While everyone was still feeling terrible for Hermione forgiving Malfoy and really wished to have him reported, our female protagonist here decides (actually, I decide) to give all readers a bumpy rollar coaster. It seemed that many readers do not have the extreme patience to wait for Hermione's explanation.
HG'S POV
She knew it was too generous of her to accept his apology without giving him silent treatment, she was not even sure if he was truly apologetic. But Ginny's words made her realize "acceptance of apology" would be necessary.
"Everyone's been like this once in their life," explained Ginny. "He's just too upset."
"Are you telling me that one can do anything he wants if one's just too upset?" snapped Hermione, stressing on the last three words.
Harry was out for work and Ginny was the only being in the house, which made Hermione relaxed, she did not want Harry to get revenge for her. It would only bring her more trouble and it would not facilitate her investigation. Phelps would hear this easily, it was not unheard that Harry could cause worldwide known disasters.
"Come on, you know what I mean," replied Ginny, then wore a small grin. "And actually he helped you."
"Helped?"
"The Ministry is not going to bother you again, unless they feel that you must have children."
"Apart from that, I cannot think of anything that makes his behaviour tolerable and excusable."
"You get the point."
"While I was in the bathroom, I was so tempted to file a complaint against him."
"Your records of finding loopholes and drifting by the border of law breaching are going to be the problem."
"You don't say."
"Didn't you sneak into Yaxley's house and get evidence without a search warrant? And do you remember nearly setting fire on Ulfric Flander's house just to smoke him out?"
"The law didn't say I cannot do that, according to-"
"Forget filing complaints, it won't work, I assure you. Malfoy still has his reputation of being a law-bidding wizard," explained Ginny. "And I must admit, even I hate so,"
"Well, just pretend that you forgive him!" exclaimed Ginny.
"Pretend?" asked Hermione, with a huge wave of curiosity overflowing. "Now that's another story."
Ginny showed a cheeky grin.
"You know what I'm thinking?" asked Ginny as her grin grew wider.
"Then I would need your help," said Hermione. "To order to make things as convincing as can be."
"Go ahead."
"I need you to go talk to him during his lunch hours," explained Hermione, trying to catch up with the exploding thoughts in her mind. "I know he would be staying in his Office. Just tell him that I'm confused and I like him or whatever you can come up with. Then he's going to get me into his Office, and I need to do is to act things out."
"Sounds feasible," commented Ginny. "But are you sure everything will turn up just as you expect?"
"For safety measures, I will get Luna talk to Zabini," said Hermione. "And he will go talk to him."
"Luna knows her husband best."
Hermione stood up and was about to apparate.
"Just one reminder," added Ginny. "No matter what he does, you must not shove him off or what, you have to make him believe that you truly forgive him!"
"Needless to say twice," said Hermione, showing a small grin. "I have everything in mind."
She could still feel the warmth on her lips and on her skin. He was a good kisser, if she put aside what happened last night. From his behaviour and the wide grin on his face, she was perfectly sure that he had fallen into her scheme, everything was going well according to plan.
Despite Hermione asking him to go home first, he insisted staying until she left the desk. She was annoyed, but considering that she needed him to believe her without doubts, she let him stay. Reading documents with his eyes staring at her face was tempting her to throw temper tantrums, and so she decided to go home, and she would have a few tranquil hours in her room.
"You want to come over to my room for tonight?" he mumbled, glancing at her eyes the moment when they apparated back to their manor. "You know, we can...have a chat before sleep."
"Draco, I'm really tired," answered Hermione, trying to keep her voice calm. "Good night."
She immediately left him and headed into her room. She could not believe that he actually asked her to go to his room! Did he not forget what happened on the very same bed? One thing that lightened her heart was that he believed everything she had said.
A small tap rang at the window and she hurried to it, only finding a small eagle-like bird tapping the window, with a letter in its claws. The moment as she opened the window, it dropped the letter in her hands and gracefully landed on her desk.
"A pallid harrier..." whispered Hermione.
Who would own a harrier as a carrier of message? It was not a native bird to Britain, it had to be from the Balkans or Caucasus. And as her mind searches through the two areas, she had an idea.
"გმადლობ (Thank you)," she said as her hand softly patted its head.
The harrier blinked and nudged her. She unsealed the letter and began to read,
Корона обнаружила. Встретьте в ремерe, Франкфурте, завтра в шесть вечером. (The crown is found. Let's meet at Römer, Frankfurt, tomorrow at nine at night.)
Despite knowing that she should inform the Office, she decided to go alone. Dragging anyone into the business just because of a note from Phelps was a risky act, it could immediately get herself a fast pass to Winzengamot, this time as a law breaker.
But she also knew a phrase well, "nothing ventured, nothing gained", one could never possibly catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair.
Dusk at Altstadt was breathtaking, surrounding by medieval buildings, a wave of nostalgia emerged. The facade of Römer was just like those churches at her old home. With a little research, she knew this building was the city hall of Frankfurt. The tall black doors and golden crests on the surface strongly reminded her of covenants. She tried to open but the door would not bulge, and just when she wanted to pull out her wand, warmth glided pass her voice and a low voice rang,
"Trying to barge in without a permit?"
Out of shock, she turned around and saw Phelps smiling at her. She quickly lowered her hand and whispered,
"I thought we are supposed to get in."
"I call you here just for convenience, our destination is in another area."
