Chapter 21: Six Months Later
The death of Albus Dumbledore five months ago had shaken the foundations of the wizarding community. And yet, witch and wizard alike pulled together to see that the good work of this amazing man was carried on – from technical workings in the ministry to individuals acting in simple ways in their own lives and homes. Hermione looked down at the grave of her beloved Headmaster and smiled as she remembered him. In his life he had been full of mystery and fun. She prayed that wherever he was, he was able to continue to enjoy a bit of mischief now and again.
"You always did think life was a game to be played, didn't you?" she murmured to his headstone. "Sometimes it was amusing." She broke for a moment as she thought back. "And sometimes it wasn't."
Draco finished his tale. A fantastical web of fragile silk threads. Spying on his father and his father's associates. The dangerous passing of information to Dumbledore in the dead of night. Paying women to pretend – to keep up appearances – but not to get too close – and not to ask questions. Laying traps. Picking up the pieces of yet another end game gone awry. Caring for the demented mind and the decaying body of a father he did not love. Focusing on justice while longing for peace. Risking life and limb for just an occasional glimpse of her – the woman and the happiness he could not himself have. Regretting…
The room was heavy with unspoken emotion. No one moved and scarcely did they breathe, so wrapped up in their own thoughts were they. Until, "Now, that we have that cleared up, I suppose I should turn my story to you, Hermione." He reached for her hand was immediately rewarded when she placed it in his own. "Dear girl, what an amazing student you were in your day. And then, so strong as an Auror. Together you and Ron held the Light together as an inspiration after Harry…well, after Harry was presumed dead. You see, so many cared so deeply for the three of you that once we realized you were as determined as ever to do what was right, our energies were doubled time and again to continue our fight against the remaining Death Eaters.
Countless hours were poured into your healing that summer after the war. And then more hours dedicated to your training and education during your seventh year. Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, Sprout, and I spent our days monitoring your progress and our nights discussing ways to encourage you to pursue the Auror track. You were so gifted. And once you found your way back to health after the war, you were so determined. We wanted to do everything we could to assist you in your quest for justice. For you. And for us. And you didn't let us down. You were the smartest witch to ever graduate from Hogwarts, and one of the best Aurors ever to graduate from the Academy. I was so proud of you and of your work."
He watched as Hermione smiled and blushed demurely. "The last morning I saw you, when you came to me to be your secret keeper, there were so many things I wanted to tell you. But it wasn't the right time. Unfortunately, I had to let you go from our world in order to keep you safe until it was the right time to return."
"But, Albus," Hermione said. "I didn't want to return. I made that quite clear. I needed to make a new life, to keep those here I loved safe, to finally forget…" She broke before giving into the emotions she did not want to show.
"I know, dear one," he said as he patted her hand. "And my promise to let your location pass with me was one I made from my heart…because at the time I thought it might be for the best. But sometimes circumstances work out better than we had hoped. And I needed to call you back so you could make the choice to stay…if you wanted to…once you knew the entirety of the truth." He smiled at Hermione's confused countenance. "But we shall come back to that decision shortly."
Dumbledore then turned his attention to Draco. "Draco, you were always such an enigma to watch through your young years. Even before you came to me for protection in your sixth year, I had seen the good in you. I was always on the lookout for a way to approach you, to offer my assistance, but I knew that you would never truly listen until you were ready. And I'm so glad that you finally came to me on your own. Or should I say, with the help of one very loyal and loving witch?" He smiled as Draco colored and Hermione sputtered. "And though you made some unfortunate decisions shortly thereafter, I would not trade these last years with you for the Sorcerer's stone, itself. You have been brave. You have been self-sacrificing. And I am proud to count you among my friends.
"But," he faltered slightly, "I cannot say that I have treated you any more fairly than I have Ms. Granger." He paused then to look from Draco to Hermione and back again. "I arranged for you to bring Hermione to me this evening so that I could not only tell her the truth, but to tell you the truth as well."
"Sir?" he questioned, with a tilt of his head, waiting for his mentor to continue. But Hermione's sharp intake of breath drew his attention across the room.
"Albus, no," she whispered as the realization of the meaning behind his words hit her. Swiftly she stood and circled behind her chair, gripping the back as if for dear life. Fighting against the knot in her stomach she asked the question to which she wasn't sure she wanted an answer. "Please tell me I'm wrong," she nearly begged him.
Sighing deeply, the headmaster could only shake his head in affirmation.
"What," Draco asked, looking back and forth between them. "What's going on?"
Hermione immediately began pacing the small room in anger. "How could I have been so stupid?" she muttered to herself. "The warning should have been enough, but of course I was too blind to see what was happening in front of me." Harry and Draco watched in fascination as Hermione scolded herself with every step. "And then the battle announcement…the 'inside source'…him not being there…if only I had put it all together. But then," she turned to Albus once more. "But then, if I had, I wouldn't have followed through on your master plan would I have, Sir?" The venom in her voice was ill-concealed and the headmaster winced despite his efforts to the contrary. "After all the trust we put in you. Your cryptic directions. Your strange requests. We always did what you asked of us. And still…how could you?" she demanded in a low voice.
