Draco went straight to bed. He didn't want to think about what had just happened. His only wish was to blissfully fall asleep, and stay in bed for a week. He didn't bother undressing and just took off his shoes and let himself fall on the mattress.
Her raspy and strained voice echoed weirdly in the immensity of the room.
"Please …" He couldn't look at her. He was supposed to feel disgusted by her, not by what Bellatrix was doing. Not by his aunt's crocheted nails, her hand clutching a too long wand, her mouth spiting angry threats, screaming that horrific Cruciatus curse at her, again and again.
She was panting, trying to crawl out of his aunt's grasp, trying desperately and futilely to escape her ordeal. He couldn't look at her for the strong feeling that griped him every time his aunt told him to look at the filthy mudblood. But he had to. He lifted his head and there was blood. Red, thick blood. The same as his. He dropped his face again, looking at his feet, his stomach lurching dangerously, as her screams echoed again. She was screaming her lungs out in pain, a pain he could feel through her voice, that cracked and broke and failed her. And then it stopped, again. It would be a short respite, it would start again. He didn't look, he didn't want to face it, it wasn't his fault! But guilt assaulted him anyway, again, and again, as he heard her pant and spit and cough. She'd been in school with him, she was just another girl.
"Draco … please …" Draco snapped his head back up in shock. She'd said his name, for the first time ever. She looked at him but he couldn't hold her gaze, as she fell unconscious. She looked like a small child, battered and used, left to rot on the floor, like an useless object. This was inhuman, horrific, terrifying, and the worst sight Draco had ever had.
Draco woke up panting and sat straight up in the bed. Fuck. So much for not remembering! He was all sweaty and his heart was pounding against his ribcage. This had been so awful to live, he couldn't believe it could feel even worse as a nightmare. And it was worse, because now he understood exactly what that war had meant for muggle-borns and what he should have had the balls to do back then. He'd done nothing, he'd been a coward. He wanted to scream his frustration and anger and guilt out. He'd thought apologizing would have relieved him a bit but he hadn't apologized for that. He wouldn't! He wasn't about to remind them both about his cowardice, and seeing the way she'd reacted when entering the drawing room, he was fairly certain she wouldn't appreciate the reminder either. But he felt so horrible. She was there in his forsaken home, that horrid place he hated, that ironically safe place, where memories of death eaters and the dark lord lurched at every corner of tapestry, behind every painting, in every room. Maybe this house had a part to play in his constant anger. Or maybe it was just the guilt. He didn't know and didn't want to know. He wanted to forget, to fall in oblivion. It was seven thirty, he'd slept three hours. Shit, the missive was in an hour. He needed to shower, grab the scrolls and head to work.
"Everything's okay?! Why is it Lavender sending the message then? Why isn't it Hermione? It's always Mione, Harry!" Harry had waited for Ron to come back to take his turn, to tell him that Lavender had tapped the coin.
"Ron, we're not doing that again. I can't stand the git either but he is trustworthy. He is on our side, and it's only in his best interest to help the girls and you know it."
"Still …"
"Stop. That's enough. I can't go through that again Ron. I can't. You need to get over it. Mione is fine."
"You don't believe that. Have you …"
"Send her a message. Ask her. I'm going to relay Dean now and you should sleep."
Shit. Yet again another row with his best friend over his trust issues. Ron had always had a problem with trust but now it was just plain irritating. They were not children any more. Ron needed to accept the fact that people changed. Malfoy had just sent Harry a missive with a few more scrolls that sounded promising. He took one before going out of that damn too small room. He'd look at them during surveillance.
Hermione woke up a tiny bit less tired. Insignificant, but it was a start. Lavender was still asleep, curled up in a ball close to her. She looked peaceful. It was eight fifty five! She'd slept almost five hours. The fact that it felt like a blissful event made her cringe. Five hours. What a nice night. Feel bitter first thing in the morning, well done Hermione, she thought. She stretched quietly, trying not to wake Lavender yet. She grabbed her wand from under the pillow and took her coin from her pants that were laying on the floor. Ron had sent a "are you all right?" Of course he would worry. She was at the Manor with Malfoy, Zabini, and well, a bad-tempered half wolf. She tapped it. Ron had to be a wreck. Shit, she roughly rubbed her face with both hands in annoyance and concern.
