Chapter 5: Draco Speaks

After Nott strode away, I expected the memory to fade. Instead the scenery transitioned into the now familiar bedroom of Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy was sitting in a black leather chair that shone in the light of the fireplace. His silver eyes were keen, looking almost exactly where I stood.

"I feel bloody mad talking like this. But here goes. I'm assuming, well, hoping really, that this was found by someone who is looking for me with good intentions. I don't know who it would be, which is rather pathetic. I know those bloody aurors won't care enough to find this, if they're bright enough to find it in the first place.

"The aurors aren't that bad. I go back to my old ways when I'm so scared." Malfoy took a deep breath, and I noticed that his hands were shaking. "It would be just my luck for Potter to find this. Whoever you are, do me a favor. Tell everyone that you're looking for my body. Say I'm dead. Please."

At his pleading, Malfoy raised his eyes just high enough that somehow they met mine. It was so uncanny that I almost didn't believe that this was a memory. We stayed like that until the memory faded away.

My face broke out of the liquid of the Pensieve almost against my own will. I carefully fished the silvery memory out of the liquid and put it back into its bottle, carefully storing it behind some of my own memories. For good measure I put a charm on the cabinet so that only I could open it.

I was still missing some key information, but I had several working theories. To begin everything I scribbled a quick note to Thaxton declaring that all evidence I had gathered pointed to Malfoy being dead. I could only hope that I was lying.

Opening the window for my owl Aristotle to fly out, I realized that my fixation on this had made me neglect feeding Crookshanks… and myself. Aristotle was good about eating food as he needed it, but I had to portion out Crookshanks' food, lest he eat three days' worth of food in a single sitting.

I was only a few hours later than usual, but Crookshanks was already yowling like a cat abused. I rushed to feed him or my rugs would be in jeopardy.

With Crookshanks satisfied, I fixed myself a simple meal of cold cereal. With my apartment arranged it was quite pleasant to sit at the table in silence, basking in the serenity of the moment.

I had nearly finished my meal when there was knock at the door. Suspicious, I tightened my silky robe around me and checked that my hair was at least somewhat managed, secured on my head with my wand.

The peephole revealed a middle-aged woman, dressed more on the posh side than not. There seemed to be someone behind her, but I couldn't see them clearly. Tightening the tie of my robe once more, I slowly opened the door. "Yes?"

The woman, who I now saw was laden with a bundt cake, smiling widely. "Hello darling, I meant to drop by when you first moved in, but my son Charles here insisted I wait a while so you could unpack and settle in."

I stifled a yawn before saying, "Would you like to come in, both of you?"

Charles and his mother trooped in. Charles had initially had a bored, almost tortured expression on his face, but now he was staring at me with interest as his mother examined my apartment with a critical eye.

"I'm Hermione Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you, Charles and Mrs…"

"Oh, silly me. I'm Carol Lewis, you can just call me Carol. We're neighbors after all," Carol said. "Is it just you, dear?"

"Me as well as my cat Crookshanks," I said, deliberately omitting Aristotle. Most muggles didn't react kindly to a pet owl. "Would either of you fancy a cup of tea?"

Charles began to say something, but his mother spoke over him. "Oh, that would be lovely. Now tell us about yourself dearie, including why such a pretty young thing like you is here in her jammies at eleven in the morning on a Saturday."

I blinked at the revelation that it was Saturday. I had really gone down the rabbit hole with my search for Malfoy. Pushing the thought aside, I smiled warmly, deciding how to best diffuse the slight disapproving tone of my neighbor. "My life's a bit boring, I'm afraid. Work is all I have time for these days. I went to work for the government after I finished university early. Since then they've been pulling me from department to department."

"Oh, a government worker!" Carol exclaimed excitedly. "What areas have you been working in?"

Placing cream and sugar on the table, I said, "I've done a bit of social work, a tad bit of scientific research, there was a stint in public safety, and now I've been specially assigned to a missing persons case."

Carol blinked. "Well I guess that explains how a young chit like yourself can afford an apartment in such a nice part of town. Is there a man in your life? I would hate for you to work away your youth."

I tried to keep any bitterness out of my smile, as she had unwittingly said the exact same words as Molly Weasley had used to "console" me after the incident.

"I did have a fiance for a time, but he broke things off rather abruptly," I said with a thin smile.

"Oh, you poor dear," Carol said almost immediately with genuine feeling, but I didn't miss the little triumphant flash in her eyes as she discreetly glanced at her son. "As luck would have it though, I do believe you're roughly the same age as my Charles. He isn't seeing anyone at the moment."

