Review offering insight to the story:
"This was a really happy and positive chapter-slash-interlude. I like how Rowena is starting to show more of her curiosity to the ouside world, especially the "frogkey" I thought that, that was really cute. i'm glad she has a wonderful and caring father that would be more than willing to do anything for her. its really cute when Winnie's curiosity gets the better of her. I really enjoy reading these Interludes since they are really fun to read and happy. It really brighten's my day to read your stories and watch as this amazing story unfolds and catches you when you least expect something to happen. This is definately a story that goes on my favorites list. Amanda, you better update or else i'll die. just kidding. but really, do update. I look forward to your next chapter." - MiKaYGiRl of FanFiction net.
Thank you to the following reviewers: niic smiles, cemicool, Galleon-to-Galleon, thirdalixious, Steelo, Danielle, superdelly, AnaDry, Miss-Be-Haven, BlackAndWhiteFlowersFall, pennyxo6, Kirah, BlackDemonAngel, Jester08, dragoneyes5000, Lemur76, mrs.draco.malfoy.2010, Natural-181 candyrose1428, ebbe04, jamy21, kamaStarchild, MsRisa, Azareth Sakura, WitchAllonby, ProperT, CraZIEdUCKIE, Zarroc (Jenn) and especially MiKaYGiRl, YourOnlyOneToLove, SeanEmma4Evr (Noelle), CystalizedHeart (Mel) and galloping-goose (Zeus).
Secret Life
Chapter Ten
Harry sat out on the porch for a long while, understanding to a point that people were worried about Draco and that he didn't really know him or the bonds Malfoy shared with the people upset. He understood that they weren't interested in talking to him at the moment, not when their friend was being taken care of for having a break down. Part of Harry's mind added this bit of information to that of the list of things connecting or disconnecting Draco to Hermione's disappearance. It was obvious that he was distraught which could mean he really had nothing to do with it all, but at the same time, his Auror side questioned his reaction, wondering if maybe it was guilt that had him so broken up.
While Draco slept and everybody sat in the living room, discussing what could be done, Harry wondered when he could pull Ginny off to the side and talk to her. He slipped inside the house, feeling uncomfortable and out of place around the sadness and the concerned expressions everywhere. In the living room, Ginny sat with Patti, Mrs. Weasley, and Mrs. Granger. He approached the doorway, overhearing their voices and considering how to ask Ginny if he could have a word with her.
"What about Rowena?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "She's not going to like it if we tell her she has to stay with your for awhile, Ginny dear. She's very close to her father and you saw what she did earlier," she reminded, her voice upset as she let out a sigh.
"We all witnessed what Draco did, too," Patti told them, sounding rather proud. "He may be in a really bad place right now, but we must admit that he wouldn't take that out on his daughter. He's worried for Hermione, he's not functioning exactly like he usually does, but when he heard Rowena crying out for him, he came and got her. Now," she said, letting out a determined sigh, "I think it would be best if we discuss it with Draco, rather than just telling him that Rowena will be going to stay with Ginny. He may not agree to it. He doesn't have Hermione here and taking the only other person from his house could be his last straw. He's in a delicate position right now and I'm not sure it would be right for us to upset him anymore."
"Patti, we know he's not dealing with it well, that's why we're so worried," Ginny reminded, her voice tense and uncomfortable. "Look, Draco is a wonderful father. He and Winnie have a close relationship, one I hope to have with my own children in the future. But he's distraught and angry right now. Blaise told me he found something out today about Hermione's disappearance and he didn't... He obviously didn't take it well. Now, I don't know exactly what it was, he's a little unsure about discussing it with Harry and Ron here, but..." Harry could see her shaking her head, her red hair slipping over her shoulders. "Whatever it was, it's got him rattled. We all know that he, Neville, and Blaise are working behind the scenes to find Hermione, and they have incredible clout in the Wizarding world, but with Draco's temper..." She sighed, her hands lifting to cover her face for a moment. "Look, we're agreed that Draco loves his daughter. That is not the question here. What we have to figure out is whether or not he has the time, energy, and attention to take care of Winnie while he simultaneously tracks down Hermione's kidnappers and likely gets himself into a world of trouble!"
