A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Not much else to say…. So onto the story!
DISCLAIMER: Same disclaimer as the previous chapter.
Chapter Four: Terrible News
Blaise glanced at his watch. It was now 7:45am in the morning and still Harry wasn't at work. Luckily Blaise had managed to find a time to apperated home and change robes. He spoke briefly to his wife apologizing about doing a double shift. He looked over at Ron who was looking half asleep. All they wanted was Harry's permission to fully lay the charges on the three men, who names were: Raymond Triton, Cameron Baker and Brett Bullock. All had previous charges of assault but had used money as a way to get out of Azkaban.
"This is ridiculous! Wouldn't Harry be here by now with this case?" snapped Blaise running a hand over his tired eyes, "We've worked a double shift on this case!"
"I know," muttered Ron, "It's all over the papers. No doubt Hermione knows."
Blaise sighed, "What are you going to say to her?"
"I don't know. I wish I did though."
Blaise nodded and sighed in relief has Harry's office door opened with the arrival of him.
"Took you long enough to get here," snapped Ron walking in with Blaise.
"Sorry. Ginny and I worked things out, and yes I know all about the Draco Malfoy case, but I knew you two could handle it," explained Harry standing behind his desk, "So, have you caught them?"
"Merlin Harry, didn't you read the Prophet? Lavender wrote an article with us saying we did we are just waiting for the charges to be allowed," said Blaise handing Harry the report, "We want them for attempted murder. If Draco dies in his coma I want the charges to go to murder."
Harry read over the report and nodded, "It'll be hard the get them with it. Especially if they flash money to the ministry."
"Fine then. I'm freezing their accounts," said Ron simply, "I have the evidence to make it happen."
Harry nodded, "Why didn't past Aurours think that?"
"Not brainy like us lot. Thanks to Hermione's pushing all those years."
"Speaking of her, she is bound to know about this case. What are we going to say?" asked Harry looking directly at Ron, "Surely she knows his alcohol problems caused it,"
"She doesn't know he has an alcohol problem Harry. Well she didn't until now. Look… I'll deal with it later. What matters at the moment is getting these arseholes in Azkaban!"
"He's right," nodded Blaise, "Deal with that later. Look can you give us a declaration, telling Gringotts to freeze the accounts of Raymond Triton, Cameron Baker and Brett Bullock?"
Harry walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out three forms. He filled them in and handed them to Ron.
"While you are gone, I'll go lay the charges on them," said Harry before the two tired Aurours left to freeze accounts at Gringotts.
O
Hermione sat on the lounge in her living room starring at the paper's front-page article. There he was stumbling through Knockturn Alley. The paper said the picture was taken a month ago. Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat and through the paper down beside her. Why didn't Ron just tell her the truth? Instead he lied to her the entire time, saying he was fine. Hermione sighed and ran a hand through her damp hair. Merle was in the kitchen with Dakota cooking dinner. It was Dakota who told her mother to rest.
"How are you coping?" asked Merle walking into the room and sitting beside Hermione.
"I feel better. I knew something was wrong the moment I woke up… I just don't get it. All this time Ron had been telling me Draco was fine and now I find out he has a drinking problem and is in hospital close to death."
"Ron did it to make you not worry. I think he had your best interests at heart Hermione."
Hermione sighed, "My best interests would have to never of left him behind."
"What do you mean?"
"I regret my choice in leaving him… I keep on thinking what if I'd stayed with him… would life be the way it is now? All these questions and I don't have answers."
Merle sighed, "You can't dwell on the past. Why don't you go to England and see him?"
"No… no I can't."
Merle sighed, "Than how about you run your daughter a bath?"
O
"You can't keep us in Azkaban," smirked Raymond Triton, "All three of us will be out within one week."
"Actually money won't save any of your asses this time," replied Harry, "We have frozen all three accounts and any others you lot are connected too. You and your buddies are going to Azkaban for a long time, without a hearing either. Other charges against you are making sure of that. I suggest you arrange your life affairs and say goodbye to your loved ones because you and your buddies won't see them for 15 years."
"You can't do that!" yelled Raymond standing up from his seat angrily, only to have other aurours in the room slamming him down into his seat.
"Yes we can!" snapped Harry, "You are being charged for attempted murder and if Draco Malfoy dies whilst in his coma you will all go up for murder. I have also discovered charges that didn't go through the system completely, but thanks to my team they now have. The evidence allows us to freeze all accounts. Have a lovely stay in Azkaban."
Without another word Harry stormed out of the interview room coming face to face with Dean and Terry Boot.