A quiet knock on their door made her jump a little. No violent elf this morning? Lavender shuffled and mumbled but didn't wake.
"Brown? Granger?" Lavender startled and jumped out of bed, standing wand at the ready, her hair in total disarray. Hermione looked at her with wide eyes trying to hide her smile.
"Calm down it's only Zabini." Her blond friend seemed relieved and breathed slowly before looking like she was deeply thinking. She cocked her head to the side before saying with a strange half-smile.
"Did you ever thought you'd say that one day?" The answer was no, no need to think about it.
"Well, there could have been a better choice of words but … it really is Zabini."
"I can hear you know! I'll wait in the library, move your arses already!" Both women chuckled. After the quickest trip to the bathroom ever, they were entering the library on assured footsteps. Hermione heard a noise and Lavender scowled just when they got to the table Zabini was waiting at. She frowned at Lavender but Zabini talked before she could:
"A bit hungry maybe?" He said, lifting an eyebrow. He looked like he hadn't slept at all, much like he'd pulled his hair all night.
"No kidding, I'm starving." Lavender answered shamelessly.
"I'll call Pixie then, you hungry Granger?" Hermione took a second to think and was positive she was starving too. When was the last time she'd eaten anyway?
"Yes. But maybe I should warn …"
"Don't worry Cissa knows you're staying and she's decided to stay out of our way, except if we need her."
"Oh."
"Pixie?" A little elf popped in right away, she indeed had pixie ears. "Would you bring us some breakfast?"
"Yass mister Blaise. Pixie's always happy to serve mister Blaise." And she was gone as fast as she'd appeared. Hermione sat at the table and started perusing the pages of register on top of the pile Lavender had neatly stacked under a book.
"Straight to business." She heard Zabini's teasing comment but didn't answer, her eyes had just fallen on a book that sounded interesting. She fetched it quickly from a shelf that was a few paces away, and returned to the page to see the rest of the collection. A loud pop made her jump, little pixie was back. She'd brought a large tray with fruits, oatmeal, coffee, tea and juice. But Hermione's mind was somewhere else, closer to the book she'd just found. Another pop and the elf was gone.
"Here I thought I would receive a lecture." Zabini looked disappointed.
"And why would I give you a lecture?" She asked, genuinely confused. Did he sickly enjoyed being lectured? About what?
"I remembered you to be quite, hum, insistent about elves, err rights?" He looked both amused and strangely disturbed. This was an odd combination. SPEW had indeed been a big part of her school occupations, and a large source of bullying. She hadn't thought about that in years.
"I guess I have … different priorities now." She simply said.
"You mean important priorities?" He said. Important? Like if elves rights were not important! She frowned in started anger and he just smirked. Bloody sneaky Slytherin. She breathed slowly and gave him the best fake smile she could manage:
"Trying to anger me on purpose won't work Zabini. Find another distraction if you're bored."
She turned her chair slightly to see Lavender better while Zabini was whispering insults for himself. She'd won that one hadn't she? This was quite pleasant. Returning to the work at hand she asked an amused looking Lavender:
"Could you go through this before anything else?" She landed her the book she'd accioed, DARK ARTS, THE WAYS TO PERPETUATE THEIR HERITAGE Volume seven: Communication between pure-blooded witches and wizards.
"Oh! If we find something traceable in there we'll be working with Lee again!" Lavender looked thrilled. Lee Jordan had been working for the ministry too, but for the magical transportation and communication department. He took care mostly of Portkeys, floo network technicalities and public apparition points. He was so good at poking his nose where it didn't belong though, that he'd always given the auror's office a hand, especially when it came to spying on private ways of communication.
"Would be good to see him again." Said Hermione, remembering the cheerful and tall man, always joking and laughing loudly, when he actually always paid attention to every little detail. His Quidditch commentaries at Hogwarts seemed so far away now.
"Jordan?" Zabini asked, his nose wrinkled as if he was smelling something nasty, with his hair all over the place he looked quite like a clown.
"Yes Lee Jordan."
"Err can't stand the bloody git."
