Author's Note: Oh crap, I've reached the end and I hadn't even realized it! Now that Draco and Hermione's story has been told we have one major knot to unravel: who was attacking Muggleborns while disguised as Draco? This chapter answers that very question! And it goes to show that Harry and Ron aren't going to be too difficult about the idea that their best friend has ended up with a Slytherin.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own these characters though I wish I did.
Hermione stepped out into Diagon Alley the Friday after her and Draco had met with her friends, her heart thumping in her chest. She fiercely clutched the wand hidden by her robes as she turned down the least busy street she could find. She couldn't help but think I really hope this works as she purposefully dropped her purse onto the cobblestones.
She slowly bent down to pick it up, pretending like she was unaware of anything else around her. Then she suddenly stood up straight, just in time for the spell to shoot passed her. In one fluid motion she spun around to face her attacker. Her wand didn't waver for a moment even when she saw Draco Malfoy looking back at her.
"You never expected it to really be me, did you?"
Hermione sighed and placed the figure under a Body Bind before "he" could make another move but she modified it so the attacker would stand up straight instead of fall forward. She wanted him to see that he had walked right into a drop.
When Harry, Ron, Draco, and a few other Aurors came out from their hiding spaces the Draco imposter's eyes grew wide.
"First of all I would never let my guard down like that unless I was doing it for a reason," Hermione said as she stepped closer to her would be attacker. "And second of all, it was silly of you to think you could really pass yourself off as Draco. If you'd read the article about his trial you'd know why I'd know better than to believe he was really behind the attacks."
The real Draco looked his double up and down and then snorted. "Oh my imposter knows all about the trial. In fact he, or should I say she, was there."
Imposter Draco's bugged open even more and everyone turned to gape at the real one. Harry had brought along a potion that would instantaneously negate the effects of the Polyjuice but hadn't gotten a chance to use it before Draco's crazy statement.
"So who is she Malfoy? I mean the real Malfoy," Ron asked, stumbling over his words as he looked between the two blondes.
Instead of answering Draco continued to stare at his double. "If you were smart you would have switched wands so no one would be able to recognize it. And you should have removed your necklace." He pulled the ornate gold "P" out from the attacker's collar. "So why'd you pretend to be me when you attacked people Pansy?"
They stood there for several long minutes. Long enough that the Polyjuice Potion wore off and the Draco façade fell and revealed Pansy Parkinson. Harry quickly undid the Body Bind and instead tied her hands behind her back with a pair of magical cuffs.
Pansy's lip curled up in a snarl. "You shouldn't even have to ask, Draco. I've known about your relationship with her since Sixth Year when I followed you to that room I could never enter."
"Why did you never confront us about it then?" Hermione couldn't help but ask.
Pansy refused to meet Hermione's stare, instead focusing on Draco. "I kept hoping you'd come to your senses but by graduation I knew you needed a push. I started attacking Muggleborns so you'd leave her, knowing she'd never be safe, especially not with you by her side. And I started doing it disguised as you in hopes she'd hear of it and doubt you."
"Well that makes our job easier," Ron said as he helped Harry get a tighter hold on Pansy, preparing to Apparate her back to the Ministry. "I love confessions, especially public ones."
"She clearly did not think that through. I'm disappointed that we didn't figure this out before." Harry shook his head in disdain. "Well we better get her to the Ministry. We'll need you to come in for your statements but that can wait. Enjoy your day!"
Once the others had Apparated away Draco pulled Hermione into his arms. "So how about I take you out for dinner tonight? We can go to a restaurant in public and you shouldn't have to worry about imminent death."
"Sounds like a perfect night." Hermione tilted her head up and captured his lips with her own.
And for the first time in years they didn't have to worry about who might be watching.