Hermione had a few minutes before she absolutely had to head back to her office for her next meeting, but she was enjoying a lunch out in Diagon Alley with Ginny and let the other woman talk her into visiting George at the shoppe.
She smiled as she entered, it was all but impossible not to, and let her thoughts take her back a moment to the very first time she had stepped through the door into the twin's magical play land. It was such a happy memory, one she was sure she could use to summon her patronus if she wanted.
The shop was busy, but not excessively so with the school term at Hogwarts still in session. They would get slammed with customers just as soon as the term ended.
A booming, "LADIES!" came from the upper level and she and Ginny looked up to see a smiling George.
He quickly joined them downstairs and both women were the recipient of a warm hug.
When he pulled back he asked with a teasing twinkle in his eye, "To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the Minister of Magic?"
"We just had lunch and I have a few minutes before I have to get back to my office for a meeting so we thought we'd pop in."
The old friends spoke casually for bit before Hermione asked, "So what new wonders are you working on, George?"
"Are you offering yourself up as a test subject?"
"Hmmm… maybe. You know my limits, George."
"Right I do. Come back to the workshop and I'll show you our next money spinner."
As organized as the front of the store was, the workshop was the complete and utter opposite as creative chaos reigned supreme. There were things everywhere. Hermione was careful not to touch anything, even accidentally.
George looked around for a moment and spied something. "Aha! This is perfect for you to test." He picked something up from the table and handed it to Hermione.
It was a red crystal heart, about the size of a galleon. Hermione looked at it sitting on her palm for a moment before realizing that she could actually feel it beating there in her hand. She looked up to George for an explanation.
"That there is a Sweetheart's Heart."
"It's beating."
"That there is my heartbeat you're feeling."
"Really?" Hermione asked, again looking at the crystal in her hand.
"Really. When you get them they aren't activated, then you cast the charm and they project your heartbeat. That way your sweetheart can carry around your heart in his pocket."
Hermione smiled. It was such a sweet and innocuous thing, just the type of Weasley Wheeze she liked. "Is it a recording of the heartbeat?"
George shook his head. "No, a live version. So if my lovely Angelina were to walk in the room, that there would change to match the insane pitter-pat in my chest every time I see her."
His dramatic flourishing of his hand on his chest made Hermione laugh. "This is wonderful magic, George. It's such a happy thing."
George took the heart and put it back on the bench. He plucked another out of a tray and placed it on her hand. "That's a new one. Repeat this, cormeumosa to activate it."
Hermione repeated the phrase and the heart in her hand grew warm for a moment then began to beat.
She went to hand it back to him but he shook his head. "Keep it. Just do me a favor and let me know how long the charm lasts for you. I'm trying to keep track but it seems to differ from person to person."
"I will. Thank you, George. I think they're going to sell like mad."
"You and me both. I think Valentine's Day day at Hogwarts just got more interesting."
They were both chuckling as they went to leave the workshop and George put his arm around her. "I know my brother was a right proper git, but not all men are like him you know. You should let some lucky bloke sweep you off your feet properly. Let him wine you and dine you and spoil you rotten like you deserve."
Hermione could tell that George was saying all that out of a good place in his heart and she itched to tell him that she had, in fact, met someone who indeed did all of those things. But she couldn't, he, like everyone else, wouldn't understand. So she kissed George's cheek told a little white lie. "As if I have time to date. But I am leaving myself open to new possibilities. I won't slam the door if someone wonderful comes knocking."
George walked her to the front door of the shoppe. He gave her hand a final squeeze. "Good. And if Ron gives you a hard time about it just let me know and I'll kick his arse big brother style. It's been a while but I haven't forgotten how."
She was laughing as she left the shoppe, suddenly very glad she had stopped in. As she walked back to apparate to her office her hand closed around the crystal heart in her pocket. It was beating strong and true.
Draco looked at the crystal heart Hermione was poised to place in his hand as they sat on the mammoth leather sofa in front of the fireplace in his study. "What is that?"
"It's a prototype for a new Weasley Wheeze product. Don't worry it's not anything obnoxious. In fact I think it's a wonderful piece of magic."
"Okay. I'm trusting you," he teased warningly.
Hermione grinned and placed the heart in his hand. "Now give it just a second."
Draco's eyes widened in surprise the moment he felt the heart beat. He looked up to Hermione for an explanation. She happily shared what George had told her.
