Secrets Behind Her Smile Chapter 9: After Hogwarts, a harry potter fanfic

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews and just enjoy the chapter. Hope all of you had a great Chritmas and that you have a great New Year. Nothing else so say, really so just enjoy the chapter and go check out my new co-written fic.

Chapter Nine

After Hogwarts

The next months went by quicker than any other year. Hermione suddenly found herself looking back at her years at Hogwarts. Remembering everything that had happened back then and how much she had changed over the past years and even months.

"Hermione" Ginny Weasley entered Hermione's dorm "Harry and Ron want to go down to breakfast, are you coming?"

Hermione shook her head "go on without me, I have to talk to McGonagall. He sent me a note a few minutes ago"

This wasn't a lie. She had gotten a note from the headmaster. Hermione knew what it was about. A month earlier some Aurors had come to Hogwarts to see Harry, Neville, and Ron duelling to decide if they would allow the three to actually go with the training. Of course they had become somewhat interested in her.

Hermione had told McGonagall, after she got a letter accepting her for the training that she didn't want it and today they would be speaking about what she would be doing. Hermione knew she was going to be an Auror; there was no doubt about it. The ministry wanted her and they would get her. There was no other way of putting it.

"Oh, alright, I'll tell them" Ginny said looking at her friend a little questioning and curious.

Hermione finished packing her things and then looked around the room that she would never see again. This era of her life was over and now she would become a more active member of the dark order as well as one for the order of the phoenix. The planning of a wedding would have to come soon enough as well.

Leaving everything neatly packed for the morrow when they would be leaving Hogwarts she walked out of her dorm and then out of the common room and towards the headmistress' office.

"Isn't there another option?" asked Narcissa Malfoy looking at her husband while he ate breakfast and tried to read the Daily Prophet.

"No, Narcissa, I will not say it again. Hermione Sombroy will marry Draco. I know you don't like her but she is what this family needs" Lucius didn't look away from the paper.

"He has a girlfriend. What about Dawn? I like her and I know Draco's in love with her" Narcissa said then as she stood having finished her breakfast "anyhow, I don't think he was too happy with the arrangement. I am going to Diagon Alley"

Lucius said nothing in response. He hated her; there was just no other way of thinking about it. He, Lucius Malfoy, hated his wife. She had been driving him up a wall lately trying to get him to somehow cancel the engagement.

"Lucius" Severus Snape entered the room with Katariina "I have come to deliver that book you wanted"

"Perfect, thank you" Lucius said "hello, Katariina, I haven't seen you since Christmas. What are you doing with this old codger?"

Katariina laughed "nothing really" Katariina said but Lucius noticed how close they were and the moody ex-professor that had often been seen with a frown on his face was nearly smiling.

Lucius raised an eyebrow "I shall see you tomorrow, Severus"

Severus nodded. Katariina and he walked out of Malfoy Manor leaving a very thoughtful Lucius Malfoy. He hadn't known that Severus was in some sort of relationship.

"So I have to become an Auror" Hermione said "I mean I wanted to just work for the order mostly and then maybe after the war start being an activist for house elf rights" she sighed

Professor McGonagall stared at Hermione somewhat sorry, "Miss Granger, you'll have to do this. In fact I believe you'll be great at it. Protecting the wizarding world would have been your goal anyway and already being in the ministry in one of the higher ranking spots might get you to right laws passed."

Hermione nodded "I guess it could be alright" she stood "I'll miss Hogwarts of course but life has to go on, doesn't it? The world is a terrible thing at the moment but with Harry we'll surely get over it. I have quite a few things to do, so if you'd excuse me"

"Of course, dear" Professor McGonagall walked her to the door of her office and then gave her a small smile.

So, she was going to be an Auror. In a way becoming an auror would be a good thing more of less. She could spy on the ministry and Professor McGonagall was right, she would be in a high place. Aurors were very trusted by the ministry, they were supposed to protect the wizarding world and they were even more trusted seeing as the minister of magic had been the head Auror. Hermione knew she could go somewhere from being involved in the ministry.

"Hermione" Mie called out her name as she once more stepped into the hallway "Draco told me to give you this, from his father" she handed Hermione a folded piece of parchment.

"Thanks, Mie" Hermione said to her friend "want to go take a walk by the lake, I have to tell you something. But first I should read this" she unfolded the note.

