Chapter 26: Revelations

Friday morning Draco awoke uncomfortably. Quickly realizing that the reason for this was that Ginny had him pinned to the couch, although he reveled in the feel of her skin on his nature called and so he performed some quick acrobatics and was soon free of the couch. Even though he'd just turned her about completely she didn't so much as give an indication that she would awaken. He stood above her and couldn't help but smile at her light snores. He made his way through her very messy bedroom into the bathroom.

He stepped out of the shower a few minutes later and with a wave of his wand was dry. It was times like these he was glad he was a wizard. He found his clothing easily with a quick Accio and within a few minutes they looked as fresh as if they were brand new.

He retuned to the living room and saw that she was still sleeping soundly so he crossed the room to the kitchen and began to prepare breakfast. He was amused to no end when the bacon and eggs began sizzling wafting their aroma around the kitchen and he heard a thump. He quickly walked to the door and opened it a crack and saw Ginny on the floor next to the sofa still half asleep smelling the air.

About ten minutes later she walked in wearing a bathrobe her damp hair smelling of strawberries. He set down two plates bearing scrambled eggs, bacon and toast on the table and she smiled. She walked up to him and put her arms around him. "If I knew you'd cook I would have done this long ago." She kissed him.

"If I were you I wouldn't get my hopes up, this, hotdogs and burgers are the only thing I can make." He said as she sat down to eat. He sat down across from her and seeing her scarf down her food, no longer taking the dainty bites he was accustomed to, he wondered how much of their behavior was done only for the benefit of the other person.

Remembering yesterday's mission he asked, "Have you ever heard of Samantha Alden?"

Ginny swallowed the mouthful of food she had and said "Yeah, she used to be Mentis' secretary before me. He still pays her for something though." She took a sip of the orange juice he'd set out, "probably so that she won't tell his wife about their affair." Ginny looked at him strangely, "why are you asking about her?"

"Because she's my House-Elf Rights Manager," Draco said angrily. He wasn't surprised to find out about the fact that Samantha had an affair with her last boss however he was suspicious now about why she was still on Mentis' payroll. Especially since the release of The Electrifier Mentis was Draco's biggest competitor. She was indeed brilliant; seemingly so stupid he'd never given her a second thought except to think about firing her.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked noticing how quickly Draco's frown deepened.

"I'm not sure but I think she's the one that's gotten me into all of this trouble, well on Mentis' orders." He said.

"What? Why? Why would Mentis be trying to set you up?"

"Until very recently no reason but it's obvious he's had this in the works for at least two years." Draco stood, "it has to do with The Electrifier. You see Mentis was the largest provider of household appliances to Britain. The way it was done is simple objects would be spelled with the different charms that would make them do … whatever. Mentis is really selling the spells as his company is the only one that knows them. He'd make his money because the spells he placed on the items would eventually wear off and the costumer would have to bring it in to one of his stores to have the spells reset; for a fee of course. The Electrifier eliminates all of that With The Electrifier simple Muggle objects can be used, no special spells are needed so even a first year can operate it."

"Doesn't that make you lose money as well if they can be used indefinitely?" Ginny said.

"Nah, in a month or two we'll be coming out with the new and improved model that lets one tap last for three hours." He said, "Besides everything breaks, a kid will hit it with a bludger or a stray spell with destroy the wiring…" He stopped pacing as he glanced at the kitchen clock. "I have to get to work." He said and walked towards Ginny. Suddenly he remembered the Ministry report, and he pulled the miniaturized report from his pocket and returning it to its original size he passed it to Ginny, "do you think Granger will take a look at this for me?"

"Weasley, I mean Hermione"

"Fine, Hermione." Draco said, a slight whine in his voice.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "I don't see why she wouldn't. Meet me here at 2:30 pm and we'll go see her."

"What do you mean we?" Draco asked suspicious.

"You're the one that needs the favor so you ask her." She said standing.