Harry had heard enough to piece a lot together. Draco had information involving Hermione's possible whereabouts, or at least who could've taken her. Whether he needed sleep or not was not Harry's concern. Finding Hermione was. He turned, thinking to go upstairs and shake the information right out of the sleeping man, but found himself staring into the face of two very angry Aurors. He wasn't necessarily afraid, given that the two in front of him had been good friends for years now, but he did recognize the look in their eyes.
"How ya doin', Harry?" Neville asked, however there was an edge there that reminded Harry that this wasn't the fumbling boy from Hogwarts, but the strong, unrelenting, powerful Auror he had trained with.
"Fine. Good, really," Harry replied, lifting his shoulders a little to remind them that he wasn't somebody easily intimidated. "Just heard some interesting news, actually," he said, his tone dark and virtually goading them to deny what he'd heard.
"Is that right?" Blaise asked, turning his head to one side and thinning his eyes some. "Y'know what I think you heard? I think you overheard my girlfriend talking about how she was really glad that her best friend was getting some rest. I think you heard her say that Draco had been very upset over the disappearance of his wife and that having a good few hours to wind down from his overwhelming fear, is for the best. And you know what else I think, Potter? I think you're going to leave Draco to it, because he's not in the right state to answer any questions you might have," Blaise told him, fiercely. While his voice never raised, his expression and the darkness in his eyes was telling of how well he was guarding his temper.
Reaching out, Blaise put a heavy arm on Harry's shoulder. "Something we both agree on is that Hermione needs to be found. Now, I'll agree that you're a pretty good Auror, Potter, but you haven't been her best friend these last eight years. She'll get found, as soon as Draco is able to help out." He smiled, a seemingly warm and friendly grin. "Good talkin' to ya, Potter. You should stop in the kitchen, there's a leftover casserole in the fridge waiting to be eaten. I bet you and your partner Weasley are gettin' hungry, and who knows how long it might be, huh?" He turned, leaving Harry with one last warning look before he made his way upstairs.
Harry was left with a guarded looking Neville, who stared at him with suspicious eyes. "We know you want to find her, Harry. We all do. But something you've missed out on these last eight years is that Hermione and Draco go hand in hand. You don't have one without the other. You and Ron, you're great Aurors and nice guys, but maybe you should just leave this investigation up to us. We'll find her," he assured, nodding shortly. Turning, he looked into the living room. "Now I'm going to go see my Patti, and when I look out the front window, I expect you and Ron to be sharing a casserole out on the deck." He walked away, not waiting for a reply.
Harry made his way outside, his expression was angry and hardly concealing it. He stood completely stiff, looking out over the expanse of property that Hermione and her husband owned. He remembered the last time he had seen her, how easy going she was and at ease with everything. They shared a lunch, where she talked little about the goings on of her life and asked him tons of questions about how he was doing and what his life was like. He had never wondered about it, instead letting himself discuss his missions and job in great detail. He never thought to ask any telling questions about her, never wondered about her personal life or anything.
He was her friend though. Perhaps these last seven or eight years he hadn't been the closest with her. Maybe he should have questioned things, but if anything, she should have been more open with him. He had trusted her, had been comfortable in the belief that Hermione was Hermione and she would never keep things from him. And okay, he hadn't been close enough for her to believe he'd be accepting of Malfoy, but he wanted to make up for that. He knew now, that couldn't be changed. Things could progress now though, he was more than willing to give their friendship another try, if she was.
He wasn't going to be left out of the loop. Hermione had been in his life since he was eleven years old. Her disappearance affected him, even if her new friends didn't believe he had right to worry. They may have had the last seven years, but he had the seven before that. He was her friend when she had buck teeth and strange, bushy hair. He was her friend when she was obsessed with studying to the point where she was nearly rigid in her studies. He was there when she was hurt or upset. He stood beside her during the ups and downs of the worst and most turmoil ridden part of her life.