"That's brilliant," Draco said, "Don't tell him I said so, but their products really are cool."
"I won't tell."
Draco looked closely at the heart a final time before closing his hand around it and slipping it into his trouser pocked. "So now I get to carry your heart around with me all the time."
Hermione looped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. Just before their lips touched she whispered, "You already have my heart, Draco."
The kiss quickly became heated, as it always seemed to do between them. Draco kissed her back with a fierce intensity as he did every time she vocalized her feelings for him. No one had ever loved him the way she did.
Finally he pulled back a bit to whisper hoarsely, "We haven't christened this room yet," as his hand slid up her side to cup her breast...
(Explicit content removed to meet this site's TOS. Story available in full at other archives. -CJ aka WritinginCT)
"We really should rectify that… as soon as possible."
Lightning fast he had her pinned beneath him on the sofa...
(Explicit content removed to meet this site's TOS. Story available in full at other archives. -CJ aka WritinginCT)
He nipped her earlobe and asked, "Slow and soft or hard and fast?" Both of them enjoying the occasional pounding tryst.
Her hands found the edge of her pleated skirt and she inched it up. She licked her bottom lip and replied huskily, "The latter."
"Thank Merlin," he groaned out as he quickly unbuttoned his trousers. She hiked her skirt up and he settled between her legs...
(Explicit content removed to meet this site's TOS. Story available in full at other archives. -CJ aka WritinginCT)
They lay there panting with Draco balancing his weight on his hands as not to crush her. Finally able to speak he looked her in the eyes and whispered, "I love you."
She cupped his face in her small hands and stroked his cheeks with her fingers, a gentleness and intimacy that only she had ever been allowed, no others, not even Astoria. She traced her thumb over his kiss swollen lip. "I love you, too. And I think…," she started then stopped and he felt her tense beneath him.
"You think…?" he prompted softly.
She lifted her head and kissed his mouth gently. "I think I could love you forever if I let myself."
His eyes softened at her words. "You won't find any objections to that here," he replied with a gentle smile. His response make her relax and he added, "Maybe forever is something we should talk about when we're not in a post-coital haze."
She smiled and replied, "I'd like that."
He promptly bent his head and kissed her deeply.
But finding both the time and, more importantly, the courage to actually have that conversation eluded them both in the coming days.
The Ministry was in chaos when Draco arrived. There were Aurors at every turn, glaring at everyone with equal suspicion. They begrudgingly let him pass after surrendering his wand as was normal protocol and poking their noses in his briefcase which was not.
He immediately headed for Hermione's office after hearing whispers of an attack on the minister. It took every ounce of self control he had not to let the worry show on his face.
The Auror presence was ten-fold around her outer office and they refused to admit him. Draco was going to start screaming soon if he didn't see Hermione with his own eyes.
It was Ginny Weasley that finally got him into the office. She had come up behind him and said his name, "Malfoy."
He turned to see her there carrying what looked like a fresh set of Hermione's work robes. "Do you know what's going on?"
Ginny nodded. "She's okay. Someone broke through security at that speech she was giving earlier and…," she hesitated.
"And?" he demanded.
"And he threw mud all over her and shouted the normal pure-blood profanity before he disapparated."
"How the hell did the Aurors let this happen? It's like the sixth or seventh incident like this in two months."
There had been several incidents of graffiti in very well-prominent places, the murky brown paint saying "No Mudblood Minister" in bold letters. This was something that had also been shouted from the middle of crowds at a couple of Hermione's public appearances. The Aurors were on top of it, but there just wasn't much to go on.
Draco's brow furrowed in worry. The previous incidents had been troubling but not immediately threatening to Hermione's safety but the incident today crossed that line by a mile.
She shrugged. "I don't know. Harry's livid, so is Hermione. C'mon she really wants to change her clothes and I'm sure she'd appreciate seeing you."
They took a couple of steps towards the inner office when Draco put his hand gently on her arm bringing her to a halt. Softly he asked, "Does Potter know…about she and I?"
Ginny shook her head. "Not to my knowledge. I haven't told anyone. I promised her I would keep your secret and I keep my promises."
Draco blinked in surprise. "Thank you."
"She's happier with you than she's been in years, Malfoy, don't muck it up and give me a reason to hex you."
He threw her a cheeky grin. "I'm doing my very best not to, Mrs. Potter."
With a mere look from Ginny at the Aurors at the inner office door, they moved to the side and allowed them to pass inside.
