~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 12: Much Ado About Potter ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Draco Malfoy woke up to a sliver of sun shining down on his face. His alarm hadn't gone off yet, but it was a losing battle to try and get anymore sleep. He sat up, pulled on some boxer shorts and went to his sink to splash some water on his face. He was reaching for his towel when he noticed the makeup bag on his countertop. Why the fuck do they always leave their shit around like they own the place? Draco had gone out to The Cellar after talking with Hermione. The Cellar was a nightclub owned by Ashton Montgomery. A meeting place of the wizarding world's beautiful and rich; it also served as a meeting place for the Underground. They were known to discuss business in one of the back rooms then party the night away at the club afterward. He had gone there last night to let off some steam.
He didn't know what it was, but lately Hermione Granger was getting to him. Of course he had thought about it before, for crying out loud they had shared a dorm together in their final year. An idea in the back of his mind that wondered what it would be like to shag the little prissy know-it-all. All throughout their odd companionship, it was a game they had both played, sort of like holding your hand over a flame to see how long it would take before the pain caused you to pull away. Lately, however, the game seemed to intensify. When she was dating Krum, it nagged at him just a little, bothered him that Krum, a hero he looked up to, was dating the know-it-all. At least that's what he fooled himself into thinking, he knew deep down that he was just plain bothered by the fact that she was seeing Krum and not him. He would never ever admit this of course. But lately it seemed that she was playing right along with him, testing him, testing their boundaries. This wrecked havoc on his mind and especially his body. He seemed hyper-aware of her presence. Her mixed scent of soap and perfume would linger on him, a glimpse of her body would burn into his memory, the way her skin felt under his hands, her lips, her eyes, all of it would torture him. It was all good news to the young and beautiful witches he would take home, like the one that was asleep in his bed right now, for they would be at the receiving end of the only release he could find.
It had taken nearly forty minutes to get Delilah, or Delia or whoever she was, out of his flat before he could begin his run. Draco lived in a penthouse apartment in the middle of muggle London. It was in a high rise building, complete with plush carpets in the hallways, gold gilded elevators, marble flooring in the lobby, crystal chandeliers and a doorman in the front. It was ironic that he really couldn't stand muggles, he felt superior to them, but they sure did know the finer things in life.
Harry Potter had all but ruined the family name, when he sent his father to Azkaban during his fifth year at Hogwarts. His father escaped of course, but continued to plot and plan his revenge against Potter. Draco had always looked up to his father, tried to find any way that he could to please him, he spent his whole life trying to fit into an ideal person that his father would one day be proud of. To learn that he was just a joke to his father and his friends had devastated him. He wanted to hurt his father, pay him back for all the years he had caused him misery. So he ratted him out to Dumbledore, told him of his father's plans against Potter. This time his father and his friends weren't sent to Azkaban, Dumbledore had sent them elsewhere, and he hadn't heard from him since.
It had been a tough year for his mother and him during that sixth year. Their money had been frozen in their Gringott's account until Malfoy became of age before his seventh year. When he did turn seventeen, he inherited all the money in the account as well as a very large trust fund. He was determined to rebuild the family name, his own empire separate from his fathers. His luck was beginning to change, and it all started in the middle of his seventh year, when he was approached outside of the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade.
He was barely into his second mile, when another jogger joined him, trying to keep up.
"Draco…we…need…to…talk." The man next to him panted out.
Draco looked over at him, then quickly shoved him into an alley then threw him up against the wall.
"Are you stupid Flint? We could've been seen together!" Malfoy hissed.
"We already did…a perimeter check…its safe…No other wizards around." Flint was still trying to catch his breath.
Draco released him. "What the fuck happened in the ministry? You were only supposed to go after Krum."
"What are you talking about? We did go after Krum. But the aurors got there before we could finish the job."
"Who ordered you to go after Her-…Granger?"
"What are you talking about?"
Draco shoved Flint back up against the wall. "I'm talking about that little stunt you pulled outside of the hotel yesterday afternoon."