He clutched her hand and apparated to a garden. Tree branches stretched out like slender crooked fingers, sending a chill down to the spine.
"Where is this place?" whispered Hermione, slowly feeling her fingers numb and cold.
"Not important," he answered curtly.
Before she could raise more questions, he led her pass the hedges and through the pillars, arriving at the arcades.
"I receive news that the crown is hidden in this castle somewhere," said Phelps and flicked his wand, the tip glowed.
"Is your news reliable?"
"The informant owled me two days ago," said Phelps. "And you never know if you don't try."
Hermione nodded.
"Where should we start first?" asked Hermione, glancing sideways. "It's a castle, not any banks or school!"
"Well, we have to start from scratch, I'm afraid," replied Phelps. "But at least we know this is the place, and at least it is smaller than Hogwarts."
He was right, she thought. Hogwarts was a lot bigger than this castle.
"Lumos," whispered Hermione and the tip of her wand flickered.
The castle was in hostile silence, as if their arrival was not welcomed and the night activities were entirely disrupted.
"This castle was once used as a hospital specialising in child psychiatry," said Phelps. "Perhaps we might find some Poltergeists, if we are lucky enough."
Hermione chuckled darkly as the opened the door. Ghosts were never as hostile as Muggle had always imagined, unless they met Poltergeists that were just as troublesome as Peeves. But Peeves was not that much of a problem, at least The Weasley twins earned his respect and he usually obeyed Dumbldore and McGonagall's orders.
"How did your informant find this place?" asked Hermione as she and Phelps walked into the living room.
"He said he saw a man rushing towards this castle a few days ago," replied Phelps. "Anyway, let's go."
"Why didn't you call people to help the search ?" asked Hermione again. "I'm sure the Georgian Ministry would gladly send a group of Aurors for assistance."
Phelps chuckled, then showed a wry grin.
"That would not help me at all," explained Phelps. "The crown is too much of a temptation, even with Veritaserum, they'd readily get themselves the antidote, if not at least they know how to get away from telling the truth."
"You got the point."
"I can only depend on your now," said Phelps and he sighed.
Hermione blushed, the helplessness in his tone made her feel almost flattened. She felt he was not the type of person that would ask for assistance out of the blue. He seemed to be extremely desperate for this time, searching every inch of the carved wood panelled room before moving on to another.
"The crown won't be in the kitchen, right?" she asked.
"No, no point of putting the crown in such a place."
She walked further into the castle and arrived at another room, facing an ancient grand piano. It stood erect in the middle of the room, Hermione gazed at the bumpy white keys, then the writing engraved-Anton & Andrejs. She heard Phelps ask,
"You know how to play piano?"
"Yes, I do," she replied in a whisper, recalling her time teaching Ron her song.
They walked up the stony staircase and search each corner of every room but without avail. The curtains were strangely still intact, as if the owner had just moved out a month ago. She would have loved to visit this castle at broad daylight but nighttime only made the atmosphere eerie.
They finally went into the deepest chamber of the castle and Hermione began searching the cabinets. Just when Phelps opened a drawer, blinding lights shot out and a voice rang,
Heir of Georgia, as foretold,
The time has already come.
"What was that?" exclaimed Phelps, shocked.
Long have two eyes, one light and one dark,
Equally powerful granted by one.
The eye will strike when time comes.
Beware, the heir of Georgia.
The blinding light disappeared within the blink of the eye and everything returned to silence, then a screech rang at the other side of the room.
"Who's there?" whispered Hermione, staring at Phelps.
"I was sure no one would come..."
They immediately headed to the other room and the moment they opened the leather padded door, they saw a familiar face, holding up a wand, levitating the crown.
"Draco!" exclaimed Hermione.
Malfoy was in his usual black suit, standing in front of them, looking both serious and astonished. As her eyes scanned all the way down to the hall, she was horrified. A pair of old couple in rags were down, more than petrified.
"What have you done!" yelled Hermione, kneeling down the two poor old couple. They were stiff and cold, eyes staring straight at the ceiling. The only word that almost burst out of her mouth-dead.
"What are you doing here?" asked Malfoy, slightly crossed.
"That should be a question of mine," replied Hermione.
Malfoy took out a note from his pocket and Hermione gasped with horror.
"You read my letter without permission!"
"And here I thought we are going to be honest to each other," said Malfoy. "Can you imagine how long it takes me to decode the message?"
"Look! I didn't want you to meddle into this search-"
"Oh really? I am not convinced."
"Just hand over the crown!"
"No!" shouted Malfoy. "You don't know if dark magic is employed! I am afraid we need to confiscate it."
"Please don't tell me you are coming for the crown."
"Don't mistaken me," said Malfoy calmly. "I'm here with Marcus and Cassandra."
"And where are they?"
"Marcus! Cassandra!"
No one answered, Malfoy looked distressed.
"Just hand over the crown!" yelled Hermione. "You unforgiving bastard!"
She lunged forward to the crown, Malfoy quickly dodged her attack and he apparated, along with the crown.
Can you guess which castle I am talking about? (Hint: Wikipedia won't help. The furniture would help a bit, though.)
I apologize for the usually late update. A lot of life-changing events happened this week and it was too much for one to handle. I am fortunate enough to be offered places at universities in England but I really hope I can stay in my city.
I have also come up with a few more plots on Harry Potter, but they needed to be refined.
Until...the next update!