Hermione,
There is a meeting tomorrow evening, it shall be important. I wanted to ask you a question as well. How many wands can a wizard go through? I thought it was only two and then even rarely.
LM

Hermione frowned. Why did he want to know anything about wands, she knew only a small amount of information about wizards and witches that sometimes had a second wand. It was their growth of power or lack of power that made them change their wands. But Hermione also knew that your power stopped growing when you came of age.

Not bothering to put much thought to his question, she would look it up later and write him a note back, Hermione turned to Mie. "I'm going to be an Auror" she said "the training will take only five months. Apparently because of the threat they want us to train quickly. Usually it takes a year or more for everything to be done but they are doing this rather quickly. Of course the figure that Harry and I could finish faster than the rest. Ron and Neville will be taking the entire year as will others.

"What the ministry wants is Harry. I mean the only reason they want me is because I'm his friend and because I can duel pretty well."

Mie looked at Hermione and gave her a small grin "is it so bad that you will be in there? The dark lord will praise you for being there. You are part of the order and have become a member of the ministry. I think that things will pay off for you"

Hermione nodded "I know but I can see a very busy time coming up for me and what with that wedding that will begin to be planned. I know that my parents will not be too happy with me getting married at such a young age but I think that getting it over with will help us"

Dawn watched Draco as he flew about on his broom. She was sitting back against a beech three by the lake. She had been sitting there for a while thinking about what life would bring them in the near future. She knew that in a year Draco would be a married man.

"Want to come up here?" Draco asked staring down at her.

"No, I don't think so" Dawn said simply. She was a good flier all in all but she wasn't the biggest fan of heights.

Draco lowered down towards her "come on" he said "I'm here, I won't let you fall"

Dawn shook her head just as she spotted Hermione and Mie walking towards her "oh, look Hermione and Mie. I'd rather talk to them. Maybe later"

Draco nodded and then flew off.

Dawn sighed. She had never been so happy to see Hermione and Mie before. "What are you two doing?" she called out.

Hermione walked towards her and sat down "Nothing, just enjoying the weather, it's nice out. I see Draco's having fun with his broom"

Dawn laughed "yeah, he was trying to get me on it a few minutes ago" she shuddered.

"Not a big fan of flying?" Hermione asked. "I suck at it myself and don't think that I can actually manage to stay on a broom without shouting my heart out"

Mie laughed "heights aren't that big of a problem, are they. Now, Dawn, what do you think of Hermione's new job"

"What job?" Draco asked as he landed.

"I'm going to be an Auror. I have no say in the manner. What the ministry wants they are going to get but I figure spying is good for me anyhow" Hermione shrugged "last day here"

Draco looked out towards the lake and nodded "yeah" he said "our last, I'm going to miss this place. I always disapproved of the people that were allowed into Hogwarts, I also did not like Dumbledore but this was a haven to all of us and now we are going to be thrust out onto the world. We will not be as protected as before."

Hermione nodded as she stood up and walked towards him "and some of the things we'll be facing will be harder than others. I wanted to talk to you about our engagement. We have to set a date for the wedding and we have to start planning it."

"We can worry about that soon. Not today, today we should cherish the fact that we are still here" he sighed and then turned back to Mie and Dawn who were talking about shoes.

Hermione laughed. "I should go into the castle. Harry and Ron are probably looking for me. I'll see you soon"

"Yeah, alright"

The next day Hermione stood in front of the entire school to deliver the speech that as head-girl she was expected to do. "It's been seven years and yet I still remember the first time I boarded the Hogwarts Express. It was all knew to me. During that first trip to this school I met a lot of you. I remember the trip fondly. Getting the better of a spoiled self centered Draco Malfoy, helping a confused Neville Longbottom find his rat, telling off the boys that would be my best friend Harry Potter and Ron Weasley for fighting when really they didn't. That trip was eventful enough but if something as short as that could be what can be said about the last seven years.

"We have faced many things throughout our years and yet nothing will be harder than when we actually have to say good-bye. Hogwarts has been our home and for some of us our haven since we arrived here for our first years. Not only have we made friends that will stay with us with the rest of our lives but we have met professors that we know will be there for us whenever we have a problem. But now we will not be hidden away from what is out there. We are going to be thrown out onto the world and I believe that we will be able to do what we can. We have endured seven years of professor telling us what to do, of bad grades, of studying, and we finally did it. We are now adults and the world is just waiting for us out there."

Hermione smiled out at the crowd of students. All her fellow classmates began clapping and then the rest of the school "thank you" she said and stepped down walking to sit by the teachers. Harry gave her a grin and walked towards the podium where she had stood.