"Did you tell them?" asked Harry speaking of Cameron and Brett.
"Sure did," nodded Terry, "Cameron shit himself."
"Brett laughed and said I couldn't. I replied I couldn't but those working on the case had the power to do so," smirked Dean.
Harry smirked, "These guys have been on the run for too long and now we have got them and money won't buy their freedom this time."
O
Narcissa smiled sleepily at her husband as he handed her a mug of steaming coffee. He sat beside her and gazed at their silent, motionless son. Narcissa let out a depressing sigh and stood up to look out the window showing the muggle world. Obviously they were oblivious to her stares, suiting Narcissa fine.
"What if… what if he wakes up and has brain damage Lucius?" whispered Narcissa, "I mean I know I will love him all the same but… oh I don't know…"
"I understand what you mean, Narcissa. But we cannot jump too conclusions. No one is saying he will have brain damage. The Doctors are saying it is a possibility."
"I blame myself for all this happening over the years. If I had just let him be with Hermione… he would be fine. Or if I stopped it all before it spun out of control… I'm a terrible mother!"
Lucius walked over to Narcissa and hugged her tightly as she cried. He looked over at his son and sighed. Deep down he knew he was sharing the same thoughts as Narcissa.
O
Ron handed the Goblin the letter signed by Harry and stepped back beside Blaise. The Goblin read over the letter and nodded.
"So, you'll freeze them?" asked Blaise.
"Do I have a choice in the matter?" replied the Goblin in his low voice, "Goral!"
A goblin came running from the room towards the back of the large room. The Goblin handed the letter to the one called Goral who read it and ran off again.
"They are to remain frozen until their sentence is over, unless any special circumstances arise," said Ron, "And believe me, we will make sure no special circumstances arise."
O
Hermione, Merle and Dakota walked into the lounge room and sat down. Hermione silently turned the television on to fill the room with the sounds of the news finishing before Home and Away began. Dakota began chatting away about working with Hermione that day, whilst Merle glanced at Hermione who was trying to listen to her daughter but her mind kept on sweeping to Draco.
"Hermione how about you go to bed? You look dead tired," suggested Merle as the character Scott on the television hugged Hayley happily.
Hermione looked at the image mournfully wishing that were her and Draco. She looked at Merle and shook her head, "I want to see Amanda fall from grace."
Merle sighed, "Why don't you just floo over there now and go see him?"
"No!" snapped Hermione making Dakota look at her mother in shock, "I'm not returning to England!"
"Then if that's the case, quit moping around and focus on the daughter beside you. Dedicate your life to making sure she receives the best you can give her. Not the past and wishing you could have done something different!"
Hermione glared at Merle, "You didn't make a mistake you regret, did you?"
"Hermione… what is the point in fighting about the past when you have your future beside you? Or maybe… maybe you are scared that finally the past in catching up with you in a way you never expected."
Without another word Merle stood up, "Oh and Amanda always falls from grace. She just tart's around to find her way back up."
Hermione closed her eyes to remain calm as Merle stormed up the staircase to her room. It had been a while since Hermione had a full on verbal fight with someone other then deliverymen about wedding products. Beside her Dakota pulled at her shirt.
"What is it sweetie?" asked Hermione softly.
"C-can I go to bed?"
Hermione sighed and lifted Dakota onto her lap and hugged her, "I'm sorry I yelled sweetie. I never meant to get mad at Aunty Merle."
Dakota nodded and snuggled up on her mothers lap, "I love you Mummy."
"I love you too sweetie."
O
Voices murmured around him, two voices in fact. Only he couldn't fully make them out due to them being mixed together. He moaned in frustration at that fact and because his body was craving the effects of fire whiskey. Suddenly a blurred voice screamed loudly followed by the cry of another. He shook his head but regretted it from the sharp pain it caused. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times to remove the blurriness.
"Oh my baby boy!" came a clearer voice who was touching his face, then hugging the man beside him.
"Mum, Father?" he croaked out.
"He's going to be okay, Lucius!" cried his mother happily.
But Draco didn't care. He didn't know what was going on. All that he needed was alcohol, something to remove the pain he was feeling and to diminish the craving, the need.
"I'll go get Pompfrey," said Lucius rushing out of the room.
Narcissa sat on the edge of the bed and held her son's hand who, pulled it roughly out of her grasp, "Draco you were in a terrible fight. You broke ribs, punctured a lung and fractured your skull… they had to do surgery on your brain to remove pressure. Drinking caused all this to happen to you… I know she broke your heart but drinking your life away, no drinking yourself to death will not make it all disappear. You need to deal with your emotions."
