"It's bigger than I thought," Draco said. "I thought it was just the group that I know but I found out yesterday that there are other groups. I don't know where or how many but I was discussing supplying Suspect 1 with some more of the unregistered wands..."
"Suspect 1?" Hermione interrupted him.
"Harry knows who that is."
"Oh."
"It's better that you don't know - no-one can get it out of you then," Draco saw the look of horror on Hermione's face and backtracked. "I don't mean that anyone will try but it's still better that you don't know."
"Go on."
"He mentioned supplying the 'other groups'. I didn't ask what he meant, of course but I'm sure I can get it out of him." Draco leant forward. "I suppose I should explain a bit more to you, or none of this will make sense and you won't be able to tell Harry properly."
Hermione nodded. "None of it makes sense so far. Who are these people and what exactly do you think they're up to?"
"Suspect 1 and 2 are business associates of mine. We saw each other socially a few times - mainly to keep the business going - not because we were friends. Anyway, on one of these social gatherings they were talking more than they usually would and I picked up on it. They were up to something dodgy. I wasn't particularly interested or bothered to be honest. Plenty of the people I do business with are happy to do the odd underhand deal."
Hermione twisted her lips. "Does that include you?"
"No. I won't risk it." Draco didn't seem offended by her question and Hermione was a little surprised at his direct and seemingly honest answer which wasn't what she'd been expecting. "Anyway I then realised that a couple of other people I knew were in on this secret and I began to wonder what it was."
"They were willing to mention it around you but not willing to tell you details about it?" Hermione asked. "That seems weird."
"I think they were testing me - trying to see if I would be willing to join them," Draco explained. "I suppose my reputation and my name lends itself to being involved to something like this. That's how it's gone on - I've never asked for details but they've never completely excluded me."
"And what is it that they are up to? Are they trying to form another army of Death Eaters or something?" Hermione asked the obvious question.
"That's part of the plan - they're not calling themselves Death Eaters or anything but I know that they intend to attack the Ministry. That's the last piece of information I sent to Potter. That was from a conversation I overheard so they have no idea that I know that part."
"But even if it's a few groups of these people that won't be enough to defeat the Ministry!"
"Exactly. That's why Potter and I knew there must be more to it than that," Draco agreed. "After yesterday and the request for more wands I now have another idea what it might be."
"Unregistered wands can have dangerous cores that produce more potent spells can't they?" Hermoine asked. She heard of them before during her work at the Ministry.
Draco nodded. "Yes and that's what I thought the attraction for them was but when he spoke to me yesterday, Suspect 1..." Hermione sighed at the repeated use of, what she considered, a ridiculous way to name someone but Draco ignored her and carried on. "Suspect 1 said something about there being no trace."
Hermione nodded as the pieces fell into place. "Now I remember! The wands leave no trace - you can't tell who cast the spell or even what spell was last cast. Prior Incantato doesn't work on them."
"Yep." Draco put his head to one side. "Unfortunately, I have no idea what spell or spells they are so desperate to hide."
"Unforgivable curses?"
"That's the obvious guess but something tells me that it isn't just that. I mean you don't need to do Prior Incantato to see if someone used The Killing Curse do you? If the victim is dead you already have your answer."
Hermione found herself staring at Draco who had got caught up in his own story and was obviously speaking his thought processes out loud. His face was creased in concentration, his eyes deep grey, his lips set in a line but there was something about this that meant his guard was down. He wasn't trying to be clever or sarcastic. He was being himself and it was quite a startling transformation. He was mesmerizing and Hermione could have just watched him talking like this for hours.
Not only that, most of what he was presuming or guessing sounded right to Hermione. Her logical mind recognized someone with the same ability to process information and put it in a logical order. Once in this order it was easier to draw a conclusion and that was exactly how Draco was working through this - exactly how she would do it.
"I think you're right - there must be more to it," Hermione agreed with him and he raised his eyebrows.
"So we finally agree on something then?" he asked.
Hermione sighed as he resorted back to his usual sarcasm. The next question was spoken like a challenge. "Why are you informing on them?"
"What do you mean?"
"They may not be your friends but they are your associates. So at what point did you decide to start telling the Ministry about what you think they might be up to? The same Ministry that Voldemort and his Death Eaters were against until they infiltrated it?" Hermione stopped speaking abruptly because she hadn't meant to antagonize him. It didn't mean her question wasn't a legitimate one though.