Realizing he wasn't going to win this argument he gave in quickly, "Fine I will, see you then." He kissed her quickly and practically ran out of the apartment. In the hallway he made sure there was no one around and quickly apparated away.

Draco apparated to his office and summoned Carwin to him and they discussed the newly acquired information about Samantha Alden. He let the detective know that he was supposed to find out anything he could about Samantha without alerting her to the fact that she was being investigated. Of course, Draco soon regretted saying anything as Carwin felt very insulted at the warning and for the first time since Draco had met him stopped smiling, revealing a very terrifying gaze. Draco took special care to be extra polite during the rest of the meeting.

Of course around lunch time Dan showed up to tell him all about electro-magnetic waves and radio waves and how the spell was coming but in the end Draco understood about as much as he had when Theus had explained it to him, although he got the impression that they were closer than ever now, which coupled with last night's activities and this morning's discovery left him feeling so happy he was whistling to himself when two o'clock came around.

He'd been standing outside of Ginny's door for fifteen minutes when he got tired of waiting and began hurling unlocking spells at it. A few minutes later he heard steps on the stairs and quickly put his wand away leaning against the window sill until he saw red hair emerge from the stairs.

"What took you so long?" He asked and looking at his watch added, "I've been waiting for twenty-three minutes!"

"Practice ran a little longer than usual," she said pulling her key out of her purse, "the closer the opening day gets the more David obsesses about perfection." She approached the door and reached for the handle but stopped and pulled her wand out of her purse. She waved it at the door and watched as the door glowed red.

"Draco, what did you do to my door?" She asked turning to see him trying to smile innocently.

"I got bored so I tried to open it, you have like a thousand spells on that thing!"

"Hey, I don't have an Auror in the family for nothing," she said as she finally unlocked the door, "the only way to open this thing is the muggle way."

"Then how did your brother and Potter walk in on us that night?"

"We have the keys to each others houses, for emergency purposes." She said walking down the hallway quickly she turned into the living room and dropping her purse on the sofa as she passed it she plunged herself into her room quickly and grabbed a package from her closet. She ran back into the living room and saw Draco looking at the pictures on her mantle with an expression she couldn't decipher. She grabbed her purse and crossed the room to the fireplace where she grabbed the pot of Floo powder from the edge of the mantle and silently passed it to Draco. "Hermione's house is called 'The Athenaeum'." She said and she stepped into the green flames.

Draco stepped out of the fireplace into a small room with several wooden chairs arranged on the walls on either side. Directly across from the fireplace was a door with a knocker on it which Ginny was now violently banging in a pattern that seemed to correspond to "London Bridge is Falling Down."

"She named her house the library?" Draco asked her above the din but never received an answer as the door was wrenched open and a voice yelled, "I wish you wouldn't do that! I don't know why you don't just use your key!" A large cloud of curly hair walked away from the door. "I've told you you're not allowed to Floo in."

"I know but Draco's with me," Ginny said as if this was obvious, "how else would he know where to go."

Draco who'd stepped out of the room unto an Entryway saw Hermione stop abruptly. Ginny glided to a stop and Draco hovered near the door ready to hop back in the Floo at any moment.

Hermione turned, her eyes falling on him and he saw them widen slightly before they narrowed into small slits. She headed towards Draco but instead of slapping him as he expected, for the look she gave him was much the same she'd given him in 3rd year, she walked into the large lounge across from the Floo Room. The room had a large comfortable beige couch facing a large fireplace, with a mantle covered in many of the same photographs that were in Ginny's apartment. Draco was once against struck by this occurrence, it annoyed him that their family was so close, it was starting to seem as if his plan to conceal Ginny away so that neither of them had anything to do with her family was not going to work.

