September 2010
Hermione took a steadying breath as her fingers gripped the heavy door knocker, rapping it sharply three times. Heavy footfalls were heard from within, the old oak door creaking as it opened.
"Hermione," Harry greeted warmly. "How many times do I need to tell you to just floo here?" he asked, flashing her a lopsided smile as she stepped inside.
Hermione shrugged. "It was a nice day, I thought I'd walk," she replied casually as she hung up her coat in the hallway, the aroma of roast beef drifting up from the kitchen and making her mouth water.
"Dinner smells lovely," she remarked as Harry nodded for her to go down the hall. "Hi," she called, stepping into the long bright room, smiling at Ginny as she turned her attention away from the Aga.
"Hey," Ginny replied cordially as Harry followed Hermione into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of wine from the rack, gesturing to Hermione.
"Please," she replied, the tension thickening around them. Hermione watched silently as Harry poured her a large glass, accepting it with thanks, grateful for the ability to take the edge off.
"How's work?" she asked Harry, inwardly chastising herself for resorting to idle pleasantries so early in the visit.
"Great actually, we have a brilliant intake for the Auror program this year. I have high hopes for them all," he remarked, before launching into a passionate monologue about the ways the Ministry was implementing the latest breakthroughs in technology to the department. Hermione glanced over at Ginny who smiled, rolling her eyes as if to say, "here we go again," causing Hermione to laugh into her glass as she felt the tension dissipate slightly.
Dinner was a semi-relaxed affair until Harry brought up the topic of Hermione's orphanage, the air around Hermione seeming to drop several degrees suddenly. Her eyes flicked across to Ginny whose smile faded as her lips went taut.
"I saw the article in The Prophet," Harry told her, his eyes darting to Ginny before settling back on Hermione. She shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "It wasn't my idea," she mumbled. "The Prophet wanted to run a special and Theo thought it would be a good idea," she told him as Ginny politely excused herself. Hermione shot her a pleading look by Ginny ignored it as she left the kitchen, slamming the door in her wake, the sound causing Hermione to jump as Harry stiffened.
"You'll have to forgive Ginny," Harry told her, somewhat embarrassed.
"I should go," Hermione told him shaking her head.
"Please don't," Harry told her, reaching out to grab her hand as she made to clear her plate from the table. Sighing heavily she sat back down. "I know we haven't been the most supportive of friends," Harry began. Hermione's eyes went wide, emotions conflicting within. "You have to understand, it's the connection to Tom," Harry continued, his eyes silently pleading with hers.
"I do understand that Harry," Hermione sighed. "I always understood that. But this is my life and these children mean so much to me," Hermione confessed, struggling to keep her emotions from bubbling to the surface.
Harry nodded. "I know, and I am sorry. We should have been there for you." The sincerity in his voice caused Hermione's eyes to mist. Harry came to her side as she brushed the tears away, his arms wrapping around her shoulders, dropping a kiss to her hair. After a few moments, he pulled away, flashing her a lopsided smile. "If there is anything I can do to help you, just let me know 'Mione," he told her.
Hermione dragged her teeth over her bottom lip thoughtfully. "There may be something," she began as Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "I want to find someone."
Harry frowned at her words. "Isn't that Theo's role? I mean, I am not entirely sure I understand the specifics of his job description…"
Hermione cut him off. "No, this isn't something Theo can help with," she rushed as Harry blinked rapidly in shock.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her. "Hermione, who are you trying to find and why?"
Reaching into her handbag she pulled out an envelope, pushing it across the table towards him.
Harry lifted it up, taking out the parchment.
Ms. Granger
Please find enclosed my annual contribution to your work.
M
Harry frowned. "What are you asking me Hermione?" he asked, his stomach twisting in knots as his mind went into overdrive.
Hermione bit down on her lip for a moment in hesitation. "I want you to find out who M is," she told him, meeting his eyes with an intense look.
"I'm not sure I understand what you are asking here," Harry began, his tone even. "Unless he has committed a crime…" Harry's eyes went wide. "Is he blackmailing you?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, nothing like that. He just sends me a large donation every year. But I don't know who M is."
Harry sat back, shocked by what she was asking of him. "I don't have access to that sort of information, Hermione. And even if I did, it would be a huge violation of trust; an abuse of my position."
"I realise it would be difficult, but I have reason to believe it is a former Death Eater. The new legislation regarding former Death Eaters means there are files.."
"No. " Harry's firm voice cut her off. "I cannot and will not go searching for this information, Hermione."
Hermione nodded. "It's getting late, I should go."
Harry said nothing as he watched her grab a handful of floo powder, before turning back towards him, her sad, tired eyes awash with unspoken emotions. A tired smile formed on his lips as he nodded to her before she disappeared in the flames.
