A/N: I'm going to be a very busy girl for the next two weeks, so I probably won't be able to get another chapter after this out until the end of July! I'm sorry! I go to the Eminem Concert (anger management 3) in Chicago in four days! I leave on Sunday and the concert is Monday! Yay! I'm so excited! My first concert and it's EMINEM! My idol! Other than Johnny Depp and Tom Felton and J.K. Rowling… anywho:

ON WITH THE STORY!

Chap. 28 Meeting at Bodmin Moor

'There's something I've got to tell you…' Draco said nervously.

'What is it?' Hermione asked.

'About the files and the lists…I looked at the "Watched Persons" file or whatever it was.'

'What?' Hermione asked, appalled.

'Hermione, you are my wife and I trusted you more than anyone else, so when you got that job and told me about those oaths and how you couldn't tell me anything about what you were doing, it worried me, to be honest, and I got upset.'

'That did not give you the right to go through my things! You know I was not supposed to tell you! You knew that! You know I would have told you everything if I could.'

'I know, I know. I know now what I did was wrong…and I'm sorry, but I thought you should know.'

'So my boss was right?'

'What?'

'Mr. Neitzel was right to assume you'd looked through the files and lists!'

'Hermione—'

'And after I defended you and defended you, and I quit my job, because of what they were saying about you! And accusing you and…well, accusing people like you of doing! I can't—'

'Wait, stop. What do you mean, "people like you"? People like me? Who's that?' Draco questioned.

'Do not turn this on me, Draco Malfoy, you know perfectly well I mean the spawn of Death Eaters.'

'Spawn?'

'Yes, spawn. You, Pansy, Blaise, Goyle, Crabbe…and whomever else! The sons and daughters of Death Eaters.'

'Oh, you consider me "spawn"?'

'Stop it, Draco. Spawn is another term for offspring.'

'I know perfectly well what it means, it's a derogatory term for "offspring", however.'

'And like "mudblood" isn't derogatory?' She asked accusingly.

Draco folded his arms across his chest, leaned back in his chair and looked away from her.

'I can't believe you didn't trust me.' Hermione said softly.

'Trust you? You kept secrets and worked for the bloody Department of Mysteries! You pulled people from the street and interrogated them! I was next! I still am!'

'I know that now, that's why I quit!'

'I thought you quit because "they accused me".' Draco asked, raising his eyebrow.

'Well, that was one of the reasons. That reason doesn't matter anymore, because it obviously wasn't valid!' She spat, tossing her spoon onto the table quite angrily.

'It was valid at first! But then Goyle pulled me into this meeting where Blaise told me all this shit about the Ministry and at first I didn't believe any of it, I didn't want to. I defended you in front of all my Slytherin alumni and other people, and yet they were right all along…'

'What meeting? What are you talking about?'

'The "spawn", as you call them, of Death Eaters, and a few people who just were against the Ministry, all formed a group of people to stop the "tyranny" of the Minister and his co-workers, liiiike you.

Hermione scoffed as he continued.

The group had testimonies of being dragged in and interrogated…I couldn't believe it when I heard from Pansy that my own wife was one of the interrogators.'

'I only interrogated once! And I didn't know that they were pulled from the streets! I thought Pansy did something wrong.'

'She didn't, actually. Being a bitch comes naturally, but she didn't do anything illegal. The group plotted all sorts of ways to figure out the next move of the Ministry and de-throne the Minister.'

'What? Well, that's ridiculous.'

Draco smirked menacingly at her.

'You'd think so, but we actually figured out some good strategies, once I became leader.'

'You became what?'

'Leader. I'm the natural leader-type I guess…'

'I can't believe what you're telling me! Is that why you kept skipping Quidditch? Harry was right! You were up to no good!'

'I was…I'm through now.'

'Why?' Hermione asked.

'I don't need them. When you came home that night, all upset because you thought you lost that list, I realized you never read it and had no idea what the Ministry was really up to. So, I grabbed the list from Goyle's house and brought it back home. I was then kicked out of the group because I was "putting you before them". I don't give a shit about the group or the corruptiveness of the Ministry, all I really care about is you.'

Draco expected Hermione to smile and throw herself on him, or at least hug him, but no such luck for either…she stared at him in shock.

'What did you say?' She asked bitingly.

'Uhh…the whole thing?' He asked.

'You grabbed the list from Goyle's house?'

'Uhh, yeah, I felt bad that you were going to get into trouble so I brought the list back for you.'

'How many people saw the Ministry's list!' Hermione exclaimed.

'Umm…the group…like 15-20 people?'

Hermione suddenly burst out in tears.