Before I could answer, my kettle started whistling. Spared for a moment, I graciously rose to prepare the tea. All the while Carol regaled me with her life's story, the tale of a recent widow. Her husband had been a doctor, and I could tell that she missed him deeply. The circumstances of his death had been a bit mysterious, and I could tell the woman still struggled with that. As I set the three cups of tea onto the table she began talking about how successful Charles had been as an architect in Ireland when he decided to move back in with his mother to help her cope.

At her excessive praise, Charles blushed a deep scarlet. "I'm not all that fantastic, Mum."

"I've always found architecture fascinating," I said. "I think it's marvelous that you can create things like that."

Charles blushed even more deeply. "Like I said, I'm not all that great."

"Oh hush you. You've got to take pride in your achievements. I'll tell you what Hermione, you come over one night and Charles will show you all the buildings he's designed," Carol said assertively. "And we can discuss you a bit more as well. Your name sounds quite familiar, but I can't quite place it."

"That sounds lovely," I said honestly. "I'm afraid that I must cut this short, I've got an important meeting to attend in just a while."

"Oh, certainly," Carol said, hastily standing up. "But dear, I insist you come to Sunday dinner tomorrow, just in the apartment right next door. Let me also give you the number for your telly in case you need anything, a spare light bulb, a date with Charles, a cup of sugar… Anything at all, dear."

I managed to usher Carol and a spluttering Charles out after a few more minutes. Finally freed, I decided to get ready for the day. After showering and applying a minimal amount of makeup, I did my best to make my curls look like something other than a bird's nest. It was one of the best things that had come out of going to a muggle college as well as continuing my wizard studies after Hogwarts. My muggle roommates had taught me to stop fighting my curls and instead harness them. With a handful of products my hair went from a frizzy mess to some pretty fantastic curls I had to admit.

Donning a posh skirt and blouse, soon I was walking out of my apartment. As I walked down the hall I could faintly hear Carol insist, "Charles, you need to go get the post now."

"Mother, I doubt the post has come yet-" Charles began, but we were both startled when the door opened and Carol bodily shoved him outside.

Charles nearly stumbled into me. "Oh, hello again, Miss Granger."

"Hermione," I corrected gently. "And hello to you as well, Charles."

"I, uh, I'm getting the post for Mum," he said, tripping over his tongue.

I smiled at him. "I don't actually know where to collect the post. Would you mind showing me?"

Charles wasn't an unattractive man. He was actually very good-looking, in a towering, broad-shouldered way. He had a quiet confidence and clear blue eyes that contrasted his brown hair. Part of me wanted to stay and talk to him all day, but the image of a distraught Narcissa Malfoy kept me on task.

Thanking Charles and promising to be at dinner on Sunday, I stepped outside, walking for about a block before finding an empty enough alleyway to apparate from.

I would have to come up with a way to explain why I would be home one moment, but not the next. I had a feeling that my lovely neighbor would be listening intently for me to come and go. I would have to keep my emergency apparating to a minimum.

Arriving at Godric's Hollow, I was swept with a sense of peace, as per usual. Despite all I had witnessed here, this little pocket of wizarding life appealed to me more than anywhere else. I couldn't explain it.

Despite how busy I was, I did take a moment to visit the cemetery. Rather than flowers, I brought letters. One for James and Lily Potter, Remus, Tonks, and an honorary letter for Sirius, as he didn't actually have a grave.

Ron had told me that this was an unhealthy habit, as well as morbid and creepy. He had caught me laying a sealed letter on Fred's grave near the Burrow, and it had caused a fight between the two of us. Then again, back then nearly everything caused a fight between the two of us.

As always, the letter for Sirius was laid directly between the graves of his two best friends, James and Remus,

The letters were just my way of coping. I usually wrote what was going on; this time it was mainly the news that Harry was finally thinking about proposing to Ginny, and detailed updates on Teddy for Remus and Tonks. The clever little boy currently refused to change his hair from a vibrant violet, despite all the pleadings of his grandmother. I had a feeling that once Harry and Ginny were married and settled into a house of their own, Teddy would be spending a lot more time with his godfather.

"I'm working as an auror right now," I said quietly. "They're short handed since Ron is on holiday. But I have to find Draco Malfoy. His life is in danger."

A gentle breeze ruffled my hair, and somehow it helped me feel at peace. For a fleeting moment, it felt exactly like Remus had a hand on my shoulder, saying, "Finding Draco Malfoy is no match for a bright young witch like you. I know Hermione Granger, and she always finds a way."

Emboldened and not quite so alone, I turned back to Godric's Hollow with new resolve.


A/N: I try to keep my updates about once a week, but I only have one exam left, so I decided that a celebratory chapter is called for. I'm also just really excited for this chapter, I had fun writing it. Thanks for reading, and a special thanks to any that reviewed. It really motivates me to keep writing.