Author's Note:

No surprises in this chapter, just quietly driving the plot forward... :-)

Just a side-note to avoid confusion: The Hungarians in this chapter are in no way connected to the villain in Hermione's last chapter, their shared country of origin is somewhat of an coincidence. (and I'm bad at coming up with company names *haha*)

However, as always, many heartfelt thanks to Grace, aka optimise, for being my beta reader and putting up with what I come up with, as well as for being a lovely person to talk to! :-**
Further, many thanks to amyeco for answering any other question I might have, and just for cheering me on; you keep me motivated, love!

And of course many more thanks to everyone else who listens to my doubts and rants about the writing process.

Everyone's help is much appreciated as always!

Now, I do have an announcement to make: I have signed up for the Dramione Remix as well as the Dramione Duet on LJ. So, in order to have the capacity and the time to work on those two submissions, I will put Broken Feathers on hold for at least July.

Do not worry, I WILL continue with the story; I just need the break for the submissions as well as straightening the timeline of what is going to happen in Broken Feathers after this chapter... :-*

Chapter 13: There's just one little thing

It was the first Monday in years that Draco had stayed in bed instead of getting up early for work. He still felt drained and exhausted from the evening at the club, with his chest painfully prickling in the spot the succubus had left her mark.

He had spent Sunday slipping in and out of sleep after he had made it back home, very slowly restoring his energy while his mind kept replaying the images from the club over and over again; a faint remnant of the crave cruised through his body. However, as stuck as his mind was on those memories, they came with a sea of guilt because he couldn't shake the feeling that he had betrayed Hermione with the succubus despite their current separation.

He was still dozing lightly when he heard the Floo go on, announcing that he was about to have an unwelcomed visitor. With a groan, he turned on his side and pulled his cover over his head in refusal to even acknowledge anything.

"Draco? Mate, are you here?"

It was Blaise. Even worse. Still hiding under his cover, Draco tried to reach for his wand on the nightstand to block the door, but instead of grabbing it, he pushed it off the nightstand. Maybe if he didn't move, Blaise wouldn't notice him...

"Draco. Get up, you lazy butt."

Draco didn't move underneath the cover, still refusing to acknowledge his friend's presence. He wasn't in the condition to meet the world today. The only thing he had planned for this evening, or tomorrow, was having a head-to-head with Potter.

But Blaise wasn't having any of it and pulled the cover back to reveal Draco's upper body. "You look like shit."

Draco only threw him a glare, barely avoiding a growl.

Blaise chuckled. "Like back in the olden days, mate. Had a good weekend then, I take it?"

"No." Draco pulled the cover back up.

"I need you at the company... The Hungarian company has an answer to your deadline, and I know that's the one thing you wanted to be kept updated about–"

"A briefing afterwards would have sufficed."

"No. Get up. The Hungarians actually want your presence. And since it was you who made the deadline, I think that's only fair."

Draco disliked the amused tone in Blaise's voice, but he pushed the cover down again and even went as far as turning around to face Blaise. "I should change the wards to my place..."

"Whatever it is that you're nursing, it doesn't matter. Get up and ready for work. I'm giving you thirty minutes..."

XX

After a rather big dose of Invigoration Draught and a breakfast consisting of a single jam toast and the strongest black coffee that his house-elf could prepare, Draco was finally stumbling out of the Floo exit in the company, with Blaise already waiting for him. "Why again do you need my presence exactly?"

Blaise shrugged and then nodded in direction of the door of the President office. "They're here. They didn't send an owl. All we got was a very short notice to be ready for their arrival."

"First Monday that I have off in ages, yet you still manage to drag me back to work," Draco said sardonically, checking his suit for dust. "Let's get it over with."

Pansy was waiting outside the meeting room, playing with an empty coffee cup when the two men arrived. "Gods, you look like shit–"

"Stop, you're making me blush," Draco retorted, rolling his eyes briefly at her.

"Compared to how I found him, he looks good, actually," Blaise said, not hiding the amused smirk, then beckoning both them inside. "As Draco said, 'let's get it over with'."

The Hungarians were involved in a lively conversation with Astoria and Daphne, who had all sorts of questions about wizarding life in Eastern Europe to keep their guests entertained. However, the conversation immediately stopped when Draco entered, with Blaise and Pansy following behind him.

Of course, he did notice the slight narrowing of Astoria's eyes when she saw him while Daphne smiled softly. He nodded towards both of them, but he returned the smile to Daphne before he went on to properly greet his visitors, noticing that they had brought the same translator as last time. "Gentlemen, welcome back to my company. We do appreciate you coming in person to let us know your decision. Shall we?"