The lounge was decorated in different shades of blue and beige. Draco stood at the doorway and ignored Ginny and Hermione's whispered argument as he studied the lounge; it was decorated in a quiet elegance that surprised him. It made him realize, much more than anything he'd heard or seen in the last few years how much had changed. Somehow knowing Weasley was a Healer and Granger a Ministry Director had done nothing to change his perception of them, however being in their home and not seeing the hovel he had always pictured in the back of his mind and in fact seeing a very beautiful and sophisticated house even if not in the league of his Manor made him rethink his opinions of the pair. That is until he noticed a very familiar looking object on top of a bookcase near the door. Draco walked towards it, sure enough it was an orrery from the Founder's time that was said to be owned by Ravenclaw herself. Draco remembered his mother trying to buy it a few months ago only to have been out bid; seeing it in Weasley's home grated on his nerves. It just wasn't right that Weasley should own things that Draco couldn't afford.

"Alright!" Hermione exclaimed losing whatever argument she'd been having with Ginny. She turned to him and wearing an obviously fake smile held out her hand. Draco walked the four feet to her and shook her hand warily. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She said not hiding her disdain for him.

"Likewise." He gritted his teeth and turned a glare on Ginny, he would have preferred if Granger had been mean then he needn't have worried about his own behavior.

"Please have a seat." Granger said moving quickly into the most comfortable chair in the room. "Tea?"

Draco sat beside Ginny on the couch as she answered, "I'll go get it." He barely had to protest at her departure as she flew out of the room and down the hallway.

"What have you told her?" Granger asked angrily and Draco brightened considerably.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked leaning back suddenly finding himself in comfortable territory once again.

"What lies have you fed her, about your innocence, your father's? You have her convinced that the report you have is genuine she hasn't even looked at it!" She hissed at him.

"I don't know what you are speaking of but I can guarantee you that it is genuine," Draco pulled out the report and enlarged it laying it on the coffee table before him and sliding it closer to Granger. "I didn't try to convince her of anything. She was quite willing; hell, she even ripped off my clothes within seconds. Your happy little family didn't even cross her mind once, and you know that before our fight she was too bloody happy with me to even think of any of you. Forgot about that casserole rather quickly didn't she?" Hermione's face flushed pink and she picked up the report angrily. She thumbed through it not really looking at it just avoiding those mocking grey eyes. "The report is genuine." Draco said without emotion. "If anything is false about it, it's whatever your little minion wrote in it. No doubt hoping to get a nice Christmas bonus for taking down the big, bad Malfoys."

Hermione stood up quickly her face now very red, Draco was surprised that someone that fat could move that quickly and she spat, "Are you implying that one of my employees deliberately filed an incorrect complaint."

"What, is it so hard to believe? It's alright for a Malfoy to be accused of anything even if they didn't do it, but I can't say anything about a blatantly malicious act," Draco said also standing out of the corner of his eyes he saw Ginny coming down the hallway walking as quickly as she could while carrying a tray.

"I will not have you insult me and my employees, Malfoy!" She yelled shaking slightly, "I don't want the filth of a Death Eater tainting my home, get out of my house now!"

"As if I want to be in the home of a fucking mudblood!" He yelled and stomped towards the front door.

"Draco!" Ginny yelled outraged that he would say such a thing, she placed the tray on a nearby table and hastily moved to confront him when a yell stopped both of them in their tracks. She looked into the lounge to see Hermione holding on to the arm of the couch with one arm and her belly with the other.

She was breathing very hard and Ginny rushed towards her Draco's footsteps hesitant behind hers. "Hermione what's wrong?"

"My water broke," she huffed.

"What!" Ginny gasped, "but, there's another month to go!"

"Ron said it could happen, if I didn't get enough rest," she said looking up at Ginny, "or I was too stressed," she added glaring at Draco who hovered at the doorway.

"We need to get you to St. Mungo's," Ginny said taking hold of Hermione's arm and helping her towards the door, "Ron's there. He'll know what to do."

A/N: Fri. May 20, 2004. I took long enough, huh? On the other hand, the story is close to its end.