"How can you not stand him?" Asked a surprised Lavender.
"The git always belittled out Quidditch HIC!" Hermione was so surprised she was certain she looked like a carp. A hiccup? He had a hiccup? Not a regular hiccup though. Was he drunk? He definitely looked tipsy and his eyes were red but drunk? Lavender had the same expression on her face which didn't seem to please Zabini.
"What? It happens!"
"Are you … ? Did you sleep at all Zabini?" She asked. Hermione saw concern in Lavender's eyes and suddenly felt quite out of place. Zabini looked guilty and angry. Being drunk would actually explain his strong will to tease or annoy her, but it was only nine forty eight in the morning!
"Well, I … I don't have to justify myself to you! If I want to drink all night I can!"
"You didn't sleep at all then. Blaise …" Did she just call him Blaise? Hermione shrank in her seat, this was just weird. Did Lavender care for Zabini? They'd only met him again two days before hadn't they? Two fucking way too long days but still.
"Don't Brown. You don't know me. Mind your own fucking business." He hissed.
"I do as I please Zabini. You're of no use to us here if you're not thinking clearly. Go get some sleep or drink your way to oblivion for all I care but get out."
"How dare you …"
"Shut it. You're grieving and in pain. I get it. But you're also drunk when we need you to be sober and thinking straight. Get your shit together Zabini we don't have time for this." Hermione thought he was going to hit her. His fists were so tightly clenched that his knuckles looked white on his otherwise dark skin and his nostrils were wide as a bull ready to charge, fuming in anger. He stood and strode past them without a word.
"You risked his wrath there Lavender …"
"I know. But he's drunk! When we need to focus on this!" She was somehow looking quite upset about it, but they had to work. So Hermione let it go and noted to herself to ask Lavender about that later. Lavender didn't seem to need Hermione's questions though.
"He was really upset last night Mione, when you and Malfoy had left he looked so … I think he was about to cry …"
"Oh … What did you …"
"I told him nicely to go get some sleep or a drink and he didn't like it so …"
"So ?"
"So I yelled at him and he actually listened, well I thought he had."
"Oh. If only Malfoy could work the same …" Lavender chuckled. Thinking of Malfoy Hermione could just tell him about Zabini. She still had the piece of parchment he'd given her.
"I'll tell him about Zabini if you want." Lavender nodded.
"Right. Maybe he just needs a friend or something …"
"Mm, being stuck with two Gryffindors might not be the best way to grief for a Slytherin."
"Imagine yourself grieving with only those two around AND Narcissa Malfoy." Lavender answered jokingly. Hermione grimaced and they smiled at each other before settling on to work over breakfast. Poor Zabini, she thought, stuck with them, alone, and feeling the need to drink all night to forget. She felt a strong bout of compassion for the quite civil Slytherin, but she doubted Lavender only felt that. She really looked upset. Maybe her old crush on the dark boy had subsided. Awkward.
Hot. It was hot. Something was hot on the left. Something was burning! Something was burning his fucking thigh! Draco jumped out of his desk chair completely lost for a second. He looked around Potter's office and couldn't find anything out of place. Nothing except the excruciating pain that seized his thigh. That fucking horrific piece of bloody parchment! What in hell did Granger want now? Wait, had he been sleeping right on the desk? Shit he'd fallen asleep! What time was it? Oh, only for fifteen minutes. He shook his head and sat back at the desk, the sodding piece of parchment in his hand.
- Malfoy, Zabini's been drunk since last night. Just wanted to let you know that he's quite upset and obviously doesn't find any comfort in our company. If you've got any time, which I doubt, you might want to have a word with him.
Oh. Shit. Of course Blaise would be a wreck at some point. Shit he didn't have any time for the lad. Shit. Before he could even think of an answer though a loud crack echoed and Potter appeared in the corner of the room.
"Oh you're here, good."
"What the fuck Potter? Avada-ing me would be easier!"
"Oh come on. I have questions about the scrolls."
"Oh." He took a few steps and sat opposite Draco, at the visitor's chair, in his own office. He didn't even seem to mind and unrolled a scroll on the table, above the mountain of documents that laid there.
