To Dance With Jean
Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. I Majasty do not own the characters of this fanfiction except perhaps a few OC's that may make an appearance. Otherwise, all characters belong to JK Rowling. Additionally, this fanfiction gets inspiration from a combination of different movies, books, and real life events. A full reference list will be uploaded at the end of the story. Mischief managed.
This story disregards the Deathly Hallows except for some key dates and times. It also disregards the epilogue. This story is set primarily in the year of 2040 and has some parts of 1997-1998. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 6
The Beginning Of A Story
Cornwall, England. July 22, 1997
"Jean!" Draco Malfoy called out as he ran across the sandy shores of Tinworth, Cornwall, attempting to catch up with the group of ex-Hogwarts students before him. If he was told two years ago that he would be inhabiting a bedspace in a home owned by a Weasley and be acquaintances –instead of enemies—with Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger he would have surely told them to check themselves into the fourth floor of St. Mungo's to be with the Longbottoms and Gilderoy Lockhart, but now, well now the times have changed.
Hermione Jean Granger turned around to see Draco Malfoy running towards her and the other "young Order recruits" about to reply when she heard another female voice reply to the blonde wizard first.
"Which Jean are you calling Malfoy?" Daphne Jean Greengrass said with a laugh as she raised her eyebrow at the boy, pausing for him to catch up with them. In the group there were two people that were referred to as "Jean" thanks to Kingsley Shacklebot who had created everyone's codenames. Apparently, when it came to missions it was better to refer to each other with codenames similarly, they were used for identification purposes. Most codenames were people's middle names, such as Harry who used James and Ron who used "Bilius" whilst for others, Shacklebot got a little more creative such as "Royal" for himself, "Moony" for Remus, "TweedleDee" for Fred, "TweedleeDum" for George and "Tonic" for Ginny.
It just so happened that Kingsley had also decided to have both Hermione Granger and Daphne Greengrass share the code name of "Jean." He said it was to confuse the death eaters, but although no one admitted it, they all knew that it was to keep Hermione safe. Daphne Jean Greengrass was ultimately to play the part of Hermione Jean Granger's decoy.
"Who else, but you…the most beautiful girl here." Draco said with a smirk as he finally caught up with the group. He handed Daphne a simple, white, four petaled flower, which Daphne accepted with a smile before putting it in her hair. "It's a Daphne," Draco began as he brushed Daphne's hair out of the way, so the flower was more noticeable in her hair. "Even this beautiful flower with whom you share the same name cannot be as beautiful as you."
Daphne smiled at the boy's words, taking his hand as they turned to follow the group who had already recommenced walking without them.
They walked in silence making their way to the stone house that had become their home for the past few weeks. "Draco?" Daphne started, once they caught up with the rest of the group. "Why do you always call me Jean?"
"Well…why shouldn't I call you Jean?" Draco questioned back, turning the tables on the girl who he had fallen in love with so quickly. Was it normal to love someone this fast? He was sure he never loved Pansy.
"Well…there are no death eaters around so calling me by my middle name is not really necessary if it's only amongst us. Besides, Jean could as easily have been Hermione. Saying the most beautiful here doesn't really help either, you could have just as easily been referring to her." Daphne explained coming to a stop in front of Shell Cottage.
"Granger? You really think I would ever be referring to Granger?" Draco replied with a chuckle at the thought. Well yeah, she isn't ugly and it was nice that she fixed that bushy mane of hers, and her teeth that resembled a beaver, but he never really thought of her as beautiful. He never really thought of her as anything really other than being the mudblood know-it-all of their class.
"Do you not think I'm beautiful Malfoy?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow, challenging the boy before him – warning him to be careful with his words. "Or is that thought too humorous for you to consider seeing as you laughed when Daphne suggested the thought?"
"I….umm… well. It's not that I don't think you're beautiful Granger…" Draco started, swallowing as Hermione's eyebrows seemed to raise even further. "It's just…I never really thought about you that way." Draco finished, biting his lip as he shoved his hands into his slack's pockets. He wanted to live past the war thanks. Was that not the reason he joined the Order of the Phoenix in the first place? He really did not want to die via Hermione Granger's angry wand. Heaven knows she could probably kill him, and make it look like an accident. She surely was smart enough to.
Hermione rolled her eyes again at the Slytherin. "Likewise, Malfoy." She replied dryly as she spun around on her heels and headed up the stone steps into the cottage.
On a road somewhere between Cornwall and London, England. November 10th, 2040.
William listened intently to his grandfather tell a story from his childhood. He had never experienced anything like this before, he loved his grandfather deeply, yes, but he never really knew much about him or his past. All that he really knew was that he was in fact alive during the Second Wizarding War, and that his parents were death eaters, but otherwise his grandfather's life had always been a closed book. Hearing his grandfather talk about the year of 1997 was new, he was learning things about him that he had never known. He hadn't even known that his grandfather knew Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. He had learnt about them in his History of Magic classes at Hogwarts, but he had never known that his grandfather had actually known them. Imagine that, his grandfather knew the famous Harry James Potter, Ronald Bilius Weasley and Hermione Jean…Jean!