"What stunt? We only did what you told us to do. Honestly."
Draco looked into Flint's eyes. Yes, he was telling the truth. He let Marcus go; he probably didn't know anything about Poliakoff's attack either.
"Go. Just get out of here." Malfoy sighed.
"Do you want me to give him any messages?"
Malfoy hesitated, he was having an internal debate with himself.
"No." he said finally. "Nothing."
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The lift at the Ministry was crowded with the morning rush of witches and wizards who were making their way to work. Harry and Ron found themselves stuffed in the back as the crowd flowed into the elevator. Harry felt Ron nudge him in the side. He looked at him and he nodded to the other side of the lift. There stood Draco Malfoy seeming deep in his own thoughts. Harry felt his temper flaring, but had to control it, he didn't want to make a spectacle in front of all these people. Malfoy glanced in his and Ron's direction giving Harry a look of loathing. Harry's look on his face was no different as he stared into Malfoy's eyes. It was foggy outside as he was taking his morning run. A person ran up to him, panting. Flash! Hermione laying on her bed, in a red dress, crying as she looked up at him. Harry quickly snapped out of it and looked away from Malfoy, a feeling of guilt washed over him as he thought about Hermione crying. They had arrived at their floor finally as the three of them stepped off. Malfoy flung out his arm to stop Harry.
"Do that again Potter, and I'll really give you an image to feel bad about." He threatened then walked off.
"What was that all about you suppose?" Ron asked.
Harry glared at Malfoy who had continued walking to his office. "He's studied Occlumency."
"You can do Legilimency?" Ron asked a little awestruck.
Harry jaw was still clenching, "Come on. Let's go."
He was on the verge of discovering something that Malfoy was hiding before Malfoy had thrown up the image of a crying Hermione to distract him. He had to focus on the task at hand, which was to keep Malfoy away from Hermione, at all costs. He and Ron marched into Kingsley's office.
"I want to be in charge of the Hermione Granger case." Harry stated.
Kingsley looked up at him from his paperwork.
"Fine. It's yours." He said and with a flick of his wand, conjured up another form. "Take this to Malfoy."
He handed Harry the piece of paper then motioned them to leave his office. Harry and Ron stood outside the office door dumbstruck.
"Well now. That was easy." Harry said a little perplexed.
Ron nodded in agreement. Then they both headed to Malfoy's office. Harry didn't bother knocking as he flung the door open and walked inside. Malfoy was reading the Daily Prophet, his feet propped up onto his desk. He folded up the paper and set it down.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
Ron closed the door behind him and Harry.
"Hand over everything you have from the Hermione Granger case." Harry said firmly.
Malfoy leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "And why should I do that, Jameson?"
"Because I'm now in charge of the investigation." Harry said coolly as he set the piece of paper, that Kingsley had conjured, on his desk.
Malfoy glanced at it, then stood up from his chair. He placed both hands on his desk and leaned toward Harry. "Just what are you trying to pull here, Potter?" he said in a threateningly low voice.
"I'm not trying to pull anything." Harry's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Her case has been reassigned to me. Now, hand everything over."
"You already have the file. Don't you remember? I was sure you would enjoy thumbing through it."
Harry stood in front of Malfoy. "I know there's more. So give it up." He wasn't going to rise to Malfoy's bait.
"Yes, I suppose you will need all the help you can get to find out what she's been up to. It's the closest you will ever get to her." Malfoy sneered.
Harry made a motion toward Malfoy, but Ron stopped him.
"Now that I'm in charge of her case, there's no excuse for you to be around her."
"I don't think that it is for you to say who can and cannot be around her." Malfoy said as he picked up a box of items from his closet.
He set the box on his desk and pushed it toward Harry. Harry glanced inside of it. It was filled with various items, somehow related to Hermione's case. Harry looked around the room once more.
"That's everything. Take it." Malfoy said coolly.
"A little too anxious to get rid of it?" Harry asked purposely not masking his sarcasm.