"Here look, you circled a few places, I've eliminated some but we didn't know about those. When did you found out about this scroll? It's the most accurate it seems." Scarhead looked completely taken by his work, as if he'd just left a meeting table and was continuing it now with him. Draco caught up with him.
"This morning, the missive was late so I looked at what Granger didn't show me last night. Look, those three might be used right now. I don't know exactly but they were used as safe houses for a time during the first war if I'm not mistaken."
"Right. We need to go check then. Are you sure?"
"No. I'm only working with what I remember from what my father used to say, and from the Dark … you-know-who's stay at the Manor. I wasn't present at every meeting but I caught a few things."
"Right. What are those in blue?"
"Fuck Potter it's written on the back! Blue are the ones I know nothing about. Red priority check in my opinion, green already secured."
"On the back. Of course. Right. I have a few calls to make, would you mind …"
"I need a break anyway." Potter nodded, seemingly deep in his thoughts, his swollen and red tired eyes scanning the scroll over and over. Draco left him there and went to the atrium to get a coffee. He couldn't afford to fall asleep on the desk again. He bitterly remembered how he'd found Potter asleep on the very same desk a few days before and had startled him. Payback.
He sat on a waiting seat next to the coffee witch and suddenly remembered the parchment. At least the damn thing didn't burn any more now that he'd read it. He took his self-inking quill out and scribbled a response.
- Can't before tonight. Might make him feel better to lash out on you. Let him?
Her response didn't take long.
- Not happening. Any advice?
He had only one and she wasn't going to like it.
- Offer him a drink, always works with me.
- You kidding right? He's already drunk from last night. LAST NIGHT. Wouldn't want him to fall in a coma.
Weird, it felt weird communicating this way with her. Especially after the night before. It didn't feel like Granger on paper. Well, at least not like the old Granger he knew. He answered tentatively.
- Maybe he'd get some rest this way.
Yes, joking could make things less weird.
- Stop joking this is not funny Malfoy. If you don't care about your friend then all right. We'll body-bind him in a corner of the library.
Like she would do that. Wait, was she joking back?
- You can try. And of course I care but there's nothing I can do from here. Maybe … no Brown would never agree. Never mind.
She wasn't going to enjoy that joke though.
- What?
No, he couldn't make that one.
- Never mind Granger.
- Tell me Malfoy or I'll have to find a way to restrain him for real.
Stubborn. That was familiar.
- As I said you can try.
- Just fucking tell me already!
Swearing eh? All right then.
- Well maybe Brown could tickle him under the belt. He always copes like that and he looked quite fascinated with her earlier.
There, done.
- PIG.
Draco chuckled. He didn't know if her short answer was amused or really insulting but he knew for a fact that when she was angry she had a tendency to speak way too many words. So maybe she'd found it funny.
- Who? Me or him?
- The both of you. You can't cure everything by shagging.
Shagging? Not so uptight after all. If it wasn't for the certainty that his magic worked he would have thought someone else was writing.
- Shagging? I never used such a dirty word Granger. I said tickle. Here I thought Gryffindors were all pure. My mistake.
- Never presume anything about a Gryffindor Malfoy, you might find yourself badly surprised.
- I'll keep that in mind then. And the fact that, how did you say? The "bushy-haired book-worm" has a dirty mind. Seriously, just keep him company, let him annoy you a bit and it'll be fine until I'm back.
- I don't! Wipe that off of your little skull! All right, if he tries to kill us I'll have you arrested for accomplice in attempt murder on a ministry official.
- Never. Fair enough.
He sent it and sensed this was the end of their surprisingly not so unpleasant little banter. But, as a faint smile still stole his lips he decided he had something to add.
- Thank you Granger.
No one would believe her anyway and she was the only one that could read it. He still regretted it as soon as the words disappeared from the page. He knew she'd read it. And as if she didn't believe it or if she knew he would feel bad about writing this, she had the decency not to answer.