"Wait…" William voiced as a lightbulb lit in his head. "There are two Jeans in your story," William continued, confused. "So, if there are two Jeans, which one are you looking for?"
Draco smirked at his grandson knowingly before he continued with his story, ignoring Williams question.
12 Grimmauld Place, Islington, London, England. July 7, 1997.
"Draco? As in Draco Malfoy?" Hermione Granger asked disbelievingly as they sat around the table in 12 Grimmauld Place. Kingsley Shacklebot had just woken the whole house up and called an emergency meeting at 4am in the morning only to tell them all that Draco freaking Malfoy was apparently joining the Order of the Phoenix. That was the stupidest thing she had ever heard, and definitely not what she was expecting to lose sleep over.
"Is there another Draco that you know of?" Minerva McGonagall asked, eyebrow raised at the younger witch.
"Yes, well I mean…no…" Hermione trailed off, realising how stupid she must have sounded. "I just…you must be joking?" Hermione hoped as she continued to explain. "Draco Malfoy? As in the one that had tormented Harry, Ron and I since we were 11? The one that took his mark last year and most likely is still a death eater? The same one that was responsible for the attack on the Astronomy Tower in Hogwarts last year?"
"Yes, Miss Granger…" came an oh so familiar drawl from the doorway. "The very same one."
Hermione swallowed hard as she turned towards the door. Her eyes flashed when she sighted the greasy black hair, pale and almost translucent skin, and crooked nose. What was he even doing back here? How was he already forgiven? Did everyone else in the room forget what he had done?
"Severus here says that Draco can be trusted Hermione, maybe he can be?" Remus offered, looking down at his shoes. He empathised with the girl. really After all, were they all not thinking the same thing? Had he not also been sceptical a few hours ago when the adults had all met to discuss the matter? He also did not believe that Draco could be trusted, but he knew that Severus could be, even if he did hate his guts. He grew up with the man, he knew of his reasons for wanting to help Harry.
"Oh yes, Severus…because he is the perfect example himself of who should be trusted." Hermione rolled her eyes at the thought. Was she the only sane one left in the Order?
"That is uncalled for Miss Granger…" Minerva began.
"He killed Dumbledore!"
The room turned silent at her outburst. All the 'children' were thinking the same thing. However, none of them had the nerve to argue with McGonagall. Ginny stood silent – looking at the ground, Ron stared at Snape –anger clear on his face, Neville's eyes darted between the door to the kitchen and the door to the hall wanting to be anywhere else but there, Ginny seemed to suddenly be very interested in her hair, Luna stared blankly at well…nothing, Fred and George for once were not laughing or joking, and basically the air in the room could be cut with a knife.
"There is a reason for everything Hermione, please calm down." The voice came from Tonks, trying her best to be calm when everyone else just seemed so tense.
"Ron? Neville? Ginny? Luna? You agree with me, don't you?" Hermione turned to the rest of the teenagers who had not said anything at all during the whole ordeal. You'd think that from them all, she would be the more accepting one and them two would be the ones doing the reasoning.
There was silence in the room as all eyes looked at the boy who lived, all awaiting with bated breath for him to respond. Yes, he was not the leader of the order, however his input was still put into consideration when it came to large decisions such as this. It was his battle after all, his life on the line. He was angry at the announcement. "Draco is coming to join the order." Like what the fuck? It wasn't even a question. It was a statement. Like they had already decided and them being 'asked' was all just out of respect or some shit. He was there. He was the one that saw Dumbledore die. He saw with his own eyes how Snape killed him, and how Draco cornered him, and now they are just going to tell him "Oh Draco is coming to join the order, and by the way Snape is back. Surprise!" Like what the hell?
"What about you guys? Fred? George?...Ginny? You dated Harry last year, surely you know what he would want?...Gin?"
"Do you trust him?" Ginny finally replied, the question intended for the elderly witch that sat at the head of the table. She was unsure of what he felt. She was even unsure of what she wanted to hear. Did she want her to say yes, to be assured that all can trust the slimy git? Or did she want her to say no so she too can deny him amongst their midst. "We have all sacrificed a lot for this war…for Harry. It is unfair that he is not even here to make a decision as big as this. So, tell us you trust him, so we can at least tell him that the decision was informed and mutual, because…because the last thing we want if to put his and our lives in danger because we allowed a snake into our backyard. I love Harry, I assume we all do, so I don't think any of us would ever be able to stomach it if something bad happens to him due to something we could have prevented." Ginny finished quickly, her words coming out in one breath. "Do you trust him?"