Hermione tuned Harry out as he began his speech most of which she had already read while she was editing it for him anyway. Looking out towards the separate house tables she smiled. It didn't matter what house anyone was in. It would never matter because in the end there would be separations in the own houses. Half of them would fight the others on opposite sides now that the war was coming even closer.

Mr. Ollivander was getting tired. Nothing had happened yet and he knew that nothing probably would at least for a while. But the wands had glowed and that would only happen if things would begin but nothing had happened and that had been months now.

"Ah, it's you again" Matt Black stood before him. "You know, I always had a thing for vanilla ice cream" Matt continued "I just never tried it with French fries. Let me tell you it is good"

Mr. Ollivander stared at him "really?" he asked. "I have not tried it myself"

Matt smiled "it's really good, actually"

No one got out once they were in. Making the choice to be a death eater was a hard one and when someone wanted out the answer was death. No one survived once they tried to defy him. Lord Voldemort stood by this and so as he was thinking about the secret agenda of Lucius Malfoy he couldn't help but feel that the blond wizard needed some sort of punishment.

"What are you up to, Lucius?" he asked the empty room "what are you up to?"

No one could respond of course but the question still lingered and the answer was yet to come to him. He would get the answer eventually of course.

Tom stood up and walked towards one of the bookshelves he extracted a book and took it back to his table where he set the book down. This book had been plaguing his dreams for a few days now. There was always a picture near the back that blurry as it was seemed to be very important.

In his dream he seemed to take the book open it up to the first page and then start flipping through it entirely and then he stopped somewhere near the middle and looked down at some picture. It was then he closed the book and woke up.

He opened the book to the first page just like in his dream. He began flipping pages upon pages until he found a picture. It was no longer blurry.

There were two people in the picture. A tall man wearing dress robes. He had deep gray eyes. His face was set and showed no expression yet his eyes gave away his misery. His hair was a light brown and fell perfectly down to his shoulders. It was held back by some sort of tie.

He was the kind of man that if he were to step into a room would receive every eye upon him. He had a certain air of being greater than most men, the arrogance in his stance and the wand of respect was obvious even while he was in the non-moving picture.

The man had a wand gripped in his hand. It was beautiful and different from any wand that Tom had ever seen.

His companion was a woman; the most beautiful woman that Tom had ever seen.

The smile on her lips did not reach her gray eyes. Her skin was flawless and perfect. Her hair fell in ringlets framing her face. It was a very dark hair. She had high cheek bones that accentuated her looks.

She wore a muggle dress with a low neckline. It was a turquoise color which hugged her bodice perfectly. He could see that the man had his arm around her waist and that he was pulling her close to him.

But it was the wand which she held also in a tight grip that got his attention more than anything ever could. It was just the same as that of the man's. Yet there was something that made it more delicate, more beautiful somehow more powerful.

Tom stayed there watching that picture for hours. Many people could say to him that it was somewhat stupid to stare at something like he was staring at the picture but there was just something entrancing about it; something that he needed to figure out.

"So, you'll be coming to Grimmauld Place next month" Harry said making sure.

"Yes" Hermione said "I'll send you an owl. We will see each other at the ministry in a few days anyway."

He nodded. Hermione had somehow gotten out of having to leave home so early. She would have a month to stay at Sombroy Manor and then would be getting her own apartment so she didn't have to stay at 12 Grimmauld place or for that matter the burrow.

"Bye" she said to Ron and hugged him, and then she hugged Harry. "I'll see you two soon" out of the corner of her eye Hermione spotted Draco walking with his arm draped over Dawn. His mother was there waiting for them.

"Hey" Mie said running towards her "you're sure I can stay with you, right?"

"Yeah, of course" Hermione said "we can go by your parent's place tomorrow and get all your stuff"

Mie and Hermione had already decided that they would share an apartment in London. Of course it was mostly for looks because Hermione would not be living there for the most part.

Hermione and Mie apparated from the platform to Sombroy Manor, the house was empty when they entered except for the house elves. "Wonder where my parents" are Hermione said just as a house elf walked towards her.

"Master and mistress said to give you this" it said and handed Hermione a note.

Hermione opened it.

We'll be back tomorrow. Your father and I needed to go to France for a bit.
Love, Mom

Hermione shrugged "I guess we're alone for tonight" she said with a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess so. What do you want to do?"

Dawn and Draco sat in the drawing room. Draco and she were reading together while his mother was sleeping in her chamber and his father was in his study working on something or other.

"Draco, do you think that there is more to the marriage" Dawn had been thinking about this for a while Hermione had mentioned something about blood but Dawn was sure that there was something else. Something that only Lucius knew.