The Hungarians nodded in unison, all of them eyeing him sceptically while he took a seat at the meeting room table. Then the leader of their group said something to the translator who just sighed.

"Sir, we've been informed about the change in leadership in your company," the translator finally said, relaying what the other had told him. "It didn't go exactly unnoticed in the business world that you stepped back from the position as President of this company, citing... Mi az?" He shared a questioning look with the leader of the group, then he seemed to remember the word he was looking for. "Igen. Citing exhaustion, or rather a burn-out."

"That is correct," Draco replied, leaning back. News in the business world travelled fast, it seemed, even without him giving any personal statement about it. He was momentarily distracted by Astoria handing out the coffee from the side table, receiving many smiles from the Hungarian party but willingly ignoring him. "I'm sure that Mr Zabini would have been able to make the deal with you just as well."

"You set the deadline, Mr Malfoy," the translator replied, leaning towards the group leader again, nodding. "That's why we require your presence, even if your signature isn't binding anymore."

Draco curled his lips into a professional smile to keep himself from responding sarcastically. "As you can see, I met your requirement." With a raised eyebrow, he watched the translator arguing quietly with the leader; he didn't understand a single word, but he was pretty sure from the gestures used that the translator didn't want too much interruption from the leader. "So, do you have an answer to our offer?"

"Yes, we do," the translator said, putting on a polite smile. "My client has let the employees decide on the deal after informing them of the details, and they agreed to accept the offer. That is why we are here—we accept the offer as it stands."

Draco nodded and quickly glanced over to Blaise whose posture relaxed slightly. Maybe that was the difference between them? Draco liked to be in charge of everything (and assume responsibility), while Blaise preferred to have someone else shoulder the ultimate responsibility, as good as he otherwise was. "Is there anything you want to add to the contract before we sign it?"

After the Hungarians shook their heads, Pansy Summoned the copies of the contract to be signed from her bag. "You can check it if you want... It contains exactly what we have negotiated, down to the last number."

Both parties pulled out their fountain pens to place their first signatures on the copies before them. Draco felt an itch in his hand while watching Blaise sign his copy of the contract with his usual elegant yet bold style. It felt weird being left out such an important moment, forced to watch others do what had been part of his position until recently. But then, his signature was indeed not binding at the moment, only Blaise's.

XX

Shortly after, everything was said and done in regards to the deal with the Hungarians, and it now only had to await approval from the Hungarian Ministry of Magic, but given the current political situation that had even somewhat pervaded the country's wizarding population, it could take some time, even though they had already taken all necessary steps. However, given that the British Ministry had approved the deal long ago, this was only a matter of time now.

"How was your weekend, mate?" Blaise asked when he and Draco left the meeting room after everyone else had already left. "You really looked like shit when I picked you up."

"Exhausting," Draco replied, briefly brushing over the still sensitive spot on his chest, walking next to Blaise along the hallway. "Been to a very interesting place and made a rather fascinating acquaintance."

"Don't tell me you're moving on..."

Draco glared at him and then shook his head. "Never."

Blaise shrugged, accepting the answer. "So, a fascinating acquaintance, you said? Good-looking?"

Draco stopped and smirked briefly. "A succubus. Didn't realise until was almost too late."

"What?" Blaise blurted in surprise. "A succubus? Are you serious?"

Amused by his friend's reaction, Draco chuckled. As much as the experience still disturbed him, Blaise's shocked expression was almost worth it. "I can show you the proof," he said, rubbing his chest once more.

"I thought they were only tales to scare us boys into behaving–"

"She would have wrapped you around her little finger with just her smile if she wanted to. Totally your type, too."

"Mate, stop it. I have a wife with a good hex that I absolutely adore..." Smirking, Blaise patted on Draco's shoulder and nodded towards the end of the hallway to move on.

"She was good at it, but it was still a strange experience. However, I got a lot of information out of her. Just need to prepare it for Potter."

"Going to the Ministry later?"

Draco nodded and stopped again as they reached the stairs to the top floor with his former office and the personal Floo connection. "There's something else I need to talk about with him."

..

Draco felt the exhaustion return when he arrived back at his place, just aching to crawl back into bed and sleep, but he had more important things to do still—such as prepare the memories of his night at the club for Potter.

"Master has a letter from his mother."