'Hermione, shhh, shhh!'

Draco tried to quiet her sobs, while the people in the café were looking on in wonder.

'That poor girl,' some said.

'I wonder what that awful man said to her,' others commented.

Draco rolled his eyes at the patrons, got out of his seat across from Hermione, and moved to her.

'Hermione, shhhh, it'll be okay, I'm sorry, baby.' He said soothingly, wrapping his arm around her.

'No, Draco! It's not okay! The Ministry, if-if they find out! If they find out how many people s-s-saw that list, Death Eater's plotting children no less, they'll hunt me down and throw me into Azkaban for sure!'

'No, they won't, it's not your fault, you didn't show them.'

'No, but I let you get the files and lists! I brought them home! I never should have brought them home!'

'Hermione, it's not your fault you have a prat for a husband, I'm really sorry but I won't let them hurt you.'

'I should have never brought them home! It was a temptation for you, bringing them home and then saying you can't know what they are…I was foolish. I should have kept my work at work.' She said through her tears.

Draco felt pity for his wife and lovingly kissed her cheek.

'Baby, come outside with me, all these people are pissing me off by staring at us. We can have more privacy outside.'

Hermione wiped her eyes and nodded.

Draco threw some sickles on the table and walked out with Hermione, eyes following them as they did so.

'Draco,' Hermione said softly, 'what is the group going to do now?'

'Nothing probably. They are all stupid and dumb. Blaise isn't in the group anymore either, we're both out…I should go talk to him about it one of these days. The group can't do shit without me and Blaise there.'

'That doesn't make me feel any better about you.'

'I'm sorry, love. I really am. I have lied to you many times this past month and I'm truly sorry.'

Hermione just shrugged.

'I'll make it up to you somehow.' Draco said to her.

'Just don't do anything, like lead a Death Eater group again…or not trust me again.'

'I am not sure I ever did lose my trust in you, I was just scared I was going to.' He told her.

'I'm sorry I made you question your faith in me.' Hermione said sincerely. 'I guess it was foolish of me to take a job in which I had to keep secrets from you, that's just too much pressure on the both of us.'

'It's alright, my love, I apologized, you apologized, it's okay now, right?'

Hermione shrugged again.

Draco kissed her lips softly, then brushed his cheek against hers.

'Let's go home, shall we?'

'Yes, I want to go home now.' She replied.

Draco took her hand and went to their European car to go home.

Shortly after arriving at the Manor, Draco walked into the library to quickly check over some Quidditch moves, he saw Hermione sitting inside.

'I thought you went upstairs to take a nap?' He asked.

'I was going to, but I decided to come in here and do some research.'

'On what?'

'On legalities that could wind you up in Azkaban.'

Draco clicked his tongue in dismay.

'Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, you are one of the brightest witches of our time. You are not going to be sent to Azkaban, I guarantee it.'

'Well, I'm doing research to prove your theory.' She replied hastily.

Draco rolled his eyes as he went to the 'Sports' section of the Malfoy library. He scanned the shelves and pulled out a book marked, Quidditch Moves and Strategies of the Ages.

He threw himself onto a poof and began to skim through it. He felt Hermione's eyes on him as he did so. After a few minutes he finally looked up at her. Indeed her dark honey brown eyes were on him.

'Yes? May I help you?' He asked with a smirk.

'You aren't worried about the group?'

'No, I'm not.'

'Okay, then I'm not.'

'Good.' He smiled.

Hermione set her book back onto the shelf from which she pulled it, and the walked over to Draco. She sat down on his poof and laid down next to him.

'Can I lay here while you read?'

'Sure, sweetheart, anything you wish.'

She smiled up at him and then put her arm on his stomach, laying her hand on his chest. Within minutes she was fast asleep.

At about five o'clock, an hour later, Draco put the book down. He tried to sit up, but then remember Hermione was half on him. He relaxed into the poof, wondering what to do. He wasn't really tired…but he was hungry, he and Hermione weren't able to eat their lunch at the café because of the circumstances that occurred.

Draco lifted her arm off of him gently, ever so gently, and set it down on the poof as he rose. He safely and quietly made his way out of the library and into the kitchen.

'Can Hilde get you anything, Master Draco?' the little house elf asked running into the kitchen.

'No, I'm just going to throw something together myself, thanks.'

'Yes, Sir.' She replied, leaving his side immediately.

Draco slapped together some pulled chicken and buns. He grabbed a plate and a bottle of firewhiskey and made his way to the Entertainment room.

He turned the channel to some movie channel. Haunting music was playing, and beginning credits were rolling.