Her new friends were there for birthdays and anniversaries. During the high times when she was given awards for the good things she'd done for the world. They were there to see her accomplish great feats in her work and become a Wizarding world renowned Healer. They had seen her grow and experience love. They had been there when she was pregnant, when she was raising her daughter and enjoying being a mother and wife. But they never held her as she sobbed her eyes out over the death of friends and acquaintances, over fellow students and nameless soldiers in the Final Battle. They weren't there to soothe away her fears of going to sleep and seeing all that death and destruction again. They hadn't been part of the infamous Golden Trio where adventure and intrigue were a part of every day life, where danger and mystery took the front seat to everything. They hadn't been her best friend when she experienced the hardest seven years of her life, but they had been there for the good that came out of it all.
Hermione Granger, or Malfoy, or whatever her last name was, would always be one of the best friends he had ever had in his life. He had made mistakes, he had let them grow apart, but he was willing to work on that every single day if she came back alive and agreeable. He would not wait to see what Neville and Blaise came up with, he wouldn't sit around until Draco woke up from his beauty sleep. He wanted answers, he wanted his friend, and he wanted to be apart of her life again. There was no stopping him, there was no getting in his way. He was Harry sodding Potter and he was bloody pissed that anybody thought he would just let Hermione's disappearance roll off his back.
Ron stood up, staring at him for only a moment before he realized what was about to happen. He stiffened his stance, lifting his chin and darkening his expression. Harry turned, walking back into the house but only making it to the foot of the stairs. Blaise happened to be coming down and realizing what Harry was doing, he stopped, his arms crossed, a barrier between Harry and the answers Draco had. Neville approached from the side, shaking his head and wearing an annoyed expression.
"Let's get something straight," Harry said, staring hard at Blaise. "You don't think I know Hermione. You don't think I care enough about her future or her present to find her. You all think I'm too hellbent on figuring what the bloody hell happened when I wasn't looking," he shouted, feeling anger rise up in him and simmer at the very edge of his being. "So your answer to my involvement is to send me out onto the porch in hopes that I'll just pretend," he yelled, turning to glare at Neville, hardly registering that the women in the living room had all crowded behind him, and Mr. Granger had come from the kitchen to see what the commotion was about, "that Draco isn't laying down upstairs, possibly holding the key to Hermione's whereabouts!"
His arms lifted, crossing over his chest tightly. "I'll admit," his voice shook with his rage, "that I haven't been the greatest friend to Hermione. I don't know her favorite book, or her wedding anniversary, or Rowena's birthday, or really any of the things you guys know about her," he admitted, nodding. "But I know that Hermione wrinkles her nose when she disagrees with something. I know that when she thinks somebody has said something ridiculous, her favorite reply is, "Oh honestly!" I know that when she believes in something, she puts all of herself into it. And I know that she still considers me one of her closest friends. She trusts me, believes in me to find her when things like this happen. And to be completely honest, I don't give a flying fuck, what the bloody hell you think of my friendship with her."
He turned his attention back to Blaise, his expression dark and challenging. "Whether or not you're her best friend, she is still and always will be my best friend. Whether you want to tell me what you know or not, I'm going to find out where she is and I'm going to make sure that she gets back alive and well. Whether or not you trust my ability as an Auror, I'm still capable of a lot more than you want to admit. So either get the hell out of my way, or I will personally move you," he warned.
Neville stepped forward but Ron blocked him from getting to Harry.
Ginny, Patti, Mrs. Weasely and Mrs. Granger all began speaking at once. They each had an opinion, but nobody could figure out who said what or even what they were really saying. Wands were drawn and expressions became that of adversaries. Harry backed up so that it would be easier to exchange hexes and such in his duo against Blaise. He stood back to back with Ron, completely ready to fight for the right to find out anything Draco knew about Hermione.
Just as the first hex was about to be thrown, a presence called for their attention. "Put your wands down," Draco commanded, his voice so loud and demanding that all four Aurors actually complied. "Nobody, and I mean nobody," he roared, "fights in my house, especially when my daughter is inside of it. Do I make myself understood?" he bellowed, coming to stand in the middle of the stairs, looking down on them all with a fierce expression.