Surprised to hear his house-elf address him in her usual timid manner, he turned around to face the creature; she was holding up the letter for him to grab. "Thanks, Tilly," he said, taking the letter. "Could you collect as many vials as you can find and bring them to my study? I need to store a few memories..."

"Yes, Master."

He didn't even notice the house-elf disappear, as he was focused on the letter. It was indeed his mother's old-fashioned but elegant handwriting that could only be done with a quill. With a sigh, he finally opened the letter, knowing what to expect. Inside the envelope, he found an article from the economics section of the Daily Prophet about the leadership changes in his company next to the letter; the article was just a short snippet stating the facts and a line that no comment was to be had from those involved, written by that same reporter who had had the guts to ask him for an interview a couple of weeks ago; Kerr was the name if he was right.

Draco,

It is unbearable that I have to learn about those changes through a side-note in this abysmal newspaper and not from you in person.

What, in Merlin's name, has possessed you? I thought I told you at Blaise's dinner party that you need to have your priorities straight—the family and the company always come first. You seem to have forgotten that.

I know that you are still grieving her loss, but you can't let your emotions control your decisions, my dear son. Malfoys aren't emotional, and we certainly do not mourn after losing someone for such a long time.

It's like I don't recognise you any longer. Where's that responsible, grown-up Draco who would visit me occasionally? I haven't seen you smile in a long while; I've come to miss it...

Please, let go of whatever dream you still have with her; it's certainly been long enough. Let go and assume your responsibilities again. This is not going to end well otherwise...

Your loving mother

Exactly what he had expected to receive from his mother. It was one of those brief moments when he just hated being a Malfoy because every single move ended up in the newspaper—not always on the front page but always enough for a mention inside the pages. And on top of that, he had to deal with his parents' expectations. It made him acutely aware how much he really still missed Hermione, for it had been so much easier to deal with everything when they were still together. As much as he loved his friends and appreciated their patience and support, it wasn't the same; with her, he had been able to talk about everything and knew that she would listen. And sometimes she had dealt with his parents when they had been too overbearing; right then, he wished she would do it again for him.

He would deal with his mother when he felt up to the game; he had other things on his mind anyway, and he didn't want to waste any time arguing with her.

"Tilly has collected the vials; they are on the desk in the study."

"Thanks." With a sigh, Draco made his way to the study, the letter from his mother still in his hand. Maybe he shouldn't just retrieve the memories of the night at the club but some other as well?

XX

"Draco, I thought you were undercover–"

Draco stopped on his way to Harry's office when he heard Theo call out his name. He nodded briefly when his friend approached him and noticed that, except for Riverside pretending to read, every other Auror was absent. He had met a couple chatting on the lift when he had come in, so he guessed that they had either gone home for a break or were in the field checking out info and whatever. It wasn't that he cared much about what they did, anyway, as his mind was focused on the moment he could get hold of Harry. "Potter wants an update."

"He's in a meeting with the Minister–"

Draco sighed in frustration and let his head fall back before returning his focus to Theo. "I want to speak to him NOW."

"Well, don't we all? He's with the Minister!" Theo grabbed his arm when Draco turned around to walk off. "Just don't. You don't want to be there... The media hasn't been too nice with their lack of reported results. Be glad they don't know about your involvement."

Draco grumbled. He had already wasted most of the day at the company because Blaise had insisted on his presence during the final discussion with the Hungarians to take over their company—keeping him from delivering his information. "Maybe I should have a talk with the Minister too–"

"No, you don't, Malfoy."

"Boss, how did it go?"

"I need to speak to you, Potter." Draco completely ignored Theo's question and turned to face Harry, his jaw tightly clenched. Just the sight of Harry already made his pressure rise through the roof, and the urge to just yell at him grew with every second. "Now."

"Malfoy, I just had a rather unpleasant meeting with the Minister about our lack of results and the possibility of collaboration with foreign Ministries to widen the search; give me a moment to brea–"

"Now."

Harry pushed his glasses up to rub his eyes, letting out a tired and annoyed sigh. "Aren't Snakes said to be patient?"

"You never met a black mamba, then, have you?" Draco retorted, not bothering to hide the spite in his voice. "Your office, now."

Harry wasn't the least bit intimidated and stared right back at him. "What's the bloody matter with you?"

Without an answer, Draco grabbed Harry's robes to drag him into the office; in the corner of his eyes, he saw Theo return to his desk, while Harry was trying to pry out of his grip all the way to the office. However, Draco only let go once they were inside and immediately cast the Silencio to make sure that no one outside would hear what they were going to discuss now.