'Oh, good, this one is just about to start.' He said happily to himself.

The title of the movie that appeared on the screen read "Edward Scissorhands". (a/n: I actually just watched the whole movie today for the first time and it's really good, but sad!)

A couple hours later, Draco rose from the couch and stretched. He looked at a clock on the wall.

'Oh…seven thirty! Why am I so tired? Oh, well, might as well get a good night sleep for Quidditch tomorrow…'

Draco went to the kitchen, dropped off his plate and threw away his bottle. He was about ten steps upstairs when he remembered Hermione was still in the library. He groaned lazily and trudged back down the stairs and into the library.

Hermione was still fast asleep on the poof in the fetal position.

Draco bent over her and picked her up as swiftly and gently as he could. She stirred a bit.

'Mmm…Draco?' She mumbled, her eyes still closed.

'Shhh, stay asleep, love. You'll be in bed in a second.'

She mumbled incoherently and fell into her deep sleep again.

Draco entered their bedroom and placed Hermione on her side of the bed and folded the covers over her.

He quickly took a warm shower, to relax him, and threw on a new pair of boxers and a T-shirt. He crawled into bed, kissed Hermione's cheek and fell asleep.

-Goyle's House-

'Hermione Malfoy quit today.' Alyson Crimson said to the group when she walked into the headquarters…a.k.a. Goyle's basement.

'What? How do you know?' Pansy asked.

'I was going to the Ministry today like you asked to tell them I had information about Draco, and I over heard a man talking to Fudge about it in the hall.'

'Oh well, our plan still works. So you told Fudge then, about Draco?' Pansy asked her.

'Well…no, I decided against it since Hermione quit, I thought it would look to suspicious.'

'Yeah, for her! Not us! God you're an idiot, Crimson.' Pansy spat.

'It's fine. It's better that she didn't say it today, because now it looks Hermione gave the information up to Draco to spite the Ministry.' Millicent commented.

'That is true.' Calicifer Montgomery stated, 'Hermione Malfoy's self-termination will help us. Alyson, go to the Ministry again tomorrow.'

'All right.'

'Crabbe, Goyle, you go to Draco's Quidditch game tomorrow, to check up on that meeting that is supposed to happen at Bodmin Moor at 10.' Calicifer ordered.

'Uh okay.' They both replied.

'Then we'll meet back here at three.'

-Next Day, 10 A.M., Puddlemere United versus Pride of Portree-

'…LED BY CAPTAIN SKYE WALKER!' cried the announcer, introducing the players of the two teams.

'I'm so happy I am able to see this game since I missed his last one,' Hermione said to Ginny with a grin.

'I'm happy I'm here, too! I haven't seen one of Harry's games in about a month.'

The girls both cheered loudly when their men took their positions.

The game started quickly and Hermione watched Draco fly into the air. As her eyes followed him, they also caught a glance of someone else watching Draco intently.

'Neitzel? Fudge?'

'What?' Ginny asked.

'Oh, nothing.' Hermione replied quickly, not aware she talked aloud.

Hermione watched her bosses and two other men talk and watch Draco.

What are those men doing? Spying on my husband? Seeing if he uses dark magic to win the game? She questioned.

She then saw two other familiar people, watching the group of Ministry workers.

'Crabbe and Goyle?' Hermione cried incredulously.

'What?' Ginny asked.

'Is that Crabbe and Goyle over there?' Hermione asked, pointing to the two large men.

'Yes! I think it is! Oi, I think they've gotten fatter!' Ginny exclaimed, laughing.

'What are they doing here?' Hermione asked.

'I dunno, watching their former god I s'pose.' Ginny shrugged. 'OH LOOK! Harry hit some one! Yay Harry!'

Both girls cheered some more, but Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of Crabbe and Goyle, or the men from the Ministry.

Through the duration of the game, Hermione didn't notice any suspicious actions by either party.

Maybe the Ministry officials and Crabbe and Goyle just came to watch the game… She told herself.

'AHH!' Hermione heard Ginny scream.

Hermione immediately looked back onto the field and saw Draco plummeting down to the ground.

'DRACO!' Hermione shouted.

Draco, still holding onto his broom, finally gained consciousness as he was falling and gained control of his broom back, a mere five inches from the ground.

'Oh my god! He's okay now! Thank god…' Hermione muttered to herself. She then turned to Ginny,' What happened!'

'You didn't see that huge beater from the other team totally, and illegally, fly past Draco and beat the side of his head when he wasn't looking!'

'NO! I must have been looking at Harry or something,' Hermione said quickly.

The referee then called time-out for the United team to make sure Draco was okay. All the United players flew over to Draco.