"You know nothing about my emotions," snapped Draco hoarsely, "I'll live my life the way I want to. You have no say in what I do with it anymore. Remember, you have already ruined my life."
Narcissa sat stunned but stood up and walked away from the bed as Lucius, Pompfrey and the doctor who did surgery on Draco arrived.
"You are right Mr Malfoy," nodded Pompfrey, "It seems he will pull through entirely."
Narcissa turned around glancing at her son before looking at Pompfrey, "Have you got the forms?"
"I don't. It seems due to his condition, they believe he should be entered in immediately. Have you informed him?" asked Pompfrey.
"I was going to allow Lucius to do so."
Lucius looked at Narcissa in surprise but took a deep breath before stepping closer to his sons bed, "It's good to see you awake, son."
"Whatever," muttered Draco childishly.
"You have an alcohol addiction Draco and it has landed you here after being found close to death in Knockturn Alley. Your mother and I have come to a decision that you need help. Therefore we have no choice but to sign you up for treatment here at St Mungo's in the Rehab centre."
Draco turned from being bored and craving for alcohol to outraged, "WHAT? I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM!"
"Mr Malfoy the side affects of your addiction is craving, constant need for it, uncontrollable anger… you have these symptoms plus many more. The decision is out of your hands because you are incapable of making proper and reasonable choices," explained Pompfrey, "The attendants are coming to sedate you and move you to the rehab, where you will remain for a full forty days. The first week you will be in a room on your own. No one will be allowed to visit you, only those bringing you food."
"I am fine! I don't need help!"
"Is this what you want?" screamed Narcissa suddenly, "Everyone against you? Is this how you want Hermione to find you if she ever comes back to England? If it is then I pity you because she will take one look at you and not see the man she fell in love with four years ago. She will see a drunken loser!"
Draco stared at his mother in silence. He watched as she stormed out of the ward, followed by a worried Lucius. At that moment three male MEDI wizards walked in. He didn't fight them as they injected a blue liquid potion into his arm and silently, he enjoyed the drowsiness engulfing his craving body.
O
Hermione took one step upstairs. It was only 9pm but she needed an early night. Just as she took another step the house phone began ringing. Merle had gone out, saying she needed a night out again and Dakota was sound asleep. Sighing Hermione walked down the steps and into her office, answering the phone on its fifth ring.
"Hello, Hermione Granger speaking," said Hermione politely.
"Hermione, it's Jerrell," came her cousin's deep voice.
"Jerrell, hi!"
"Yeah, look I'm sorry to ring you so late."
Hermione frowned, taking a seat in her office chair, "Is everything okay? You sound kind of… upset. Did you have a fight with Simone?"
"I wish that were the case in a way… but I'm ringing about your mother. Hermione she was found unconscious in the kitchen. It turns out she has an pneumonia and its really bad. She in hospital but the Doctors are saying she won't survive."
Hermione sat in silence, clutching the phone tightly.
"Are you okay?"
"S-she rang the other day and didn't sound good…she has a heart condition and this cold is just going to kill her… I know it."
"Heart condition?" said Jerrell sounding surprised and confused at once.
"One holiday in France a few years back she had a heart attack… it turns out she was born with a problem with her heart and a sickness like this… it'll kill her!"
"I didn't know that."
"No one does. She never said anything about it. I have to see her. Tell her I am on my way now."
"Okay. We at the hospital five blocks from where your mum's house is."
"Right. See you soon."
"Bye."
Hermione hung up and fought the urge to break down in tears. She needed to tell Merle, Merle was like a daughter to Anne and Anne was like a mother to Merle. Hermione leant back in her seat and took deep calming breaths. Finally she stood up and walked over to a shelf in her office. She grabbed some parchment with her business logo on it and began writing a letter too Fredrika. Hermione knew she could trust Fredrika out of any of the people at the business to keep everything under control. Even if she was just 17 going on 18 in a month. She sealed the letter and walked out the backdoor to the veranda. Perched in her cage was Hermione's owl called Jet due to it being black and flying fast.
"Take this to Fredrika, Jet then fly to my mothers house in England. Remember to rest at all owl resting points."
Jet hooted and too off. Hermione sighed and walked back inside to see Merle exiting the kitchen.
"Oh I thought you would be in bed by now," said Merle quietly.
"I would be… only Jerrell rang with some bad news," replied Hermione just as quietly, "Mum is really sick. She has the pneumonia and the Doctors don't think she will survive. I'm heading back to England now and I'm taking Dakota. Please come Merle… she could die and I don't think I'll cope on my own."