Harry and Hermione were arguing when Ginny and Draco entered the room. Hermione's dress and robes were stained with brown mud, her hair mussed and her temper up.
Harry was leaning over her desk shouting, "This threat is growing, Hermione, and it's my job to protect you. You are going to have at least two Aurors with you in public at all times. And we are going to move you to a Fidelius protected safe house."
Hermione shouted back equally loudly, "I'm not going to be a prisoner, Harry. I can take care of myself."
Both of them were so angry there was practically steam coming out of their ears.
Calmly Draco asked from the doorway, "What if it hadn't been just mud that he threw?"
Both Hermione and Harry turned towards him.
The silence in the room was deafening.
It was Ginny who broke it by saying, "He's right. What if it had been poison or something cursed?"
No one said a word.
Harry straightened and turned to face his wife and Draco.
Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she met Draco's eyes and tried to convey that she was, in fact, okay. She hated the fact that she couldn't lose herself in his embrace for a moment like any other normal couple would under the circumstances.
Ginny went to the private loo in the corner and hung the clean robes on the hook on the door. "You should change and let the Aurors have those robes."
Harry clicked back into Auror mode. "Yeah. We may be able to figure out where the mud came from."
"Alright," Hermione capitulated and headed for the loo, Ginny going in with her to help.
The moment the door closed behind the two women Harry rounded on Draco and demanded, "Why exactly are you here, Malfoy?"
"I had an appointment with the Minister this afternoon but I found myself early and was going to invite her to lunch if she were free, something we do often." Draco replied honestly. They had had many legitimate business lunches since they became a couple so it shouldn't raise an eyebrow.
"Do you know anything about these attacks? Have you heard anything? Whispers even?" Harry asked.
Draco shook his head. "No. Just what's in the papers like everyone else." Harry's insinuation infuriated him and he wanted to shout that he would never hurt Hermione, the woman who held his heart in her hands. But of course he couldn't shout that, he had to maintain his public mask of professionalism when it came to the Minister.
Harry ran his hand through his hair and huffed out a breath then did something unexpected, he apologized. "Sorry, Malfoy, I had to ask."
"I've steered clear of all the Blood Purist nonsense since the war, Potter."
Harry nodded. "I know. Again, I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Her… never mind."
Draco asked, "Do you have any leads to get these lunatics?"
"No. Nothing solid. I think if we could just grab one of them we'd be able to sort out the rest, but…."
It was Draco's turn to nod and he offered, "Potter, if I hear anything you'll be the first to know. What these fools are doing… our world was just starting to feel completely normal again before they cropped up. We have an honest Ministry, laws that are fair for everyone, people are working together regardless of blood status, and businesses are booming and expanding. The wizarding world is in a good place, we don't need them mucking it all up with old hatred."
"My thoughts exactly," Harry agreed.
Hermione came out of the loo in her clean clothes, Ginny right behind her with the muddy ones in a conjured brown paper sack which she handed to Harry without a word.
Hermione was a bit calmer to Draco's eye. He had no idea what Ginny had said to her while in the loo, nor did he really care, he just wanted Hermione safe.
"Okay," Harry said, trying to take charge once again, "we need to talk about your schedule and about a safe house, Hermione."
"I'm not going to a safe house, Harry. Absolutely not," Hermione replied with icy conviction in her voice.
Draco saw Harry's hand fist in frustration. Knowing that Harry's primary desire was to keep Hermione safe, something he was totally on board with, Draco decided to intervene before the situation exploded once again between the two old friends.
Calmly he offered, "I may have a solution." Harry and Hermione both turned towards him and he continued, "Minister, you've been to my home several times now and know my security measures, you'd be safe there and would be welcome to stay as long as you need for Potter to eliminate this threat against you."
Harry looked flummoxed. Hermione had been to Malfoy's home several times? He knew that the two of them had carved out a cordial working relationship but this seemed a bit beyond that. And now Malfoy was offering up his home as a safe house for her? And while he didn't honestly believe that Malfoy had anything to do with the new Purist group they were hunting, the distrustful, analyzing portion of his brain started spinning over Malfoy's motives.
Harry turned to looked at Hermione. She had a smug grin on her face that let him know that the problem was solved in her mind and she confirmed it by saying, "That is a lovely solution, Mr. Malfoy, I appreciate your hospitality and gladly accept."
"Hermione…," Harry started to say but she cut him off.