They all nodded, pocketing their wands and looking up at him with worry and questions. Harry had to admit, the second he saw Draco he was taken aback. He was a far cry from the upset man he had previously been, he now looked like a walking corpse. When they said he needed sleep, they weren't kidding. Rowena was in his arms, her head on his chest but her eyes staring out at the people below. She was frowning at them all and Harry had the distinct image of Hermione huffing indignantly over their act of masculinity. Draco held his daughter with one arm, easily keeping her small body up against his chest. He was still glaring down at them, his dark eyes taking in every face. His hair hung down, brushing against his pale and drawn face. A scowl was imprinted on his mouth and he looked more than a little unhappy to see everybody.
"Anybody care to tell me why the he--" Cleared his throat, glancing down at his daughter and clearly realizing swearing was not an option, "Why in the name of Merlin, are you all fighting?" he asked, tipping his head to one side.
All at once, the four Aurors began trying to explain themselves. Their voices rose, annoyed and biting as they grumbled about the lack of cooperation, the inability of each other, and the interference of one another. Draco stared at them, his brow cocked as he watched, nonplussed by their behavior. Harry, beginning to feel foolish for shouting like a whiny kid, shut his mouth and waited for it to all quiet down.
Finally, when Draco had enough of the bickering, he shouted, "ENOUGH!"
Everybody seemed to jump together, startled by the raw anger showing through his voice. He walked down the rest of the stairs, moving to stand in front of them. He seemed to loom over them, his tall body appearing strong and rather scary in its rigid posture. "I haven't had much sleep, so forgive me for being at all blunt with you," he said, his voice lacking an apology. "Pray tell, are not the four of you supposed to be finding my wife?" he asked, his voice raising with his annoyance.
They each opened their mouths but the look he shot them made their jaws snap shut and they simply nodded their heads.
"Right," he said, bobbing his head shortly. "Have you not worked on missions together in the past?" he asked, his voice tight.
They nodded together, glancing at each other with mild glares before returning their attention to him. Harry had the feeling that they were all reacting this way because he very much appeared to share similarities to their superior Aurors when they were being trained. They had all learned quickly not to talk back and to answer all questions turned to them. Because he was coming off so commanding, they had reverted to replying as if he were their superior Auror.
"Now, I'm not sure it's obvious," he said, his tone showing his sarcasm, "But I'm not in the nicest of moods since it's been five days since Hermione went missing. Perhaps, if you were all to put your brains together, you might actually be able to figure out where she is," he suggested, shifting Rowena up higher in his arms.
Harry's gaze fell down to the small girl who held tightly to her father, one of her hands was around his neck, playing with the ends of his hair absently. It was a sweet, innocent action that made him wish he had children of his own. He wondered what she was like with her mother, and immediately remembered that he was supposed to be asking Draco questions and being beyond angry with him, rather than the other way around. He opened his mouth to say something, but the sheer rage he saw in Draco's eyes shut him up and nearly made him take a step back, however pride stilled his feet.
"Because I hate conflict, love my wife, and have an on-going problem with sleep," Draco said, his eyes thinning, "you four and me are going to have a nice chat about what I learned today," he told them easily. "Then we're going to the Ministry to question every official in the place, and if they don't comply, I'm going to resort to a lot of painful measures. And believe me when I say that if any of you think of getting in my way or happen to think I'm in the mood for your idiotic displays of male dominance, I will not hesitate in practicing very horrendous hexes on your faces," he warned darkly.
"You wanna attack Ministry officials?" Ron asked, his brow lifting incredulously. "You're bloody nutters!"
"And you're just eloquent, aren't you Weasley?" Draco shot back. "Dimmest bulb of the group and he's the only one who has to say something?" he asked, turning to the other three. "Anybody else want to tell me I'm insane?" he wondered, his eyes sparking with mild interest.