Again, no one moved or spoke as the tension nearly choked the inhabitants of the small room. Until, finally, Dumbledore spoke. "It was what I had to do to keep you – to keep us all - safe."
Hermione snorted in disgust as Draco looked bath and forth in confusion. "What do mean, Hermione?" he asked. "What did he do?"
"Isn't it obvious?" she asked with a mixture of pain and ice in her voice. "He used us. Both of us." She narrowed her eyes at the headmaster. "You warned me that day in your office. You told me they would try to get to him through me. And yet, I didn't want to see what was happening. Every time he was abducted. I was too in love to understand that our secrets were being coerced from him to serve Voldemort. But then, why should I? I never had reason to imagine something so horrible." She broke and checked Draco with a measuring gaze before turning back to Dumbledore. "But you didn't have to imagine, did you, Sir? You didn't imagine because you knew."
"In all fairness, Hermione, I did not know of the plot to use Draco that day in my office. I was merely trying to issue you a warning so you would be diligent."
"Perhaps not," she cut him off. "But you knew afterward, didn't you? After his abductions started?"
"But how?" Draco asked when Albus did not refute Hermione's words.
"Snape," Hermione answered him. "The double agent who witnessed your every abduction and reported back to our headmaster about what had been revealed."
Draco paled as he turned his questioning gaze to Albus. "No," was all he whispered.
"Oh yes," Hermione continued. "How else could Albus have known the plot to get Ron and me out of the way so Lucius could get to Harry during the battle?" She broke to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her voice was smaller when she next spoke. "The night before the war, Dumbledore told us that his inside sources had just confirmed the start of the war the next day." She opened her eyes and shared a pained moment with Draco. "Don't you see? Snape was at the meeting where you were given your memories back. Snape told Dumbledore of the war and of your part in it."
Hermione turned back to Dumbledore. "And then he still did nothing to help you. Or us." She choked then as she fell into her chair. "And he allowed me to give myself to you that night knowing you would destroy me the next day."
"Hermione, I had no way of knowing what would transpire between the two of you the night before the war," Dumbledore gently protested, only to be cut off by Draco this time.
"But when I contacted you after the war I had to beg you to believe my story," Draco turned to the headmaster again. "You couldn't have known all along. It's just not possible!"
"I'm afraid it is, son," he said. "I couldn't tell you the truth – that I knew you had always been innocent – when I still needed your help."
"And mine," Hermione whispered so softly all in the room had to strain to hear her. And then she laughed – a bitter and angry laugh that sent chills down Draco's spine. "You didn't support me in my quest to become an Auror, Albus," she managed to get out as her laughter turned to tears. "It was you who pushed me to become an Auror…you who suggested that justice was the only way to honor Harry and the others who had fallen." She wiped away her tears as she stood and put her cloak on once more. "And when I graduated from the Academy, it was you who suggested I ask for the assignment to tail Draco."
She turned her attention to Draco once more. "Were you in on that plot development Draco? Or were you still his pawn? Did you know I was following you all that time? Did you drop crumbs of information because you felt sorry for me? Or was it just another movement orchestrated by our illustrious headmaster here? One in which I had to suffer through your every alleged conquest and one in which the love I still harbored for you turned to hate because of your actions?"
Draco stared with a face of stone back at the woman he loved. His mind didn't want to operate. It wasn't possible, these things she was saying. Not possible that his life was destroyed not only by his own father but also by the person he most wished to be his father. Not knowing anything other than the need for escape, Draco quickly and quietly skirted around Hermione and headed out of the headmaster's quarters. Hermione turned her angry gaze upon Albus once more before sadly bidding Harry good night and exiting as well.
"You are so lucky that you had a month to talk us out of hating you forever," she whispered as she leaned low over the gravestone. "But then, you always were good at negotiating your way around a situation, eh?" She chuckled then, as she straightened. "I do have news," she continued. "I know about the promise you asked of Harry and I want you to know that he's taken good care of both Draco and me." She raised her focus to see a figure exit the castle and head in her direction. "It hasn't been easy," she continued, "but we've learned to live again." She fingered the delicate bauble on the chain around her neck. "And we've learned to love."
Again, she leaned down – this time to place a small bag of lemon drops at the base of the headstone. "Thank you, Albus," she whispered before turning into the embrace of her one true love.
"Are you alright, 'Mione?" he asked.
She nodded happily as she leaned up to place her lips gently on Draco's. "Just finishing up a bit of business," she said before kissing him once more with a deeper passion.
"Are you ready, then?" he asked as he grinned down at her.
"As I'll ever be," she said before they walked away hand in hand.
"You know," his voice was fading the further they got from the cemetery. "Flying with you in my dreams was always wonderful, but being able to fly with you for real will be out of this world." And as they began to disappear beyond the ridge, she could be seen squeezing his hand tightly in her own.