"I will be perfectly safe, Harry."
Harry could see that he wasn't going to get far with her so he turned to Draco and asked with a sigh, "You mentioned security measures?"
If the situation hadn't been so serious Draco would have laughed at Harry's discomfort. But the matter was serious, deadly serious, in fact, so he addressed the Auror's concerns. "My London home is unplottable and Fidelius protected. There are apparation-prevention wards on the whole property and a locking ward on the Floo. It's as safe as a place can possibly be, Potter, I wouldn't risk the life of my son."
All of Harry's arguments dried up at Draco's last word. For all all the things he and Draco didn't have in common as adults, fatherhood was an exception. And having seen Draco on more than one occasion with his son, Scorpius, there was no question that the man loved his son and would do anything to protect him, just as he would his own children. Harry still didn't entirely trust Draco's motives in helping protect Hermione, Slytherins weren't known for doing things without benefit to themselves, but he felt that she might be physically safe at the Malfoy home.
"How many people have been given access through the Fidelius?" Harry asked.
"Four others including the Minister, my son, and my house elf Timly," Draco replied, inwardly pleased at the look of surprise on Harry's face.
Harry struggled to keep the surprise out of his expression. He would have expected a list of hundreds knowing how the Malfoy's entertained. "And the last person?"
Draco ticked his head and replied, "My secret keeper whom I don't feel comfortable in sharing with you at present. However, the Minister knows and can give you her own opinion on if they are trustworthy."
Hermione had interacted with Blaise Zabini on multiple occasions at Ministry functions and he had never been anything but cordial and polite to her and Draco had assured her when the first incidents with this new Purist group had occurred that Zabini had absolutely nothing to do with it. And while she didn't know Zabini particularly well, Draco did and she trusted Draco wholeheartedly. Quickly Hermione interjected, "I have no issue at all with Mr. Malfoy's secret keeper."
Harry nodded and turned back to Draco. "Your parents?"
Draco's brow furrowed a bit, but it was a fair question. "No. As you most likely know, I've had nothing to do with my father since the war, and when I wish to visit Mother I go to her."
Harry's head was spinning, trying to process it all. He asked, "Will you allow me through the wards, not my whole department, just me?"
Draco looked between Harry and Hermione then moved onto Ginny before going back to Harry. "No, not just you, but rather the both of you. I don't want the Minister to feel cut off from the world, and hard as this will be to believe, I trust both of you not to do anything that would put my son in danger."
"Never," Ginny promised adamantly standing next to Hermione.
Harry ticked his head towards his wife and replied, "What she said."
Draco nodded. "On the subject of children, are the Minister's children safe? I can have rooms prepared for them as well."
"They're safe at Hogwarts for the time being. I've got Aurors shadowing them when they're not in class but if you don't mind keeping your offer open in case we need it?"
"Not a problem."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out and turned to Hermione. "Now that that is sorted, can we please discuss your public schedule like adults?"
Ginny snorted back a laugh. "That's my cue to leave. No hexes, you two. Play nice," she said then turned to Draco, "They're going to be at it for a while, let's go get a bite."
Draco's eyes flicked to Hermione and she gave him a little smile, he looked to Ginny and replied, "Sounds good, we can talk about that piece you just published which made me laugh out loud in the middle of breakfast, Mrs. Potter. Honestly, beaters being more important than seekers?"
Harry snorted in agreement as they left the office.
When the door closed behind them Harry turned to Hermione and said simply, "I'll be honest, I don't like it, but you know him better than I do these days, you trust him right?"
"I have gotten to know him better and he and I have discussed things… about the past and the war, and about how he thinks now and how he's raising his son. He's not the same Draco Malfoy we went to school with, Harry. He's doing everything in his power to be a good man, someone his son will be proud to call his father, someone who can hold his head up in the community. So to answer your question, yes, I trust him. Completely."
"Okay. That's settled then. Now dig out your planner so we can hash out the rest. Your public appearances are our next priority."
Hermione stepped over to him and hugged him hard. "I know you're just trying to keep me safe."
Harry hugged her back and said softly, "Always."
It wasn't a word that Harry threw out often, both of them knowing where it came from, and it had the effect of conferring to her just how scared Harry actually was for her.
She gave him a final squeeze and let go before going to her desk and opening her planner book. They spent the next hour pruning her public appearances down to a level Harry was comfortable with.
