Day one
" Granger, stop gawking at me. I know I'm quite attractive, even when I'm... messy... and dirty. But you're making me nervous." He smirked haughtily.
Hermione clentched her fists, aching to 'stroke' his smirk with them. He was right, of course not about being attractive, he was messy and dirty, he had been, after all, a prisoner.
" Granger, I'm surprised to see you're still alive. I thought you couldn't hide your ugly head during the war, even if you could, your bushy head wouldn't let you and you would get hit by a deathly curse or two, wish I were the one who had the pleasure of killing you." He looked dreamily in the space above her head.
I HATE HIM HATE HIM HATE HIM!!! She took a step toward his chair but stopped herself before doing anything stupid.
Instead, she closed her eyes and cursed her luck. This was going to be the worst day of her life...
Then it hit her.
This wasn't bad at all, she had the upper hand. He WAS the captive and she WAS the capturer. She could do ANYTHING to him, insult him as much as she wanted and tease him and taunt him and call him names and beat him and harass him and torment him and torture him and abuse him and strangle him and tickle him and gouge out his eyes...
OH God... She could even KILL him and say it was self-defence...
She couldn't help smiling at the wicked idea. Malfoy was the one going to have a bad day, probably the worst day of his life. Hermione opened her eyes again and looked at Malfoy, still grining. Malfoy just smirked back, slightly confused.
Draco Malfoy... the scrawny ferret, had grown up, she hoped that it wasn't just physically. He was still as pale as moonlight but his usually slicked back hair was tousled and he was wearing the prisoner's robe. A white, grimy garment. He still bore that superior air about him, but something had changed in the way he was acting...
Hermone stepped forward and threw the papers on the table between them and placed her hands on it's dusty surface. From there, she could see Malfoy's pale hands chained to his chair. It filled her with glee, he was hopeless.
"Well, Malfoy I don't think that I'm pleased to see you again." She flashed a toothy smile. " But I always got happy when I see an old acquaintance." Her voice resonated in the room. Malfoy quirked an eyebrow, not believing a word she had uttered.
Hermione looked around the room, then clapped her hands and sent the dust which had layered itself on her palms flying in the rays of light coming from the room's only window. The sound of her hands clapping echoed through the empty room, hitting the walls and coming back. It made Malfoy cringe.
"Ok, Malfoy." She cleared her throat, " You know the purpose of me being here, right?" She made a gesture similar to a shrug, "In case you don't Malfoy, I'm here to ask you some small questions." She flashed her toothy smile again. Malfoy just kept staring at her blankly.
"Ok Malfoy." She repeated again."let's get down to business already. It's 1:10 now. So we have, about, 1 hours until 2 o'clock. You know, we both need our lunches at that time." She winked and continued. "So, Malfoy I expect you to answer my questions straightly and honestly, and be polite and obedient, you understand? POLITE and OB-BE-DI-ENT. It means no insults and no rude remarks and no monkey-business." She crossed her arms and arched her eyebrows expectantly. Malfoy smirked and cocked his head.
That's exactly what I want, don't agree, suffer the consequences. Two can play the game Malfoy. She sighed and chuckled.
"So you don't want to play along? Ok Malfoy, I don't have time to waste on forcing you to be polite and obedient. That is what your parents should've done." She paused to see the effect of her words on his face... Nothing.
She pulled out a chair and sat on it. Then she searched her pockets and found her special quill. She adjusted her quill and placed it on a piece of parchment on the table. It stood still, waiting to write. She looked up and stared at the messy Malfoy sitting opposite of her. He was looking at the quill with suspicion and after some moments, his features lit up in recognition.
Hermione sighed and remembered the first time Ron saw her quill...
"OK, the first question, What is your name?" The quill wrote, What is your name?
Malfoy stared at her and then at her quill and then at her again.