Draco walked back slowly to the lift. This had been … strange but not unpleasant. After the terrible nightmare he'd had the night before he'd thought he would never be able to look at her in the eyes again, let alone speak to her. He'd thought it would be really weird to have to work with her. But writing to her had just been easy. She was quick to answer and witty and while he wrote he forgot who was reading the other piece of parchment. Maybe this was the way to keep being civil without struggle, without actually having to bear the sight of her empty and desperate eyes. Maybe. Draco arrived at Potter's office to find the door open and a strong hubbub going on. Potter had guests. A lot of guests.
They were only at half that horrific register when Zabini finally emerged from his bedroom to the library. He looked dishevelled and like he needed a shower but Hermione wasn't about to comment on that. Not when he actually came in looking quite guilty and torn. He sat at the end of the small table, where Lavender and Hermione were working face to face.
"I slept." He said. Hermione thought it was his way to apologize and get to work and accepted it with a faint smile and a nod. Lavender would be harder to convince though, she scowled and answered coolly:
"You mean I'm sorry I was a stubborn drunk-head earlier, right?" He looked at her coolly too but his eyes were not really angry, and Hermione guessed that he really felt better.
"Don't push it Bl … Brown." He said and Hermione saw a hint of a smile on both their faces.
"Ready to work then?"
"Yes." And Lavender gave him the next pile of pages from the register.
This really felt strange, Hermione needed to talk to Lavender about it. Had it just looked like they shared some private joke? Shaking her head she went back to work but her pocket started to get a bit too warm. Malfoy. She felt strangely eager to read what he'd written to her. Their precedent talk had been … like a foreign territory. After his apologies the night before, and his considerate question, she felt like he really wanted to try and play civil. And he'd said thank you. It was certainly the first time in his life he was saying it. Well, there was no possible witness, maybe he was just trying to get even with her for the night before. Otherwise his words on paper had been mockingly joking, but had lacked the usual cruelty or bullying tone. It had been, for the lack of better word, almost friendly. And a bit disgusting. Hermione hadn't told Lavender about his tickling suggestion. She'd thought Lavender would probably bite his hand off for that kind of joke, but now she was starting to believe Lavender might respond totally differently to the dirty suggestion. Yuk.
- Granger, Potter wants you to know he called the order, Weasleys: father, the twin and another tall one with long hair, then Diggle or Dingle? and Finnigan, are at his office. He's going to plan checking interventions on a few of the places that were on the last scroll. Thanks to me, again, he reduced the number of places to seven. He wants you to stay at the library and dig as much as you can, he said McGonagall will send you what she finds at Hogwarts. Of course I'll be the lackey bringing those document to you once I'm home. He also keeps insisting that I tell you to, and I quote: "Tap the bloody coin already, Ron's loosing his shit." Which doesn't make any sense, but is still quite pleasant to hear. I know I shouldn't presume but are you sure your little romance is all right? Potter looks really pissed at the weasel … Just so you know. Keep him posted here, he'll do the same, to my greatest displeasure.
Well, she'd take the romance comment as a joke. He could have been far worse with that, especially when it came to Ron. The blond and the redhead hated each other to the guts and re reading the quite long message she thought it was civil enough. Actually it was the most civil she'd ever witnessed when Malfoy talked about Ron. Hermione told Lavender about the order in with them and about Harry's next missions and her friend whined:
"I'm missing it!"
"It's just checking Lavender, pretty much waiting patiently in the woods, listening carefully and coming back. Nothing that exciting."
"Mm, right."
Hermione listened to Harry's order about Ron's behaviour and tapped her coin, before answering the ferret.
- Their names are Arthur, George, Bill Weasley, and Dedalus Diggle. Actually I retrieved those last scrolls. But take the credit I don't mind sharing some of the glory. So seven interventions planned, he should call Katie Bell and Oliver Wood. I know they're busy but they're gifted.
As for the lackey job, I hope he gives you a tip.
I just tapped the coin. It makes sense and not that it's any of your business but there is no romance. Tell Harry I'm taking care of the issue. And send my love to all of them, I look forward to seeing them!
Her coined response was quick, Ron had accepted her patronus message. It took a moment but she managed to make a quite decent otter. She wasn't about to lecture Ron on her well-being with the shadow of a patronus. Ron was not stupid. Lavender chuckled at her when she started telling her patronus what to transfer to Ron. It went from stop worrying, to quit annoying Harry, to you're a bloody grown-up, people change, get used to it, to I'm fucking fine I don't need your concern. She ended it with a see you soon, love, Mione, but realised it might not be enough to minimize the yelling.