'Are you okay, Malfoy?' Harry asked. 'The referee just took their beater out for the remainder of the game for an illegal action.'

'Yeah, I'm fine, Potter. Let's just hurry up and win this game,' Draco replied, rubbing the side of his head.

'You'll be all right to play then?' Walker asked.

'Would you have it any other way?' Draco asked with a smirk.

'No. All right, let's get back to it then, shall we?' Walker shouted enthusiastically.

The players all flew back to their positions. Draco flew high into the air, once he was to his desired height he looked into the stands where Hermione was. He saw a fearful emotion written all over her face, then the two met eyes. Draco smiled comfortingly at her and her fearful look turned into one of pride.

Back in the stands, Ginny was watched Hermione and Draco and she couldn't longer contain herself so she snorted and giggled.

'What?' Hermione asked alarmingly with a slight blush.

'Haha, nothing…you and Draco…wow.' Ginny said, still giggling.

'What? Is something wrong with us?'

'No, you two are so cute it's almost sickening.' Ginny replied.

'Just because I as worried about him?'

'No, because you were worried about him and he knew you were so he stopped flying and turned around just to show you he was okay, even though you can clearly see he is because he's flying again.' Ginny explained, trying her best to suppress more giggles.

'He knows I worry about him, that's not unusual.'

The game started up once again.

It was a half-hour later, nearly eleven thirty.

'Yay!' Hermione and Ginny cried when the United team made another goal.

'PUDDLEMERE UNITED LEADS 70 TO 20!' the announcer shouted.

Meanwhile, across the stands where the Ministry officials were meeting, Fudge, Neitzel, Percy Weasley (who now was "promoted" to Head of International Magical Cooperation), and Amelia Bones, Head of Magical Law Enforcement, were discussing topics related to one, Mr. Draco Malfoy.

'He does not seem to give the aura of a Dark Arts follower.' Amelia Bones noted.

'They never do, look at Lucius Malfoy he was never suspected to be a Death Eater.' Fudge commented.

'Yes, he was, Cornelius. Young Harry Potter had been saying Lucius was a Death Eater for two years before the wizarding world discovered he was, indeed, a Death Eater.' Amelia replied sharply.

'Contrary to what you may have heard, Amelia, Harry Potter was a bit nutty for quite some time, he was not a reliable source.' Percy stated.

'Obviously, Percy, he was a reliable source because everything he had been saying three-four years ago was true, and it the Ministry would have gotten off of it's high horse, more people could have possibly been saved, Sirius Black, for one.' Amelia spat.

'Excuse me, Amelia, but was that a hit at me?' Fudge asked incredulously.

'The part about getting of a high horse?'

'Yes, that part.'

'Yes.' She replied, 'if you had only listened to the Potter boy, maybe more would be alive today.'

'Black was a criminal, I cannot see how you mourn over him.' Percy said to Amelia.

'I'm not mourning, but he died fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, his own cousin, a Death Eater, how can you say he was a criminal?' She questioned.

'Black escaped from Azkaban, how can you say he was not?' Fudge asked her. 'Besides, I don't remember you, Amelia, sticking up for Potter those short years ago.'

'I didn't want the Daily Prophet spewing forth accusations about me, and harassing the Ministry, Minister. You wouldn't have liked that, now would you have?'

Fudge didn't reply.

'Can we get back onto the topic at large?' Neitzel proposed. 'Draco Malfoy and his current status with the Dark Side.'

'I say there isn't one.' Amelia noted.

'I say there is.' Percy stated.

'I agree with young Percival, like father like son.' Fudge said.

'So you are going off of assumptions?' Amelia asked.

'No, I'm going off of facts from young Malfoy's school history.'

'Well, if you would remember from the night of Voldemort's death, a certain friend of young Malfoy's was taken, a Blaise Zabini,'

'Whose father was a Death Eater.' Fudge interrupted.

'Yes, but Zabini was taken to lure Malfoy to Voldemort. Now, if Malfoy were already part of the Death Eater circle, why would he need to be lured? Hmm? That's a mystery.' Amelia said, mocking them.

Neitzel smirked at Amelia's boldness.

'Well, we are still questioning him on Monday.' Fudge snapped.

'Oh, by all means, question away,' Amelia replied, 'but I highly doubt he will reveal anything suspicious.'

'He does have the Dark Mark brand.' Neitzel said of Draco.

'So does, Severus Snape, and we trust him, do we not?' Amelia retorted.

No one argued with her.

A voice then interrupted their tense meeting.

'DRACO MALFOY CAUGHT THE SNITCH! UNITED TEAM WINS!'