"What do you mean 'what is your name'?" A wry smile forming on his dry lips. "You don't know my name? Granger, it's like, three years since the last time you saw me and you have forgotten my name already?" He smirked lazily.
Hermione looked down at the quill, it was still writing everything.
"Malfoy I do know your name, but I have to ask. Besides Mr. Malfoy, I'm the one asking questions here." She said in her bossy tone.
"Oh, thanks for the news. I thought they send you here to sctratch my back Granger, you know, these clothes hurt my sensitive skin, they make me itch." He drawled haughtily.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Mr. Malfoy, answer my question."
"I don't recall you asking any questions?"
"I asked 'what. is. your. name.'?"
"Oh, Granger." He shook his head and smirked. "you said my name at least ten times, you're not expecting me to believe that you don't know it?"
"I said I know your stinking name! But I need you to say it."
"I hate interrogators Granger, they ask the same questions over and over again."
"WHAT IS YOUR NAME DRACO MALFOY?"
"What is your name Draco Malfoy? Nice going Granger, you just said my name yourself." He laughed scornfully.
Hermione slammed her fists on the table and send the dust flying in the air. "Malfoy, I warn you..." She hissed menacingly.
"What do you want to do Granger? I know my rights, you can't make me speak."
"I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy, but I think I better inform you of your rights, they have given me authority to do ANYTHINGI want, you chosed interrogation yourself right? You didn't want Veritaserum and when you chosed Interrogation you gave me permission to do ANYTHING I want with you. ANYTHING!" She finished with her index finger pointing menacingly to Malfoy's chest.
Mafoy narrowed his eyes and frowned. ANYTHING?
Hermione smirked triumphantly and adjusted her collar.
"I'm asking you again, what is your name?" Her voice was dangerously low.
Malfoy looked like he wasn't going to answer, but he muttered at last, "Draco Malfoy."
"Draco what Malfoy?"
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, Granger."
"Is Granger a part of your name too?" She smiled slyly.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy."
"Draco Lucius Malfoy?"
"Draco... lucius... Malfoy." He groaned through gritted teeth. Hermione wanted to do a crazy sort of dance on the dusty table.
"Ok, to the next question we go, how old are you?"
"As old as you."
"How old, exactly?"
Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Twenty... exactly" He spat.
"Ok Mr. Malfoy, as I can read here" She looked down at the papers, "You have claimed that you're..." Her eyes were fixed on the words, she couldn't believe them. "That you're ...?" She looked up at Malfoy again. "Honestly Malfoy, who are you trying to fool? who would believe that?" She asked surprisedly.
"Is that a question I should answer Granger?" He frowned and sneered.
She looked down at the papers distractedly. He even had witness.
Oh God... He has almost proved his innocent.I won't let you get away Malfoy, you are a deatheater. I know it!!!
"So what do you have to say about your mark? I mean the dark mark, on your left forearm?" She pointed to his hand absentmindedly.
"Granger, marks don't prove anything. Do you really think Potty is intelliegent because he wears glasses? If someone has the dark mark, it doesn't make them a death eater. You can't judge someone by their appearance."
"Are you implying what I think you're implying? That the mark on your left forearm is just a simple tatoo and it's pure coincidence that it's identical to the ones death eaters have?"
"No Granger, it's not a tatoo. I got it from The dark lord himself."
"So what do you mean you're not a death eater then?"
"Granger."
"What?"
"I'm tired."
"What!!?"
"I'm tired."
She stared at him and blinked a few times.
"Malfoy, I said no monkey-business."
"It's not monkey business, I'm thirsty."
"But you said that you're tired." She widened her eyes in shock and fury.
"I'm both thirsty and tired."
"So what? Are you trying to distract me from the main topic?"
"I said I'm thirsty, give me water and I will resume answering your questions."
"Malfoy, just answer my question and let us get this over with, you can drink water after I'm gone."
"Granger I want water now."
"MALFOY!" She growled.
"I want water."
"Are you a death eater?"