"Wow, that was scary." Said Zabini, actually looking quite frightened. "No wonder they were walking straight with you all school!" Lavender chuckled even more, and Hermione smiled at him.
"See what could happen to you if you're too annoying?"
"Yeah, that and my wolfy wrath." Added Lavender. Zabini shrank in his seat jokingly.
"You won't, I'm way too cute." Both girls laughed at that comment and Hermione saw her parchment glow a bit. She had an answer. Good to know that if she hadn't the piece of paper in her pocket she would still be able to tell when she got a message.
- Those documents are mine, in case you've forgotten, so the glory is mine too. He said he'll try to call them. As for the tip Granger, I don't need any money, thank you very much. I wouldn't mind being rid of all the stressed out Gryffindors chatting endlessly on my work place right now though. So no cheap marriage then? I so wanted to be the best man, it's a shame, I'm handsome in a tuxedo. No way in hell am I sending any love to anyone. How is Blaise?
Again she would take his cheap marriage comment as a joke. He'd tamed it with the tuxedo pretentious statement though. Maybe it really was a joke. A bit condescending and irritating but she could cope with that couldn't she?
- It might relieve some of their stress to lash out on you though, let them?
I don't think so, plus a wedding tuxedo might not be the best choice for you. The white is forbidden, we could get you mistaken with the walls, not really practical.
Did my love message make you think about Zabini? I was not aware of your little romance Malfoy. I'll tell your lover you worry about him.
Hermione laughed at her own answer. It startled the others.
"What's so funny?" Lavender asked. Zabini looked disturbed.
"If you're loosing your mind Granger do it somewhere else please."
"I'm not. I'm wining the argument. A bit of payback for Malfoy."
"Hermione …"
"It's not like that Lavender I promise. Actually it's quite civil."
"I hope so, I don't want you two yelling at each other again."
"It's all right I promise."
- Not happening either Granger.
Well thank god for him the weasel's got his hair to stand out from the walls then.
Very funny. Don't tell him that he'll go all paranoid and think I got imperioed.
Might as well just give a hint to Zabini then.
"I just implied he was in love with you Zabini. Nothing that infuriating. He'd made nasty comments about my friends."
"Oh. I don't think he's going to take that very well Granger, I know he's been in love with me since fourth year but I've never responded to his advances."
The three of them burst out laughing.
"That is so Slytherin, you have no loyalty!" Said Lavender.
"I'm surrounded by Gryffindors right now, my loyalty lays where I can stay alive." Zabini answered only half-joking.
"Well that's given me something to answer." Zabini wide-eyed Hermione.
"No, don't tell him that!"
"Watch me." She said provocatively. "Don't forget, only Gryffindors here." He scowled in response but let go of it and Hermione wrote her answer.
- Actually he just confessed knowing about your undying love for him since fourth year. I'm so sorry Malfoy but he's still not interested.
- SOW.
Hermione chuckled for herself. He couldn't have taken it wrong since he used her pig insult from earlier that day. Zabini looked at her with one lifted eyebrow, and a questioning gaze.
"I won." He nodded and smiled to his page. Lavender looked at her with a bit of concern but her half-smile showed some amusement. The banter had just ended though, she needed to get back to work.
"Did you just laugh at your blank parchment Malfoy? Harry, Malfoy's insane!" The twin weasel was annoying. He hadn't laughed he'd chuckled. Well it was still weird, he'd chuckled at a joke Granger had made, at his own expense. It had also happened the other way around the first night she'd stayed at the Manor. Was the world upside down?
"It's not blank you moron, it's charmed."
"What's Hermione saying?" Shit. Potter had both made him look less insane, and trapped him. What was he supposed to tell them? That she'd implied he loved Blaise? That shouldn't make him laugh. Well he'd have to resolve to being a git.
"Well she sent her love to all of you. Which I found so Gryffindorly expected it made me laugh."
Not too bad. Could still have done better.
"Git. Send it back to her." Said the twin weasel.
"Oh you don't want it? My pleasure to inform her." Draco smirked for good measure.