Neville and Blaise shook their heads, a faint grin on their faces. "I have no problem turning the Ministry upside down," Blaise told him.
"What does the Ministry have to do with anything?" Harry finally asked, looking shocked at the two Aurors who agreed with Draco's plan.
Neville stepped forward, turning to Harry to explain, "Draco has an informant in the Ministry--"
"Who?" he interrupted, curiously.
"None of your business," Draco told him, scowling.
Sighing, Neville frowned, but then picked up from where he left off, "Anyway, this guy tells us that Hermione was kickin' up a ruckus at the Ministry with her new law. A lotta purebloods aren't going to like it and they don't think she should continue on with it. Minister Bones likes it though and it's been said that she might just ignore the Wizengamot and go ahead with the law. Obviously there was an outcry about it, behind closed doors anyway."
"So you think somebody at the Ministry did something to shut her up?" Harry asked, turning to look at Draco questioningly.
"Four hooded figures took Hermione right outside of the Ministry," Blaise told him, stepping forward. "Guard saw it, but because she didn't say anything or ask for help, and just went with them, he assumed she knew them and everything was fine," he spat, annoyance clear in his voice.
Harry kept his gaze on Draco, looking for some kind of reaction. As soon as Blaise spoke about the people who took his wife, Draco's eyes sparked with rage and his jaw tightened. His entire expression became one to be shocked and scared by. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and thick, "Any more questions?" he asked, his eyes thinning.
Harry shook his head, feeling a dark anger well up in him. The Ministry hadn't taken precautions to keep her safe, instead leaving her to her own devices. With Death Eaters still out on the loose, anybody hooded was basically a suspect. How could they just allow her to walk away with them? A well known Healer who was dealing in high risk politics that put powerful purebloods in tough positions should have more people watching out for her.
"Daddy," came the tiny almost imperceptible voice of Rowena.
Draco's face took a dramatic change, turning from one of deep anger to that of soft understanding as he turned his face down to his daughter. "Yeah, doll?" he asked, lifting one hand to run over her hair.
"They didn't hurt mummy did they?" she asked, softly.
Draco swallowed, his eyes immediately fell shut until he found that strength to answer. "No, Winnie, nobody hurt your mum," he assured, tipping his head until his forehead was against hers. "I want you to go with your grandpa Bill and have dinner with him, all right?"
She bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears as she reached out and wrapped her other arm around his neck. "No," she whimpered, shaking her head slightly. "I wanna come with you."
"You can't," he told her, his hand rubbing her back soothingly. "You have to go with your grandpa and make sure he eats all of his vegetables." His jaw clenched for a moment, before he lifted his chin and kissed her forehead. "You're going to stay with your grandparents for awhile, okay?"
"No," she cried, loud and scared. She began squirming in his grasp, trying to get higher to hold tighter, but he held her where she was. He kept his eyes over her head, refusing to look her in the face. His eyes fell shut and his face twisted in a mangled expression of sorrow.
"Listen to me," he told her, his voice soft but demanding.
She stopped her struggles, tears flowing down her puffy cheeks and her hands clutching at him. She looked up, trying to catch his eye, but he held her head still so she wouldn't be able to see him. "Daddy," she whimpered, sniffling.
Draco bit his lip, a tear slipping out of his eyes. "D'you remember when I told you I would bring mum home?" he asked. She nodded, the top of her head lightly bumping his chin. "Have I ever broken a promise, Winnie?" She shook her head, inhaling shakily and burying her eyes against his chest. "Right, and has uncle Blaise or uncle Neville ever let you down?" She turned her head, staring at both men who were now gently smiling at her, a drastic change from how they previously looked. She shook her head, letting a hand fall to wipe at her face. "And have mum's friends Harry and Ron ever not come out the winners in any of those stories your mum told you?" Rowena looked up at Harry and then Ron, she smiled very faintly, though it was ruined by the tears that still slipped down her cheeks. She shook her head once more, before turning her eyes back to his now damp shirt. "Will you be good for your grandparents?"
She nodded. "Will you come back for me?" she asked, her hands balling up his shirt, not wanting to let him go.