Hermione scanned the parchment with narrow eyes, her quill poised.
"Just sign it already," Theo huffed, bored. "We've already been over what it says."
Hermione grinned. "I just want to check you haven't snuck any secret clauses in for say, I don't know, the provision of house elves," she smirked, smirking up at him, her eyes dancing with amusement.
Theo's jaw slacked, eyes wide. "I didn't think of that!"
"Yes, well, don't go getting any ideas. You know exactly how I feel about house elves," she informed him curtly.
"I think everyone is acutely aware of how you feel about all manner of magical creatures, Ms. Granger," the thick aristocratic drawl caused Hermione to spin around in her seat.
Hermione was shocked. "Malfoy!" Standing from her chair she attempted to retrieve her forgotten manners, extending a hand, her lips pursing as he dismissed her with a wave that reminded her all too much of his father.
"You don't have to get up on my account," he told her, his tone almost apologetic. He turned his attention to Theo. "Sorry for interrupting, but as you are aware the deadline you set me expires in a little under five minutes."
Theo sat back in his chair, smirking at Draco. "Yes, well I wasn't expecting you to leave it right up to the last literal minute," he quipped as Draco pulled several pages of stiffly folded parchment from his robes. The pages cracked as he opened them, glancing about the desk. His eyes went to Hermione. "Sorry, but do you mind if I borrow your quill?" he asked, his tone betraying no animosity. Shocked, Hermione frowned for a moment as she tried to remember what she had done with her quill.
Hermione gasped slightly as her mind registered that it was still firmly in her hand, pinched between her fingers. She stole a glance at Theo as she tried to make sense of the version of Draco Malfoy stood in front of her accepting the quill she held out to him with thanks. He was broader than she remembered: the haunting image of his frail, almost ill frame flickering like a candle in her mind.
His one pointed features had softened slightly making him more handsome. Hermione's eyes wandered casually over him, her tongue darting out unconsciously to wet her lip- an action that did not go unnoticed by Theo, although he chose to remain silent for now on the matter. Her gaze drifted to his hands, which had thickened slightly with age and she watched enraptured as he signed his name on the parchment, the quill moving in delicate swirls across the page as he formed the letters of his name:
Draco Malfoy.
Hermione's eyes remained transfixed as Draco folded the papers and handed them to Theo, shock rooting her to the spot utterly speechless.
"Good day, Ms Granger." Draco nodded politely before striding from the room, leaving a stunned Hermione to snap her eyes suddenly to Theo. The colour drained from his face as he realised she had recognised the way he wrote Malfoy, the light elegant strokes matching exactly the way the note accompanying her cheques was always signed.
"My benefactor is Malfoy?" she whispered, her mind reeling as Theo stood from his chair coming around the desk, panic in his eyes.
"Hermione, there is a reason why the Ministry keeps records of the donations but there is also a reason why they choose to be anonymous in the first place…"Theo began.
"Is this his way of making himself feel better about his part in the war?" Hermione hissed, the bite in her tone causing Theo to stumble back slightly in shock. His jaw set as he took the fury in her eyes.
"This is exactly what I meant. People automatically assume that they- that Draco- is only interested in self-preservation…"
"Well, he was sorted into Slytherin," Hermione scoffed.
Theo flushed with anger. "So was I, Hermione. Blaise too. Are you suggesting that we are all cut from the same Emerald cloth?" The hurt in his voice resonated deeply with her.
Neither said a word for several long minutes as they both struggled to contain their emotions. Finally, Theo spoke. "Look, I understand your emotions here but you have to put them to one side and let sense prevail here."
Hermione dropped into her chair with a weary sigh.
"Can I trust you not to do anything stupid with this information?" Theo asked, giving her a pointed look.
"Yes," Hermione whispered, eyes fixed on Theo as he perched on the edge of his desk. "It's just a lot to process."
"I understand that," he told her sincerely, carding a hand through his hair. "I could get into a lot of trouble if you pursue this," he muttered, looking down at his shoes. He glanced up, seeing her chew her lip thoughtfully. "Hermione, I know you want him to know about the children but the anonymity legislation is clear. Not only could I lose my job but he would be perfectly within his rights to seek legislative recourse against you."
Hermione wet her lip before nodding slowly. Relief washed over Theo's face as he pushed himself away from the desk, grabbing his coat. "Come on you, it's not often Blaise offers to take us to lunch. Let's go blow a hole in his expense account at The Vineyard he smiled pulling her to her feet. "Come on darling, I believe there is a bottle of Pascal Jolivet Indigène with our name on it," he winked, holding the door open for her.
Smiling, Hermione grabbed her things, before slipping out into the hallway, mulling over how to proceed with this new information. Who would have thought it had been Draco Malfoy this whole time?