"You can have your little knick-knacks. I have the real thing."
"You stay away from her Malfoy. Don't you even go near her. You leave her alone." Harry snarled at Malfoy.
"Are you sure that's what Hermione wants?"
"This is the only warning you get Malfoy." And with that, Harry left his office.
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Hermione sat in front of the fire in the parlor room, staring into the flames. A blanket was wrapped snuggly around her and a mug of hot chocolate had sat untouched on the coffee table. She was so lost in her thoughts that she at first didn't hear Viktor come into the room. She saw him from the corner of her eye sit down in the armchair across from her, but they didn't say anything to each other for awhile. Finally she turned to look at him, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
"Oh my God, what happened to you?" she asked him. His face looked like someone had worked him over real good.
"Harry knows about us. How ve used to be together." He said quietly.
"Is that where you were last night?"
"Yes. I vanted to tell him myself but he somehow found out about it. There are pictures of us in Paris, in the hotel." He stressed this last part.
Hermione's eyes widened and her face turned red with embarrassment. Her hands covered her face. She wondered how many other pictures of her were out there floating around. "Why were you going to tell him about us? It's really none of his business."
Viktor sat forward in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees, looking directly into Hermione's eyes. "Because he loves you."
Hermione scoffed and turned away, focusing back on the fire. "He doesn't love me. He doesn't know how to love."
"That's not true. He loves you, he's alvays loved you."
"He has a funny way of showing it."
"When he left Durmstrang, he asked me to vatch over you and keep you safe. He thought about you even then."
"Is that why you came to London? To be my keeper?"
"That's not the only—"
"Is that why you were always with me? Spending time with me, pretending to be my friend, recruiting me into the Underground. All so you can watch over me? Because Harry Potter asked you to watch over me, because he was too chicken shit to do it himself?" her voice was rising.
"No, Her-me-oh-nee—"
"I'm not some helpless little witch you know. I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone watching over me. Especially one of Potter's hero-worshiping lackeys!"
"I did it because I loved you too!"
Hermione was struck silent. Viktor walked over to stand in front of her.
"I've alvays loved you." His hand caressed her cheek.
Hermione's eyes began to water, she thought she had cried enough to last her a lifetime. She felt awful because she did love Viktor in a way, just not with the same intensity that he loved her. She always knew that.
"Is that why you didn't tell me he was back?" she asked in a small voice.
"It vasn't my place to tell you. I thought he vood've right away. Vy don't you go and talk to him, give him a chance to explain himself. He vood love to talk to you."
"Why are you trying to force the issue? He's the one who left! I don't have to give him the time of day!"
"Her-me-oh-nee, I vill forever cherish the time ve shared together. But didn't you feel it? I alvays felt like it vas on borrowed time. I alvays felt like you ver holding back."
"Viktor, that's not fair—"
"Don't you see? It's because you love him. You alvays have. You belong vith him."
Hermione abruptly stepped away from Viktor, fire flashing in her eyes. "I don't belong to anybody! And I especially don't belong to Harry Potter!" She turned and stormed out of the room.
She was throwing clothes around the room, angrily muttering to herself as she dressed herself in black pants and a black top. She drank some of the Polyjuice potion and waited for her transformation of long black hair and blue eyes. She stuffed a vial into her robe, tossed it around her then apparated nearby the Ministry of Magic.
She took the phone booth down to the lobby and walked up to the information desk.
"Can I help you?" the wizard at the front desk asked her.
"Yes, I need to send a message to a Ronald Weasley in the Auror Department."
The wizard handed her a memo and a quill. She hastily scribbled a note then handed it back to the wizard who quickly folded it into an airplane before sending it off. Hermione thanked the gentleman and left the lobby.
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Ron Weasley was hastily finishing his paperwork up. It had been a long day at the ministry, but it was Friday and he couldn't wait to get home and start his weekend. An airplane memo flew into his office and landed on his desk. It was marked urgent so he quickly unfolded it. He immediately recognized the writing.
Meet me outside right now. Alone.