Ginny and Draco sat across from each other in a quiet table at the Ministry cafe. They both had sandwiches in front of them that they were picking at.
Draco wiped his mouth on his napkin and gently cleared his throat. "Thank you… for earlier."
Ginny grinned. "You're welcome," she said then teased, "So I get to see this amazing house of yours."
Draco raised his eyebrow. "She told you about it?"
"Just that it was lovely and that she adores your elf… and your library."
That made him grin and he tried to focus on the idea that Hermione was the biggest bibliophile anyone knew and not the memory of shagging her breathless up against a shelf full of rare editions to explain away her love of his library. "She'll be safe there, I promise."
"I never doubted that for a second, Malfoy."
Draco picked up his tea and sighed. "You know, I really thought we had left all this behind."
"Yeah, me too. Obviously Harry's giving it top priority but they haven't much to go on."
Draco nodded. He had no doubt Potter was doing his best to stomp out this new bunch of fanatics. "If I thought for one minute that they would trust me I would try and infiltrate them to expose them, but I've been too vocal publicly in support of mixed-blood and muggle-borns. They'll never let me in."
"Probably not, no. Just keep an ear out though, yeah? Maybe someone says something stupid that could help."
Draco nodded and munched the crisps that had accompanied his sandwich. The conversation dried up, but not in bad way. They were two people with a complicated past, a past that couldn't be forgotten in the course of one conversation. But it was a start and a cordial one at that. It made Draco glad as he knew that by having Hermione in his life that he would have to eventually socialize with the Potters and most likely some of the Weasleys at some point. And while didn't expect any of them to become the best of friends, he would be civil and courteous as these people were important to Hermione and her children. All he could hope was that they might be civil in return.
He was lost in his own thoughts when Ginny asked, "How is your mother?"
Draco blinked. It was such a random question and he wondered if the civility of their talk was about to be tested. "Why do you ask?"
Ginny shrugged. "We seemed to have run out of things to say. I'm just making conversation. I saw her a few months ago in Diagon Alley. She looked well."
Draco nodded and relaxed a bit. "She is. That must have been when she had just gotten back from from Italy. Mother spent some time with an old schoolmate who has a villa in Tuscany. From what I understand she just had her first great-grandson and Mother had gone to help them celebrate and see the baby. She had nice trip."
"That must have been fun. It's always nice to celebrate happy news."
"It is," he chuckled, "She came home clucking about how she couldn't wait to see her first great-grandchild. Poor Scorpius hasn't even sat his OWLS yet. I swear she's gone round the bend."
Ginny grinned. "My mum is the same way. Thankfully I have older siblings who started having children way before me."
Draco picked up his sandwich, glad that the conversation hadn't taken a negative turn after all.
"You're lucky in that regard. Sometimes there's a lot of pressure being an only child with no siblings to share it."
"I can't imagine that to be honest, being an only child."
"It had its moments. But now as I'm older I think sometimes it would be nice have what you have, with all the cousins growing up together and heading off to Hogwarts at the same time. I worried about Scorpius when he left for school. I didn't want him to be alone. Our name is not necessarily the most conducive to attracting friends these days."
"Well, you don't need to worry about that. He and Albus are two little peas in a pod. They look out for each other. That reminds me, both boys have been owling hoping to spend at least a week together over the summer holidays. I sent a letter to Astoria to attempt to work out some details but I have not received a reply. Is there a problem? Do not want them to spend time together over the summer?"
Draco's brow furrowed. "Scorpius has had my permission for quite a while, he's very excited about it. It's good for him to have time with his friends, important even. But I left the details up to Astoria as he was staying with her the majority of the summer. I'll owl her and sort it out."
"Thanks," Ginny said and looked up as the clock chimed the quarter to mark, "Sorry to cut this short but I have an interview scheduled that I've been chasing for quite a while and I don't want to be late. You'll let me know when Hermione's settled and how to get there?"
Draco stood when she stood. He nodded and replied, "I'll send an owl tonight. I suspect she's going to have a late night in the office."
"Harry, too. I'll look for your owl. Thanks, Malfoy."
He grinned. "Draco, please."
"Alright. Draco, it is. Call me Ginny then."
Draco grinned wickedly and teased. "Oh, no, you are forever Mrs. Potter."
Ginny chuckled and threw out, "Brat," before turning and heading out of the cafe.
Draco sat back down and finished his tea trying to sort out his thoughts about the events of the day.
tbc...