Merle's mouth was open with shock as she stepped towards Hermione who was now in tears. The blonde haired woman pulled her best friend she saw as a sister into a hug.
"It will be okay. I'm coming with you," said Merle pulling away, "I'm sorry for getting mad at you."
"I should be saying sorry… we'd better go pack."
Merle nodded and the two ran up stairs separating as they went to their rooms. Hermione turned her lights on taking a deep breath. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and opened her wardrobe. Lying flat on the ground was her trunk. She pulled it out while her old cat Crookshanks toddled into her room. He flopped on the floor, too lazy jump up on the bed.
Hermione opened the trunk and turned to her wardrobe pulling out winter shirts, sweaters, jackets, skirts, long pants, shoes, winter pajama's and from her draws underwear, socks and stockings.
She then went to her dresser closing her small bag of cosmetics and throwing it into her trunk as well. With a sigh she left the bedroom and ran to the upstairs bathroom. She opened the cupboard under the sink and pulled out a toiletries bag sticking in shampoo, brush, hair ties for her and Dakota. Again checking everything needed was inside Hermione ran back to her room throwing it in her trunk as well. She then went to her daughter's room turning on the bedside lamp. Dakota squirmed and rolled over away from the light. Gently, Hermione woke her up.
Dakota stared up at her mother in confusion.
"Hey sweetie. You have to get up, we are going to England," explained Hermione softly.
"Why?"
"Nanny is sick and we have to go see her to help her get better."
Hermione helped Dakota get up and dressed her in warm clothes before grabbing clothes to take to England for Dakota.
Finally after a half hour of packing all three were standing in the living room. Hermione motioned for Merle to floo to England first while she secured everything. Merle was taking Crookshanks in his cage seeing as Hermione had too floo with her trunk and Dakota.
"Okay," said Hermione kneeling down to Dakota's level as Merle disappeared in green flames, "I know you floo with Mummy everyday but this time we are traveling a lot further. So hold onto my hand very tightly and don't let go until the spinning stops."
Dakota nodded and Hermione stood back up. She took a handful of the powder and threw it into the fireplace. Holding onto Dakota and the trunk tightly Hermione walked into the fireplace.
"Muggle Magic Weddings, Digion Alley, London, England!" yelled Hermione clearly.
Instantly, the flames engulfed them and sent both Hermione and Dakota spinning in fast, sickening circles. Around them they could hear people speaking in English, before the languages began changing, from Chinese, to German, to Spanish and then French. Hermione's stomach grew butterflies as she became excited at the prospect of being back home. Finally the language was English with the pommy accent.
The spinning slowed to a stop and together, Hermione and Dakota stepped out of the fireplace into the reception area of her original workplace. Sitting at the reception desk was Luna having taken no notice that Merle, Hermione and her daughter were standing there.
"It sure is good to be back," smiled Merle at Hermione.
Hermione nodded, breathing in the wintry air as the businesses door opened and closed.
"Come on," said Hermione, "We should get going. We'll surprise Luna later."
The three walked out the business door carrying their trunks. Dakota clung onto her mother's hand tightly as they weaved through the crowd towards the Leaky Cauldron.
O
Michael frowned as he saw the business door close behind a blonde woman, brunette woman and a little girl with brunette hair as well. He shook his head and walked over to Luna who looked up at him from some reports she was going over.
"Everything okay? You look confused," said Luna taking the file.
"I thought I just saw Merle and Hermione walk through the front doors… I think I need a lunch break," chuckled Michael.
"Well you have a while to go yet."
O
"Taxi!" yelled Hermione signaling down a Muggle taxi.
Both Merle and Dakota watched in awe as a black car pulled over. He helped them load the things into the car and Hermione directed him to the hospital she needed to go too. Once inside the car Hermione closed the window between the front of the taxi and back. She turned to Merle looking serious.
"If the muggle Doctor's can't fix my mother I'm taking her to St Mungo's," said Hermione seriously, "I'm sure they'll have a cure for her."
"Don't think of terrible things. Muggle doctors are just as good as the wizard ones," replied Merle as the taxi turned a corner sharply.
Hermione sighed and sat back against her seat starring out the window as they passed the Big Ben. She wouldn't let her mother die because Hermione knew she couldn't cope if she lost someone else she loved.
A/N: Another chapter and yes, Hermione is back in England… but will she stay for good? Anyway please review!
Bye for now!
Love yas!
Love Coz!