral. How 'bout the key to my truth?"
The smell of fall drifted lazily around them. The cool musk of the lake settled as a light fog around them. It almost seemed to Hermione that the air glittered. She looked at him apprehensively as she considered what he had said.
"Where is it?" she finally asked.
"It's in my room. I'll get it for you once we get in the castle."
With one more glance, she nodded in agreement and strode toward the castle with Draco following. Draco's excuse of pro. Sinistra forgotten and much more added in their minds.