"What the hell is the matter with you? Did something go wrong on Saturday?"

Draco only sneered at him in response and pulled the vials with his memories of that evening out of his suit pockets. "You might want to skip the juicier parts."

"You succeeded then?"

Draco nodded. "There's just one little thing..."

"Malfoy, we discussed the plans in detail. You said yourself you can't withdraw now–"

"YOU KNEW!" Draco pulled out the note from the succubus and slammed it on the table, next to the vials that made a jump in response. "Hermione wasn't kidnapped because she knew too much; she is one of those fighters in the pits–"

"Oh God!"

"POTTER, YOU BLOODY KNEW THE WHOLE TIME ABOUT–"

"Don't you shout at me, Malfoy!"

"SHE'S A CREATURE, AND YOU KNEW ABOUT IT!"

"Yes," Harry admitted, wincing as if in pain.

Momentarily taken aback, Draco just stared at him. He didn't expect for Harry to admit it so freely. "So why hasn't anyone else mentioned it before? This is downright insulting that you knew the whole time–"

"Malfoy, take a bloody breath, would you?" Harry interjected, still rubbing his ribs. "Have you forgotten how thorough Hermione is when she plans something?"

"No, I haven't! What is it? Am I not good enough to be told about such a crucial thing? Not trustworthy enough?"

"You're just like her right now! Don't you think I would have told you that if I had been able to? I literally CAN'T speak about it, as much I would love to because I think you both are being stupid about the whole situation. Malfoy, she made me take an Oath of Secrecy–"

"Still–"

"Stop being a git, seriously! It was even painful to just admit that I know," Harry stopped him with a glare, his jaw clenched to keep from wincing once more in pain. "More and the oath puts me in hospital. I'm sure the name Marietta Edgecombe rings a bell..."

Draco nodded impatiently. "The girl who betrayed the DA to Umbridge. I was there during the interrogation, Potter. She looked hideous with those scars."

"That's how far Hermione is willing to go to protect herself. You know that, so please stop your act–"

"How did it happen?" Draco asked, tapping on the note, willingly ignoring Harry's words—he knew too well what Hermione was capable of, he just hadn't expected to be the one on the receiving end. "When?"

"Stop it, okay? I wish I could talk with you about the whole thing, but I can't even talk to Ginny about it, Malfoy, that's how thorough the oath is. I can't even tell my own wife, for fuck's sake!"

"Who else knows?"

Harry shook his head.

"Gods!" Draco let out a frustrated huff.

"Are you going to back out now?"

"The hell no! Gods, why should I? This is Hermione we're speaking of, Potter. You have no fucking idea how far I'd still go for just her! No fucking clue..." Draco took a deep breath to keep control, even momentarily leaning against the desk. He was still angry, he just didn't know at whom anymore—at Potter for not telling, or at Hermione for keeping it from him for so long, or at himself for waiting all those years in the hope she might come back on herself? "What the hell was she thinking?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm the wrong person to ask that."

"Yes," Draco replied with a single, acknowledging nod, straightening up again. "It's just insulting that she told you but preferred to break up with me. It's like she didn't trust me I've really changed–"

"I told her many times to just talk to you... Her hexes still sting sometimes."

Draco nodded and picked up one of the vials for another look at the iridescent colour. "I'd skip the more explicit parts if I were you. I'm not exactly proud of what I did that night." He definitely wasn't proud of anything he had done that night, but sometimes you didn't question the ways of getting information. His chest still hurt where the succubus had put her hand the second time to drain energy, and he was now unconsciously rubbing the spot with his free hand.

"Whatever gets us results." Harry pushed his glasses back up and brushed his hand through his hair that now had even more grey streaks. "Anything else you want to shout at me?"

"Don't think this is over yet," Draco said, narrowing his eyes at Potter while putting the vial back on the desk. "Far from over and–"

In that moment, the door opened and Theo rushed in, but then he stopped mid-track to stare at the others in mild surprise. "And here I was hoping you'd hex each other into oblivion about whatever you just argued."

"What is it?" Harry retorted, his patience visibly starting to wear thin while trying to keep a barely friendly tone.

"You won't believe what I have to tell you," Theo said with a spark in his eyes that had a hint of anger in it. "You're both going to hate it."

"Just tell us, Nott. My day can barely get any worse," Harry said with a quick side-glance to Draco.

"I know who the mole in our midst is."

TBC