"You sodding …" The idiot looked quite like his golden sibling, all red and angry, Draco wanted to laugh.
"That's enough Malfoy. Go ahead guys I need a word with him." Potter said and without deflating the twin strode out of the office, slowly followed by curious order members. Once the door was closed Draco decided to take the lead:
"I don't need a lecture Potter, this was a perfectly civil conversation."
"I doubt that somehow. Look, I trust it you're behaving with her. Hermione's been through a lot and she's not at her best right now."
"I noticed that Potter."
"Yes well, staying at the manor can't be easy on her …"
"Stop. I know all that. She's fine. Actually she was the one insulting me there."
"Oh. Really?"
"Yes."
"And you found it funny?" Shit.
"Err, she won that one. It was eh … clever."
"Mm. Just keep in mind that I can arrest you …"
"Don't threaten me scarhead you're wasting your time."
"Do I make myself clear though ferret?"
"Yes. Now just go I have work to do."
"Actually … I'll be coming back shortly with my team, the order's taking the surveillance at Azkaban, we'll work from here. Stay available, we might need you, plus Minerva's going to drop a few documents for Hermione."
"You do realise I'm not taking orders from you right?"
"Who are you taking them from then? The PM?"
"Touché. Right. Get out now."
"You do realise this is my office?"
"And who is doing your job then?"
"All right, I'll see myself out."
- Could you send me back the file about the quill vendor you own? And ask Arthur his report on his intervention? I might have a lead.
Shit. Draco stormed out of his office only to find Potter talking quietly with the concerned Weasley, they were about to Portkey themselves out of there together.
"Wait Potter!"
"Quickly it's about to go."
"Granger needs your report on the quill vendor Weasley."
"Oh." The almost bald Weasley waved his wand a second and a flying note appeared and went away. "Here, Mindy will send it to you." Draco nodded and went back to the office.
Hermione wanted to exchange tasks with Lavender. Looking at that damn register was horribly boring.
"Yes take that damn book of yours it only talks about sneaking messages with weird inks anyway. This is going nowhere!"
"Weird inks?"
"That explodes …"
"Give it!" Hermione snatched the book from Lavender's hands and scanned the pages so quickly she couldn't comprehend what Lavender was saying any more. Modified ink. Messages passed between dark wizards on half pieces of parchment. That was where Malfoy had learnt that spell! This rang so many bells it was overwhelming. That quill vendor was owned by Malfoy inc. She needed to read that file again. Arthur's report would be important too. She wrote that to the ferret and went straight back to her book. Those parchments could be cursed to be only seen by their owners. Did Lestrange have one? If it was the case this would explain how he had known where to go once out of Azkaban. This could also explain how he had remained sane, well sane enough, to be able to escape the dementors. Hermione remembered Sirius saying that he used to transform into a dog to refrain the despair. Maybe communicating with someone else helped too? Maybe he'd kept contact with one of the death eaters that was still out of prison during all those years? Shit, this was an important lead.
- I'll have the report tonight, and the file is in my office, you'll have to wait.
She couldn't wait this long it would drive her insane.
- Can't I just get in your office? This might be important.
- I doubt it.
And what did he know? She'd have to explain.
- All right. I found a document talking about self exploding ink that got used between pure-blooded important gits to communicate plans and messages, as well as halved parchments (how convenient of you to know such a charm) used to communicate secretly between multiple people. Your quill vendor modified ink so it would explode when you write certain words. The man had a background, Arthur investigated him for a reason. I saw the note yesterday but had something else to do so I didn't read his report. I have a gut feeling. I've had a gut feeling about this shop since the beginning Malfoy. Plus, it's close to the old Manor.
- West wing, second floor, last door. Alohomora. Should still be on the desk. The report will have to wait Potter needs me there until tonight.
- That's a start thanks! Keep him posted.
- Right. Take Blaise with you, as wonderful as it sounds to have you lost in my maze of a house, I'd rather not get arrested for kidnapping.
- GIT.
She chuckled, yet another joke. She explained everything to Lavender and Zabini and the last stood up.
"Let's go then."
"Go ahead I'll keep digging." Lavender said.
