Warnings for story: Language, Explicit sexual content, Alternate Universe, Not canon complaint. MENTIONS: RAPE AND MISCARRIAGE. I will not go into detail on this for I know these are hard subjects for some. Again, it just mentions it happened.
Disclaimer: JK still owns Harry Potter and all of its characters. I am just playing with them. I make no money. (unfortunately.)
A/N:
Credit: AubreySnapefor being an amazing beta and Articcat621 for reading over these chapters as well and putting up with my crazy questions in the middle of the night.
Harry sat at his desk thinking about the mysterious woman that was at Malfoy Manor the night of the meeting. He had a feeling that it was Hermione, but she didn't look anything like her so he decided to do a bit of research.
After digging around, he pulled up the Malfoy file. Shifting through the files, he found the original birth certificate of the only female Malfoy. There was a picture of Abraxas and Prunella Malfoy, with Abraxas holding a sleeping Hermione in his arms. Looking closer at the baby in picture, he realized it looked just like the woman from the meeting.
There was a knock on his door and looking up, he saw his godfather standing at his office door. Together, the two of them ran the Auror department.
"What are you working on?" Sirius asked, stepping into Harry's office.
Harry quickly placed the picture back into the folder, and his foot slowly sliding the box under his desk out of view. "Nothing important," he lied, not wanting Sirius to know what he was doing. He knew how touchy Sirius still was over what happen with Hermione.
"Well, since it's not important, how about some lunch in Diagon Alley?" Sirius asked. There was a smile on his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Sure, let me just close up my office," Harry said, standing grabbing his cloak throwing it around his shoulders.
Sirius nodded, stepping back out the door.
Harry took the picture and slid it into his jacket. Harry decided he'd pay a visit to Malfoy Manor later that evening, with a last glance around he left the office and headed to lunch with his godfather.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hermione looked around Diagon Alley, staying close to Severus. She had decided to join him when he announced he had to pick something up. She had wanted to get away from the Manor and hadn't been to the Alley in ages. Since she usually went to France with her father or Narcissa when she got away.
"You look beautiful today," Severus told her, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Severus, I'm just wearing my normal clothes and my hair is pulled back," she stated, sounding confused.
Severus smirked. "I figured you'd say something like that. You seemed lost in your thoughts; I was just trying to help you out of them. I'm sure with as many you have; it's easy to get lost."
Hermione laughed at his playfulness. She grew accustom to his snark and sharp remarks over her time with him. The two of them really knew each other inside and out.
"After I pick up the supplies, how many book stores will I be made to stop in?" he asked.
"Three at the very least," Hermione replied cheekily. Placing her hand in the crook of his arm, the two of them made their way down the street.
Severus stepped out of the last store, having sent the final package off to the Manor.
"Severus, I see Draco over there," Hermione said, pointing out the blonde man sitting by himself reading the paper.
Hermione and Severus made their way towards Draco, missing Harry, Remus, and Sirius sitting not too far from him.
"Hello, Draco," Hermione said with a smile.
Draco looked up from his paper. "Hello," he said quietly.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked confused as to why he was acting that way.
"Oh, I'm just fine, just a bit tired of three pairs of eyes watching me constantly," Draco said, looking over Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione followed his gaze, looking right into the grey eyes of Sirius Black, Remus and Harry sitting with him. Hermione sighed turning back to Draco; this many years after the war the Malfoy family was still frowned upon. Yes, the family had been wrong but they helped in the aftermath to rebuild the community but no one recognized that unless it came to Malfoy money and their funding.
"Severus and I are heading back to the Ministry if you would like to join us," Hermione asked, standing from the table.
"I guess." Draco shrugged, throwing a galleon onto the table to pay for his meal.
"Well, Snivellus, nice to see you out and about," Hermione heard the taunting words travel from Sirius' mouth. She and Draco both noticed the glare Severus was giving Sirius. "Must be living life to the fullest."
"Funny to see you out and about, not crawling around drunk, crying over your ex," Severus snarled at him. He had hit a nerve, causing Sirius to shoot out of his chair.
"You know nothing," Sirius growled, trying to keep himself in check. The Head Auror could not afford to lose his cool in public. Sirius looked around the room seeing eyes being drawn to the commotion he caused.
A smirk appeared on Severus' face. Severus knew how to push Sirius's buttons and he knew just which ones to push. "Hermione tells me many things. We speak often."
"Severus!" Hermione hissed coming to his side. "Leave this."
Severus's glittering black eyes turned to meet her before leaving out as Hermione followed behind him.
Draco walked by the trio, whistling as he did. He stopped beside them, not looking their way, but spoke with a hint of humor in their voice, "He's right, you know. Hermione and Severus are very close." He continued walking on his way, not caring about the murderous look Sirius was giving him.
Lucius was sitting and enjoying the peace and quiet reading the current news in the Prophet. It was trying to keep the recent vampire attacks quite not wanting to start mass panic. Turning the page he heard the fireplace roar to life, followed by a second one and his sister's yelling.
Lucius frowned the silence he was previously enjoying was ruined. Giving a sigh he listened to what was being said.
"What was that?" Hermione screeched.
"He was being a bastard!" Severus growled.
"So you decided to be a bastard at my expense?" Hermione yelled.
The two of them missed the fireplace roaring to life again as two figures stepped into the room.
"I am sorry for you, Hermione, but I enjoy making that bastard miserable. We are the ones with the memory of you arriving here that night burned into our minds," Severus spat, the pair now standing nearly nose to nose.
"Hermione?" Both Severus and Hermione turned towards the fireplace, seeing Harry Potter standing there with Draco.
"I tried to warn you, but when you two fight, it's all very dramatic," Draco stated, waving his hands in the air.
Severus stepped forward grabbing Harry by the front of his robes, "What are you doing here?"He snarled looking down at Harry in disgust.
"Hermione," Harry repeated turning his emerald green eyes directly to Hermione.
Severus's ebony wand was at Harry's temple in a flash, "No you're not. You're going to forget you were here." The incantation rested on Severus's lips when Hermione spoke.
"Wait," Hermione sighed, resting her hands on her hips. "Will you all excuse us, please?" Hermione spoke to the room, not looking up. Severus glared at her but released Harry from his grasp, and billowing out of the room.
Hermione turned to Draco, "That means you too, Draco."
Draco shrugged leaving Hermione alone with Harry.
"What do you want and why are you here?" Hermione asked, looking towards the friend who had abandoned her in her biggest time of need.
"I was actually coming here this afternoon, anyways. I realized this morning at work who you are," Harry explained as he fixed his robes. He began taking slow steps towards her.
She instantly stepped back, watching him closely. He looked exactly the same: green eyes, messy black hair, and round glasses. The only noticeable differences were he was taller and in full Auror robes. He had still been in training before their fall out.
"Hermione, I'm so sorry." She snorted, but could still hear the guilt deep in his voice. "Please, forgive me."
"Why should I?" she sneered at him. "Give me one good reason why I should forgive you,"
"I don't have one, but I'm asking anyways." Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the photograph he had found earlier. He handed it to Hermione. "It's you and your parents; I figured you would want it."
Hermione looked at the picture, her eyes softening.
"How did you find this?" she whispered, looking at her mother and father holding her as a baby.
"I found it going through the old Malfoy family records," he explained. "You look the same as you do now, but I'll be going now." Harry made for the fireplace, but Hermione's voice stopped him.
"Wait," Hermione called after him. "We can talk."