Harry watched as Draco's face tensed, stricken with the question. "Of course. You're my favorite daughter."
She giggled, the noise muffled by his shirt. "I'm your only daughter, daddy," she told him, lifting her head back to look up at him.
Opening his eyes, he nodded, trying but failing to smile at her. "Yes, you are," he agreed.
"You'll come back soon?" she asked, her lip quivering.
"Very," he replied, nodding.
"But you're sick," she reminded, her hands coming down to her small hips. She shook her head, a sigh escaping her lips. "Mummy wouldn't want you to go out when you're sick."
"Your Aunty Patti has a potion that will make me all better," he lied, glancing at the Healer. "When I get back I'll be fine, you'll see."
She let out a soft, unsure sigh, and Harry got the feeling that she believed it was really up to her whether or not she had to go with her grandparents and if Draco was allowed to go out. It was sort of sweet, really, how much she appeared to be like a hovering mother over him. He assumed she got it from Hermione. "You'll be safe?" she wondered, lifting her hands to press against his cheeks and direct his face down to hers so she could stare at him seriously.
"Always," he told her, staring directly into her eyes.
Harry could see the adoration in Draco's smoky gaze, how much he wanted his daughter to understand. It was a side of him that Harry had only ever seen when Malfoy spoke of his wife or had his daughter with him. It was an interesting transformation and further drove in just how different this Draco was from the Malfoy he had grown up knowing. How he could go from screaming at them with all the rage in the world to softly telling his daughter that he would bring her mum back had to be hard, but he eased into it like a pro. Harry was rather awed by his ability to handle his emotions to such a high point. Most others would've snapped at their children, but he was able to rope in his anger and speak to her delicately.
Her eyes fell before she nodded, letting out a soft sigh. "Give your dad a hug goodbye and then go eat dinner with grandpa Bill," he told her, his voice hoarse.
She leaned up, wrapping her arms tight around his neck and nuzzling his shoulder as she embraced him lovingly. She leaned back to kiss his cheek just before he put her on the ground. Her eyes filled and her chin quivered but she didn't make him change his mind, instead turning to run over and hug Neville goodbye and then went around to Blaise and held her arms out for him to pick her up. The Auror beside Harry grinned, picking her up and affectionately calling her, "Brat!" Rowena giggled, hugging him warmly and telling him to keep an eye on her dad.
When she was let back down, she looked up at Ron and Harry, appearing unsure as to what to say. "Mummy trusts you to keep her safe, and I'm gonna trust you to keep daddy safe," she told them. "Be careful Harry and Ronald," she said, holding a hand out to shake theirs.
Ron snorted at her words about her father and took her hand in a goodbye gesture. Harry did the same, before kneeling down in front of her. "I'll do my very best," he whispered, so only she could hear.
She smiled lightly, nodding at him. "I know," she said, before turning back to her dad, reaching up and touching his hand and then skipping over to her grandpa who scooped her up and took her into the kitchen.
Malfoy turned back to them, effectively drawing their attention away from the sad goodbye of his daughter. "Since we all now know something vital to finding my wife, how 'bout we make a nice stop at the Ministry?" he asked, his tone hedging on destructive.
Both Harry and Ron agreed this time and with angry dispositions, all four Aurors seemed to turn to the door simultaneously. It was then that the women spoke up, loud and not entirely agreeable on their outing. "Now wait just a minute, boys," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, apparently forgetting that the "boys" were all in their mid-twenties.
Sighing, they turned to her, awaiting her motherly disapproval.
"Remember that the Ministry is well guarded," she told them calmly, stepping forward with a small frown and a crease between her eyes. "Also, don't forget that your marriage is very hidden Draco, so this will cause questions amongst those who don't realize you and Hermione are together. So don't do anything too rash. And lastly, understand that what you're doing puts your careers in grave danger. Remember though, you're War heroes and well known members of society. You have influence!" she finished, nodding shortly.
"You're not mad?" Harry asked, surprised and a little suspicious.