"Meaning why am I - son of Lucius Malfoy, one of the most prominent Death Eaters - being a turn coat and grovelling up to the Ministry?" Draco put it succinctly, if a little bluntly' "I don't believe analysing my part in this was what you were asked to do?"
Hermione sighed loudly. "Fine - let's just stick to what I have to pass onto Harry."
Draco twisted his lips. "I don't expect you to believe me for one second so I shouldn't waste my time justifying myself."
"I said fine! Just tell me what I need to know," Hermione's voice was impatient.
Draco continued as if she hadn't spoke at all. "But I'm going to tell you anyway - maybe you should take a large swig of your drink because this is going to shock you," Draco said. He leant forward and made a show of passing it to her but she waved it away. "I - Draco Malfoy - have principles and more importantly morals. Believe it or not those qualities are just reserved for prissy, little Gryffindors!" He put her glass down forcefully and sat back again. "Told you I'd shock you!"
Hermione wanted to slap his handsome face for his tone and his words because although he was telling her she had some admirable qualities, he managed to make it sound like an insult. "You haven't shocked me but as usual you've managed to insult me."
"Ditto."
"I didn't insult you!"
"So your implication that it was unbelievable that I should be doing the right thing without getting anything out of it myself, wasn't an insult then?"
"I only have your past record to go on," Hermione said, cuttingly.
Draco stood up abruptly. "That's all I have for now so I'll be back in touch when I find out more." His actions, his expression and his words made it obvious that this was the end of their conversation tonight and as Hermione apparated away again she honestly did wonder just how much more of this she could put up with.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
She didn't have long to find out because just the next day, before she'd even passed Draco's information onto Harry, she had another note. It ran along the same lines as the second note.
Dear SB,
Hermione wracked her brains trying to think of something this might mean - she'd forgotten to ask him and she couldn't think of anything.
Dear SB,
What a pity to waste our precious time together fighting!
They do say that hate is akin to love?
Hermione gaped at this line which really didn't need to be there as it didn't pass on any information to her. She could hear him saying it in his sneering tone.
So, shall we try and focus on the love? Meet me at the place where the focus is entirely on love.
8pm - the reservation will be in the name of our headmaster - but not the obvious one.
With anticipation,
WMEB
Hermione shook her head again. She understood why but his notes were like riddles. The place where the focus is entirely on love? A church? No - they would hardly be reserving tables at a church! The answer popped into her head and she groaned. Madam Puddifoots? Really? Why had he chosen there? Hermione hated the place.
And the reservation was under Dumbledore? She shook her head, Malfoy wouldn't be that obvious. Not the obvious one? Did he mean McGonagall? But that was too obvious as well. Hermione shook her head, she'd worry about that when she got there.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
At five minutes to eight she entered Madam Puddifoots. Madam Puddifott came straight over and greeted her gushingly.
"Hermione Granger!" she said loudly and Hermione wanted to sssh her. She needed to slip in quietly! Fortunately the restaurant was very quiet. "What a pleasure! Let me show you to our best table."
"Actually I'm meeting...a friend..."
"Oooh, lovely!" Madam Puddifoot put her own unique point of view on what Hermione meant by a friend. "Then a lovely table for two it will be!"
"No - I mean we have a reservation," Hermione looked round nervously but none of the other customers seemed to be looking at her.
"Lovely. What name my dear? Is it under Granger?"
"Errr...no...I think it might be under McGonagall," Hermione felt embarrassed even saying this and Madam Puddifoot frowned.
"McGonagall? Are you sure my dear? Why would it be under that name?"
"Oh - it's just a coincidence. My friend is called..." she paused as she wracked her brain for the name that Draco might have used. Why hadn't he made this simple? Madam Puddifoot was waiting for her with an enquiring look on her face.
Hermione remembered Draco when he'd been trying to work through the puzzle. The answer would be logical - the name of our headmaster but not the obvious one - headmaster, not headmistress. So it couldn't be McGonagall. But there was no way on earth that Hermione would now ask for a reservation under the name of Dumbledore! The note had said - not the obvious one. Hermione was about to give up when it came to her.
"Albus. The reservation is under the name of Albus," she said. She was sure she was right.
"Aah! Yes my dear. We do indeed have a reservation under that name. Your friend is already here," Madam Puddifoot seemed totally unperturbed by this strange conversation and not in the least bit shocked that Hermione Granger was here to meet Draco Malfoy. Hermione looked around the restaurant at each customer. "Oh, he's not in here, my dear. Follow me."
Next chapter up soon x