"I want water."
"You're not a death eater?"
"I want water."
Hermione glared at him tiredly and then glanced at her watch. 10 minutes untill the end of the session.
"Malfoy, I really wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, but I think I have to postpone this meeting untill tomorrow." She grabbed her quill and the parchment along with the papers without looking at Malfoy.
"Normally, my interrogation sessions don't last longer than a couple of hours," She paused and pushed her chair back and stood up, the noise made by the friction between the chair's leg and the ground resonated in the room. "But your lack of cooperation left me with no other choices." She stopped for a moment, then sighed and looked at Malfoy. "Malfoy... I'm sure you won't see me here tomorrow. I quit." She said quietly.
Malfoy looked a little sheepish, like a small boy watching his friend leave after a childish fight over a small toy. Hermione sighed tiredly again.
"It was nice seeing you though." She said finally and without another glance, turned on her heel and left the room. She entered the empty corridor again and closed the door behind her.
Which door now?
She couldn't remember the door she had entered earlier and the young witch hadn't told her how she could contact her if she needed help. Agh, today isn't my day... She debated whether she should try a door or not. But a piercing shriek snapped her back to reality. At first she thought it was Malfoy and spun on her heel to go back to the interrogation room, but before she could touch the doorknob, another door opened and the young witch threw herself in the corridor and slammed the door shut behind her.
Hermione looked at her in shock, the girl was terrified of something. She leaned on the door and clutched her bright colored robe and started panting heavily. She didn't notice Hermione's presence.
"What is..." The young witch interrupted Hermione with another shriek, Hermione screamed too.
"Oh, miss Granger... oh, you scared me." She said between her rapid breathes.
"You scared me too." Hermione smiled at the young witch, then frowned. "What is going on? Why are you so scared?"
"Oh, Hermione..." She shook her head and let go of her robe. "that was just a mouse... believe me, they make my skin crawl." She finished with a timid smile.
"A mouse? But there's a lot of them in Hogwarts... We had to use them in transfiguration classes..."
"Oh, yes... but I always avoided them." She smiled again.
"Hey, did you finish your interrogation? Did he confess anything? He was a tough case, but I knew you could make him speak, did you know him?" She said in one breath.
"Uh, yes I knew him... uh why wouldn't you lead me out of here? This place is like a maze..." Hermione said trying to change the topic. The witch smiled and grasbed Hermione's hand and dragged her toward another door. When they got to the waiting room, Hermione pulled her hand out of her tight grasp and went to her bag which was abandoned on a chair.
She gathered her things and strode across the room and to the fireplace and threw a handful of floo powder in it, the green fire flamed and danced mysteriously. Hermione waved to the young witch and turned to step in the green flames but paused for a moment.
"Give Malfoy some water, he's thirsty." Hermione said without turning back and took the witch's whimper as an affimative answer. Then she stepped in the fire and felt the warmth of the flames crawl underneath her skin. She closed her eyes and shouted...
The Burrow.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Oh Ron, sorry... Are you ok?" Hermione said after she rose to her feet, she had fallen on something soft that turned out to be a very confused Ron.
"Yeah I'm ok, mione, what are you doing here?" He asked as he was grabbing Hermione's hand to get up on his feet.
"Well I wanted to see your father... is he home? It's urgent."
"yeah yes... he's home, he's eating lunch, you know... mom says that we should be together for lun..." He trailed off when he saw Hermione running toward the kitchen.
"Mr. Weasley?" Hermione shouted when she entered the kitchen and startled the red haired twins and their mother. "Uh, hi Molly, George, Fred..." She nodded to the three confused weasleys. "Sorry I barged in like this, but where is Mr. Weasley?"
Goerge, who had frozen halfway through the act of putting a chip in his mouth pointed to a door in front of her. "Thanks George." Hermione ran across the kitchen and flung the door open without knocking. The chip fell out of George's fingers.