Zabini lead Hermione to the west wing, and Malfoy had been right, she would have gotten lost in the house. This was a gigantic maze of marbled floors and horrid blond heads paintings that kept insulting her when she passed them.
"Reminds me of Mrs Black."
"Sorry?"
"Nothing, those paintings are just …"
"Angry supremacists?"
"Right."
"Here, that's this door." Hermione opened a large wooden and carved door with her wand, and promised herself to tell Malfoy to keep some sort of more complex locking spell there. This was his office after all. She entered first, in what seemed more like a minister's office than of a simple officer's. She got reminded that he also owned his own company. There was two large windows with a garden view in front of her, wide and fully stacked bookshelves on almost every wall and a immense oak desk, with a leather chair. There was also a piece of carved furniture that had a bottle of firewhiskey on top, along with crystal glasses, and probably more alcohol inside, as well as two big velvety chairs by the second window. The desk was neatly ordered, except for a few files in a corner. Even his ink pot was put straight. He could call her uptight. The walls were a pale green colour and there was a Slytherin Quidditch jersey hanged on the desk chair.
"Stop drooling Granger, I know it's probably bigger than Weasley's whole house but it's just an office." That was free.
"What the hell is it that you, Slytherins, have got with the Burrow?" She asked exasperatedly.
"Nothing in particular, making fun of the weasel is just funny." Zabini smirked, quite happy with himself.
"Well quit mocking his home, it's actually my favourite place on earth." That was the truth. The burrow always smelled like Molly's cooking, she always got too many hugs and went home stuffed. She always had a good laugh too and she felt like home there, especially since them. Stop.
"That's only because you're with him." Why did everyone thought that?
"Oh my … I am not! And actually the Burrow may be small but it's warm and welcoming and joyful! The entire opposite of this house!"
"Mm. I give that one to you, the Manor's not the most welcoming place. Wait, you're not with the weasel?"
"No I am not."
"Oh. I thought you were. Didn't you have something for him in school?" Had it been that obvious?
"That's none of your business Zabini."
"Oh come on, I'm sure I read something on witch weekly post war."
"You read that gossipy girl crap?"
"Well it's interesting sometimes, and it talks about you and your boys quite often actually."
"It's a load of crap."
"I'm not so sure. See gossips are always a bit true …"
"Merlin you just sound like Lavender."
"Oh do I?" He looked falsely disgusted. Clearly he wasn't. Bad actor for a Slytherin. Maybe Malfoy was right.
"She always says that gossips come from a truth. Which truth is to guess but there's still one."
"Well as painful as it will be to confess, I think she's right and that you dated the weasel at least after the war."
"Well, it … yes I did. But it's been over for years."
"Why?"
"Mind your …"
"Come on Granger it's not like I've got anyone to tell to." He had a point and who would be interested anyway? If she told him she needed something to balance it out though, and she was wondering something.
"Mm. Only if you answer a question of mine."
"Deal go ahead."
"We never saw each other, he was in auror training, and I was in healer's training. We wrote to each other every other day or so but well, he's not that much of a writer … And hum, we forgot to write for a fortnight once and … decided to end it. That's it Zabini. Nothing exciting."
"Well all right but you work together now don't you?"
"It passed, we've got so much on our minds and, well to be honest I … I was bored with him. I love him very much, he's my best friend, but he's only that." Why did she say that? Confiding in Zabini was the strangest thing ever. Not the safest one either.
"Bored? That's juicy."
"You keep your mouth shut Zabini or I'll hex you."
"Right." He said lifting his hands in the air as surrender.
"Answer this now: I know you've never been involved with death eaters or anything but … do you believe in that pure-blooded nonsense? I remember you being quite the bully too but …"
"But I never used the word mudblood no, as you said it's nonsense." He suddenly seemed so worried his eyes were wide. "I'm sorry Granger I didn't mean to …"
"It's all right. I don't mind the word actually it doesn't mean anything." She murmured for herself "wear it everyday …"
"Well I'm still sorry." He looked at her gravely and Hermione sensed there was more to his apologies than that simple word. But he'd just grabbed the file from Malfoy's desk and handed it to her, putting the matter back to work.