Ron quickly threw the memo away and left his office. He walked outside of the ministry and looked around. A woman with long black hair and blue eyes quickly walked up to him. It was the same woman he had seen yesterday.
"Hermione?" he asked her softly.
She nodded and quickly took his arm steering him back inside the Ministry.
"Take me to see him. Now." She commanded.
Ron quickly checked her in as his visitor then they rode the lift to his floor. They didn't say a word to each other, although Ron could tell she was fuming, ready to explode.
"You're not going to kill him are you?" Ron asked tentatively.
She looked at him pointedly. They had arrived at their floor and she took Ron's arm as he casually walked her to his office. They were walking down the hall when Malfoy walked out of his office, he spotted Hermione and Ron together and stopped dead. He quickly walked up to them and yanked Hermione from Ron's side. He was gripping her upper arm steering her away from him.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed in her ear.
"I'm not here to see you. I'm here to see Potter." She hissed back.
"WHAT?!"
"Let go of her Malfoy" Ron stepped in.
"Stay out of this Weasley" Draco shot back.
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Harry was at his desk perusing the items in the box that Malfoy had given him when he heard a commotion out in the hall. He got up and opened the door to see Malfoy and Weasley in a heated discussion in the middle of the hall.
"What's going on here?" he asked them.
They stopped arguing and stepped apart to reveal a witch with dark hair and blue eyes. Harry's heart leapt to his throat. Hermione pushed the two wizards apart and walked toward Harry. He stepped out of her way, letting her in then locked the door behind them. He cast a silencing charm over his office.
"What are you doing here Hermione?"
"What's all this stuff?" she asked looking at the items on his desk.
"Malfoy is no longer in charge of your investigation. I am."
"Why?"
"I asked for it."
"Nice disguise. Don't want anyone to know you're back?"
"Dumbledore thinks it best."
"When were you going to let me know?"
"I was going to tell you last night."
"Really. Am I really supposed to believe that? Can I believe anything you say?"
"I deserve that. Look we need to talk."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"Then why are you here?"
"I'm giving you one minute of my time to explain why you left."
"One minute wouldn't cover it all."
"Clock's ticking Potter."
"Now we're on a surname basis?"
"What do you expect? Did you think I was going to fall into your arms and forget these past seven years? You left me! Alone, without so much as a real goodbye!"
"I know. And I'm so sorry."
"I've already heard that from you. And I don't care anymore. I don't even know why I came here." She turned to leave but Harry jumped in front of the door to block her.
"You're right. You deserve so much more than an apology. Let me make it up to you." He was walking toward her as she was stepping away from him.
"I was an idiot for leaving. It was the biggest mistake of my life and I will forever pay for it." Harry's face darkened as he thought of her and Krum. "But I meant what I said that night. Every word of it."
Hermione had backed herself into a wall, but Harry continued to advance toward her. "I don't believe you. Every word you have said to me was a lie." She spat back. "I don't care. I've moved on."
"Yeah, I noticed."
"You had no right to hurt Viktor."
"I had every right to. He knew how I felt about you."
"Yes, but you left me."
"But now I'm back." He was so close to her now.
"I don't care. I don't love you anymore."
"Is that really true? Can you really say that?" his face was inching toward hers.
"I have my eye on someone else." She said breathily
Harry stopped advancing and looked at her. "Like who?"
"It's none of your business."
"Stay away from Malfoy. He's dangerous." He gripped her arms, but she shrugged him off.
"Maybe I like danger."
Harry's eyes darkened. "I mean it Hermione." His face slowly began to lean towards hers.
"I don't think you have a say in this." Their faces were centimeters apart.
"I will have a big say in this." He went for her lips, but she turned at the last second.
"Stop it Harry." She sobbed out. "Please, just stop." She slid around him and headed toward the door. Harry followed her but didn't stop her. "Leave me alone. It's over between us Harry."
She walked out of his office. Harry closed the door behind her and leaned forward against it.
"It will never be over between us, Hermione."