"I'm mad at the Ministry for being foolish enough to allow Hermione to just be kidnapped!" she exclaimed. "And by hooded men, of all people!" she cried out, shaking her head while her face slowly reddened with her anger. "No, I'm not upset with you at all. I know you're doing you're best, and that's all I can ask of you. Just keep your sight on each others backs, you may not all be the best of mates, but you're allies in this. Remember that!"
They stared at her, dumbfounded for a moment, before shaking it off and making their way to the door once again.
"Now hold on just a second you five," Ginny called out, shaking her head and making her way into the front area. "Now I want Hermione back just as much as all of you, but you can't honestly think going into the Ministry with your wands at the ready will accomplish that?" she said, her eyes wide and her mouth open in an incredulous and irritated expression.
Patti Longbottom voiced her worry too, "You're all being hot headed. I know you're worried, but you can't just go in there thinking you're invincible. They'll use that to their advantage. You're all very capable, but not when you're not thinking clearly," she told them, her voice raising with her concern.
Ginny nodded, turning back to her before returning her attention to the four men. "Who knows how many guards could attack you. Not to mention if this is in fact an inside job, what they could have done to you," she reminded, shaking her head. "Harry and Ron, your Head Auror positions could be taken! Neville, they could tamper with both your and Patti's careers! And Draco," she said, turning to him with a deep frown, "Have you ever thought about what might happen to Hermione if..." She swallowed, her eyes falling shut for a moment, "If they find out that you're asking questions, or that you might know something!"
Harry stared at her, admitting that she was right. There was no telling how many people were in on the kidnapping, or really how high it went. He wasn't all that worried about his career, but what she said concerning Hermione was a big deal. If certain people found out, then she could be harmed because of it, if not more. He wasn't sure about what they were doing any longer and that bothered him. In his work, there was no time for indecision.
"We're going," Draco told her and them. "Like Mrs. Weasley said," he reminded, "We're upstanding citizens with a lot of people backing us. I have enough connections to make sure word won't get out. I'm not going to sit around in hopes that they'll just return her, unharmed. That's not how things like this work." He shook his head, his expression hard and unrelenting.
"I agree," Mrs. Granger said, stepping forward. "I think we have more than enough knowledge to know that all five of these men have influenced this world in a way that can surely keep them and Hermione safe." She sighed, looking tired and hopeful. "I trust you. And I know that whatever you do, you're doing in Hermione's best interest." She lifted her eyes, staring directly at Malfoy. "Bring her home," she told him.
Harry felt as though she were talking to all of them and he nodded his head in kind. As they stepped out of the house, the full weight of what they were about to do came down on him hard. This was the government they were about to ransack with questions. A place that basically ran his Headquarters, his higher bosses. While he had never had any kindness for the Ministry in the past, ever since Minister Bones took over, things had been getting much better. They surely wouldn't appreciate four Aurors and a business man coming in to question their every move and motive.
The gravel beneath his feet seemed loud and jarring as he took up the back with Ron. In front of them stood Blaise and Neville, both with hard expressions and their arms crossed behind their backs. Taking up the front was Draco, looking a formidable force as he nearly stomped down the road, his wide shoulders rigid and his head held high as if daring somebody to try and push him down. For once, Harry actually felt pride in standing behind Malfoy on something. It was rather unnerving and a little confusing, but he felt as though even if he weren't there, Draco would have done anything to find Hermione. Which is when it hit him. The absurdity and disbelief of his new understanding was like walking into a brick wall. But it was true and he knew it. Perhaps he had known it all along. Ever since finding out about Hermione's life with Malfoy, he had been bent on the idea that she made a huge mistake. That her disappearance was likely the work of her own husband. That no matter what the case, Draco was not worthy of Hermione, that she wasn't safe with him. But walking down the road, on his way to disrupt the relative peace of the Ministry on the word of a man he'd always regarded as mean spirited, he learned something unbelievable: He trusted Draco Malfoy with his best friends life.
A/N Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this. I'll update again soon:D
Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, it's greatly appreciated.
Much Love,
-Amanda