"I neither trust, nor distrust him." Minerva replied diplomatically, offering a neutral reply to what seemed to be a trick question. "I am sure Draco has his own reasons for wanting to join the Order of the Phoenix. No, I cannot say that I fully trust him, however I do believe that he should be given the benefit of the doubt, and at least be given the opportunity to prove himself. You have to admit, he too can be beneficial to our side." Minerva reasoned, turning to face Hermione. "As you said Miss Granger, he has a mark and is still most likely a death eater, don't you think that would be beneficial for us?"
Hermione's eyes widened at what McGonagall implied. She wanted to use Malfoy as a spy! No. No way. It was too risky in every scenario. He could be spying for Voldemort now, or…he could be killed spying on him for the Order. She hated Malfoy, yes, but she didn't want him killed. Him joining the order would be a death sentence.
Hermione gulped, closing her eyes tightly in thought. She wanted to say no. To turn away the snake and have him nowhere near these walls. However, the war was getting darker. More of them were getting killed. He needed some sort of upper hand and…and Remus agrees with the rest of the adults. Surely if Remus agreed then they know something that would mean that they could be trusted right?
"Is it just him?" Hermione asked. Yes, the meeting was about Draco Malfoy, however despite what the Order believe having one slimy pureblood Slytherin in their ranks was not going to do much to help him. If he had to say yes, he may as well say yes to them all.
"What do you mean?" McGonagall asked the her, unsure of what to reply. How did she always know when there was more to a negotiation?
"I mean…is there anymore Slytherins that would want to join us or is it just Draco. I've been in these meetings long enough, I have fought Voldemort for even longer. If we are going to risk our lives it better be worth it, and I think what you are suggesting…could actually work, to an extent that perhaps we require more than just the one. I do not want Malfoy to join us if it is just him. I do not want his blood on our hands. Harry, Ron and I have been fighting this fight since we were eleven. We should be able to choose who should and should not fight for us. However, if there were others and he wouldn't be alone…perhaps it wouldn't be so bad." Hermione replied calmly, her mind working at one hundred miles per minute.
"If Draco joins the order I believe I can persuade others to join our side," Snape replied.
No one wanted to admit it out loud however, everyone knew that their side was struggling. It appeared that Voldemort was recruiting more and more death eaters, whilst the Order of the Phoenix were dying one by one. Draco and any others could live like a spy and it would be beneficial to them, after all is Snape had apparently been able to live as a spy for years surely his godson could too. Draco wanted was to live past the war without having to live with Voldemort for another day, if he had to join the Order to survive, he would do it.
"What do you think Ron?" Hermione asked her best friend, valuing his input. He was also afraid to decide based on only Hermione and McGonagall's input, knowing Ron he would have a fit if he decided without consulting him.
Ron turned to look at Hermione. His eyes had narrowed throughout the discussion. He didn't want to interrupt, but he agreed with Hermione 100%. The ferret made their lives miserable for 6 years, let in Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and gotten Dumbledore killed, and now the Order was honestly considering letting him in? They must be barking mad!
"I agree with Hermione up until she started even considering that he would join us." Ron replied gritting his teeth. "But I think we all know that the adults have already made a decision even before this meeting was held. Right?" Ron asked flicking his sight at every adult in the room, reading their reactions. It was always the same even after all this time. They were still being used as spares, being thrown into battle without being consulted.
"Where is he?" Ron finally said flatly. The question did not appear to be directed at anyone, as he just stared off to the middle of the table. If he had to work with him, he wanted to see him first. To try and read them and know what he had planned. He was a chess player, and if Malfoy was needed to check the king, then so be it. The room was silent, unsure of how to reply. "Well?" Ron finally turned his head, quirking his eyebrow at Snape.
"Pardon?" Snape replied to the younger boy.
"After you murdered Dumbledore you and that coward left the Hogwarts grounds and were never heard of again, and now you come back here saying that he wants to join us? I want to see him. I want to know why he wants to join us. I want to look into his eyes and have him tell me that we can trust him. Where is he now? Is he still under his parents' roof back in that bloody Manor? Did he stay with you when you both ran away? What?" Ron answered in one breath. He was finding it increasingly hard to keep calm. He was Ron Weasley. Everybody knew that he had a temper, and if they didn't, now they would. "WHERE IS HE?"
"Calm down Weasley. I'm here."
A/N: Dun dun dun…and now the plot thickens. How exciting I actually updated three times this week. Be honest, how many of you actually saw that coming? None of you? All of you? Did anyone have an idea, but not the full picture? Please review to tell me how close your hypothesis was to what I had actually written, I would love to know 😊
-Majasty
Trivia #1: Daphne's character was supposed to be an OC, however, as the Greengrass sisters do not have any known middle names, one of them was used and given a middle name for the purpose of this story. Daphne was chosen as Astoria/Draco is obviously overdone. Besides I like Daphne more.