Draco set the book down and looked to Dawn "Nothing will stop it, and if you keep snooping around trying to figure out what the bigger purpose is you won't get anywhere"

"Blood" she said. Dawn knew she shouldn't be telling Draco anything about what Hermione had told her "you're blood is contaminated that's why Hermione is marrying you. Of course you could marry any muggle-born or muggle and it would be alright. The question is why do you have to marry Hermione? She's pureblood anyway, there is something bigger going on"

It wasn't really that he didn't want to figure out what was happening but just that he had learnt to accept it and that he knew that it would matter. Dawn was just too curious for her own good.

"Draco" he looked up at his father.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Would you mind dearly flooing Hermione and telling her that I need to see her?" he sighed "I just don't believe that I will be able to do it myself, I am rather busy"

Draco nodded. It wasn't really a request but an order to do it so he went to the fire. "Sombroy Manor" he said and stuck his head in the green flames.

Hermione was sitting on the floor with a book in her drawing room with Mie. "Hermione" he called out.

She looked over "Oh, hi, Draco" she said "What did you want?"

"My father wants you to come over. Told me to floo you, Mie can come if she wants" he then pulled his head back.

"I guess we should go" Mie said "I wonder why he wants to see you, of course" she shrugged to herself. "I'll hand out with Draco and Dawn. She's staying with him, or so I've heard."

Hermione nodded not really listening. Her mind was still on the note she had read the day before. She had told him that she would look it up but that she knew nothing of it. Maybe he had found something and he wanted to share the findings.

Mie and Hermione went through the floo into the drawing room of Malfoy Manor. Draco and Dawn were muttering to each other over a book.

"…He's a half-blood" Dawn was saying "and very powerful what is to say that she isn't pure?"

Draco was shaking his head "look, leave this alone"

It was then they saw them. "My father's in the study" Draco told Hermione as Mie joined them.

He had found nothing but he needed her help. He couldn't let anyone else know what had happened. He had already confided a bit of information in Hermione already. She was the only one that could help him with his problem. He had lost his magic. Or he had magic but his wand was of no help at all.

When Hermione entered his office he had a book propped open. His wand was lying in front of him and from time to time he would glare at it. Hermione giggled at the sight, he never giggled but this had been just the moment to make her do so.

"Okay, I have a problem" he said "I can't use my wand. I mean I know I can still use magic. When you get put into Azkaban for a year you kind of learn to channel your magic in different ways so I could do a bit of wandless magic. Mind you I'm not powerful enough to do it for an entire day but just for a few hours.

"Anyhow I know that I still have magic because I can feel it but every time I try to cast a spell it doesn't happen or if it does it just, well, doesn't get cast or become a similar but less powerful spell. I can do the basics. Stuff you learn in your first year at Hogwarts but even those are taxing.

"Usually this never happens unless the wand is severely broken, the user is terribly ill, tired, or unfocused. I know that you reach the highest level of magic by the age of twenty one and it is only up to that time that you can actually get a new wand if your powers grow out of your wand and even then it isn't too possible. Only four people in history have been able to do that; Albus Dumbledore, Tom Riddle, and two others that aren't of importance.

"The only other way you can get another wand is if you broke your last one. Wands are connected with their owners in a big way." He stopped there and looked at Hermione expectantly.

"Looks like you have been working hard on this problem" she mused "but you have forgotten one thing, Lucius. Magic is unpredictable"

Lucius stared at her "and what exactly, do you mean by that?"

"I mean that maybe you haven't been looking in the right places. Research magic itself not wands and how they work, it might not be the wand but your magic. Now why exactly did you need me?"

He looked at her sheepishly "I want you to help me find some sort of cure for this. How would you feel when you can't do much magic, it is a very bad spot to find yourself in."

Hermione smiled at him "Yes, I believe so. We should go to your library and hopefully find something there"

Alyssandra was bored. She would be staying in Malfoy Manor a few weeks seeing as her mother was going out of town with Katariina's sister. But now that she had finished packing she didn't know what to do. She could go visit Katariina but she had done that the day before. They were good friends and had known each other for a long time after all.

"Honey, I am leaving early. You should head over there"

"Alright, mum" Aly said and picked up her things. She then walked towards the fire place throwing in the floo powder. "Malfoy Manor" she stepped out and looked around. Draco had his arm around a girl she had met only once, another girl sat on the floor looking up at them.

"Hello" she said.

Mie turned to look at her and then promptly fainted.

"Did I do something?" Aly asked. The other two said nothing. They too, did not know.