:: Chapter Twenty-Eight: It's All Coming Together ::

"Have you found him sir?" A young man asked his master.

"That's a ridiculous question, if we had found him I would be the Dark Lord now." He hissed.

"Terribly sorry sir." He lowered his head and dropped to his knees kissing the man's robe. The 'Dark Lord' swatted the man away with his foot.

"Pritchard…" The man spoke slowly. "We have gotten news that our Lord has fallen to one of the things that may corrupt a Death Eaters fate indefinitely." There was a pause where the younger man stared at his elder, even though only three years separated them. "His heart has been stolen by some… wench," He spat out the word. "It is critical to return him to us now and dispose of her. If he refuses kill both of them." And with that the man turned from the room, allowing the younger man to breathe freely.

For what seemed like years Harry had been pacing his bedroom. He had packed up the rest of Hermione's things and the boxes were sitting in front of the door. 'Malfoy?!' He screamed to himself. The thought couldn't register in his head. How the brightest witch in his grade had ended up with the Prince of Slytherin he couldn't figure out. The Ministry was having a miserable time trying to figure out why someone would call the Aurors out for no reason. It was a typical wild goose chase and Harry was the last to return, for unknown reasons. After his return he ignored calls to return to the office and fled to Hogwarts to surprise Hermione. His heart raced at the mere thought of her sneaking out to Malfoy's flat, him touching her, kissing her, winning her over. Every so often he clenched his fists. The wheels in his head kept churning out ideas of revenge when suddenly it struck him, the perfect opportunity to get rid of him forever, to have Hermione come running back to him. The Auror knew exactly what to do with the information he had learned about the former Death Eater.

"Draco, come look!" Hermione said excitedly receiving her mail from her overly excited owl. The owl pecked at her hand affectionately when she handed it a treat.

"What is it?" He asked from the couch in the common room.

"Ron and Lavender's wedding invitation!" She beamed. "They've finally set a date, oh my gosh, I can't wait."

"Weasel managed to get a girl to marry him?" Draco scowled.

"Be nice." Hermione chided.

"To Miss Hermione Granger and Guest,

You are invited to the marriage of Ronald Weasley and Lavender Brown on May 6th.

Sincerely,

Molly Weasley, Mother of the Groom

She finished the invitation and a less attractive letter fell out of the envelope.

Hermione dear,

We're terribly sorry to hear about your break up with Harry. Please feel free to invite anyone you'd like as your guest. Lavender heard that you have some new boyfriend. Harry wouldn't say, now you know I'm not one to gossip but this is enthralling. I do hope that this young man isn't the reason for your break up, however if he is, we need to have a talk. Although I may have over reacted in the "Rita Skeeter Case" but this is serious. I love both you and Harry as my own children and I don't want to see either of you hurt.

Rumour has it that Draco Malfoy has come to Hogwarts to work. Please be careful Hermione, he's an ex-Death Eater you know. Of course you know, he kidnapped you. Just watch yourself.

Love,

                                Mum"

Hermione looked over the letter again before turning to Draco.

"I can't go." He said quickly, before she could manage to get a word out edgewise.

"Why? You're not the person Molly thinks you are anymore."

"It doesn't matter, once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy. To some people Hermione, especially the Weasley's I'll never be anything but a duplicate of my father."

"Well prove them wrong!" She yelled out exasperatedly.

"I can't." He said coolly. "I can't change their minds and I don't want to ruin this event for everyone. They won't accept me, and you know it. It's supposed to be a happy day, and with me there some people would be on edge. I'm a Death Eater, a murderer, another Lucius Malfoy." He said gaining a harsh edge.

"You are not your father. You're not those things anymore and its time for people to learn that."

"That's the problem Hermione, they can't."

"Why?" She questioned.

"I'm a wanted man. If I try to show these people the Death Eaters drive will only increase and their want and need to find me and kill me will work harder. And eventually, I'll no longer exist. If people still believe that I am all those things then their need to meet the new and improved Draco Malfoy won't increase and I won't have to be killed."

"Why are you being such a coward?" She said slowly.

"I am not being a coward. Do you want me dead?"

"No, of course not. But why are you cowering against these people. You know their weaknesses; you know each and every one of them. You are still the Dark Lord, Draco. Now face these people and try to defeat what's keeping you from being yourself. Defeat evil once and for all. Prove to them that you're not afraid." She said rather harshly. "Allow me to have one boyfriend the Death Eaters don't want to kill." She smiled softly. Draco looked at her for a while before finally speaking.

"We can't." He said look down. "I'm sorry."