"Mr. Weasley, can I talk to you?" Arthur weasley, the minister of magic, was changing his robe, which Hermione didn't realize. She entered the room and closed the door behind her, only then had she glanced at the minister of magic properly.
She couldn't say if his hair was redder or his face. Or maybe her own face? All she could say was...
"Oh..."
She threw the door open and ran to the kitchen again. George was still holding his fingers in front of his open mouth. They stared into eachother's eyes for a minute, then Ron entered the kitchen and joined them in their full-of-surprise silence.
"Ehem..." Arthur Weasley cleared his throat and opened the door and entered the kitchen, his ears were still red.
"Hermione, did you want to talk to me?" He cleared his throat again.
"Uh... y-yess Mr. Weasley, I wanted to talk to you..." Hermione didn't have the courage to look into his eyes.
"Ok dear, I'd be glad to hear it... ehem..." He cleared his throat again.
"Umm... I... Can we talk privately?" She threw a nervous glance toward Mr. Weasley.
"Of course... ehem... come to this room." He went back to the room he had just exited. Goerge nearly fell down from his seat to the floor.
"What is it Hermione?" Arthur Weasley asked when she entered the room and closed the door behind her.
"Mr. Weasley... I don't know how to say it but..." She looked around the room nervously. "Something bad happened to me... something really bad."
"You mean Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione looked at him in shock. He knows?!
"Hermione, I assigned you to do the task, I was su..."
"Excuse me? You assigned me?" Hermione interrupted him angrily.
"Yes Hermione, let me expla..."
"Didn't you know that we hate eachother? Didn't you think that we would end up killing eachother?"
"Hermione, I have a very good reason..."
"A GOOD REASON? HOW COULD YOU?!!" Arthur Weasley looked mortified.
Uh- oh...
"Sorry Mr. Weasley... I-I lost my control..." Hermione felt ashamed.
"It's ok Hermione, I didn't know it would get you so upset, I just thought you were the best one, no... the only one..." He sighed and closed his eyes. "The only one... who would understand him." Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Understand him? Arthur weasley was talking about a death eater like he was talking about one of his own sons.
"Hermione, He may not show it, but he has suffered so much. And now... no one believes him, no one understands him."
"What do you mean? That he is a... I mean... he is not a death eater?"
"I'm not sure, but did you ever see him in the war?" Hermione thought for a moment, she had seen so many of her classmates during the war, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Bulstrode, Nott... Even Mcmillan and his girlfriend Fawcett, but not Malfoy. She arrested Lucius Malfoy herself but never saw Draco Malfoy.
"You see? I think he somehow managed to avoid the war... I don't know why, or how... we found him in their headquarters shortly after our victory. That's why I say that he might be innocent, you know. There is an old saying 'innocent, untill proven guilty'. Hermione, everyone holds a grudge towards him. That's why I chosed you, I know you're a kind person, and a reasonable one and not like Ron driven by your feelings. I thought you would give him a chance..."
His words echoed in Hermione's ears... Innocent? Malfoy? Are you kidding?
"...want to, you can quit now and I would give it to someone else." Hermione stared into the minister's eyes.
"What do you say Hermione?"
Innocent, until proven guilty? INNOCENT?!!
Give him a chance?
If someone has the dark mark, it doesn't make them a death eater...
"Hermione, I'm not forcing you into anything... but I still say, you're the best one to do the job. You're my best auror." The minister finished with a faint smile on his pale lips.
She hesitated for a moment. It won't be bad, you can harass him. She smiled and looked up at the minister. "I will... work on this case Mr. Weasley." And Malfoy can harass you too.
A wide smile graced the balding man's tired feature. "I knew it." He whispered and planted a fatherly kiss on Hermione's forehead. Then they both exited the room and stepped smilingly in a kitchen filled with baffled Weasleys.
A/N: Wow, that was... a long chapter, the longest that I have ever written. Review, ok?