Story Title: Redemption
Rating: T
Genre: Romance/Redemption
Pairing: Dramione
Characters: Draco and Hermione
Summary: Draco has struggled since the war. He doesn't know who he really is or where he stands but suddenly someone believes in him. A whole new world is opening to him and to his heart.
Beta love to my beta who shall remain anonymous until after the reveals
This is a part of an anonymous contest and will remain so until after the contest has been voted on and reveals are finished.
We would like to acknowledge that all of the writers know that the Harry Potter characters, locations and any plot lines used are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Prologue
Draco sat staring out his bedroom window. His mother had come up twice to tell him to change and shower but he hadn't found the energy to move yet. So many people had died today. He almost died today and the only reason he hadn't was because of bloody Harry Potter. Everything his father had stood for was ashes and rubble. Not that he was thrilled about his father psychopathic following of the man who was obviously just as deranged and power hungry. The image of the rows of dead classmates and children filled his eyesight again. How could he ever forgive himself for letting his family pull him so far in. No one would believe he had swam in doubt about his path he was raised to follow, well except Dumbledore, who had obviously all along. No one would ever let him live it down.
Narcissa Malfoy came back into the room again. Her weary eyes and hunched body told Draco how tired she was, yet when she saw him still crumpled in the window seat she straightened and came to his side arms wide open. Draco fell into her embrace. They stood there for a long time silent and exhausted and drawing strength from each other. Despite all that she had gone through with his father and the death eaters she was always his comfort and she was always strong. Draco finally kissed her cheek and went to shower. If his mother could stand tall and still be there for him then he would stand tall and try and become a son and a man worthy of his mother's unconditional love.
Chapter one
Draco and Narcissa sat at the dinner table eating supper silently. This had been his mother's one requirement when Draco had moved out with her. She wanted him home everyday for dinner so she didn't have to worry about him. It had been three years since then and he knew she didn't worry the same way anymore but she did seem to enjoy it still anyway. However, tonight, the silence stretched between them.
"Draco?"
"No Mom, I said no." She raised an eyebrow staring him down. He didn't look at her eyes knowing he'd lose the battle that way. He picked at his salad some more, hoping that she would drop it. His mother however is not the dropping it type. She cleared her throat and Draco covered his face and groaned.
"Draco this is a good opportunity for you! You've always wanted to do more, and even though you deny it, I know it upsets you when you don't get to move forward because of your past. This job opportunity will get you a way into the Ministry. You will not turn it down over pride. Maybe this will even get you out on your own!"
His hands flew from his face and he opened his mouth.
"Nope! You're not blaming this one on me. I needed and appreciated the support when we first went out without your father. Now you need to find yourself again. I insist you take this position and get your own place."
"Yes Mother." Draco knew the tone and knew he wouldn't win. He could always quit if he hated it. Now that he thought about it he probably should have his own place. He Accio'd the Daily Prophet to him and opened to the real estate section.
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Since money was no object for Draco as his mother was even more wealthy than his father. He had picked out his apartment that day and he and his mom spent the weekend moving all of his belongings into his new bachelor pad. He had to admit it felt nice to have his own space that he could call his own, and he was glad he got it done before his dreaded new job. His mother was tickled pink at his place and that he was doing as she wanted, per usual.
She had finally left confident that he wasn't going to starve over the next few days and he collapsed onto his bed. He wished that he had someway to talk his mom out of this job tomorrow. He hadn't been able to get a job in any kind of line of work that had to do with the ministry, or anything else that he would like to do because of his past and he was sick of doing work that he hated.
Tomorrow he would become the temporary assistant of the new deputy mistress of the department of magical law enforcement. Hermione Granger. According to his mom she was willing to take him on until she could find a permanent assistant. Her position had just become final and she hadn't had time to look for one. She was willing to give him a chance and give him the in back into the ministry to do actual work to better his community, because she had always known he wasn't capable of being a death eater. Not that Draco believed his mother when she said these things but she had pestered him and pestered him and he had caved. He was ashamed to remember just how terrible he had been to Hermione during his school days. Constantly trying to become this person his father wanted for him. Trying to fit into the social norms that were expected of him and be accepted in the circle he was required to live in. He had pushed out any doubt that he had ever heard from himself in efforts to stay in line with what his father expected him to become. Over the last three years he had let go of a lot of that stuff with help from a few good buddies and a short stint in counseling. He hopes that Hermione would forgive him and give him a real chance to prove that purebloods didn't have to be cruel or evil. That purebloods could learn to be accepting of Muggles. He knew that there are plenty of other purebloods who had fallen away from the pack so to speak during Voldemort's reign and had been completely disowned because of it.
He hadn't defended them then and so now he must make amends. Draco picked out his outfit for the next day and read a book until he dozed off. He tossed and turned and then he dreamed his age old nightmare of the bodies lined up in a row of his fellow classmates and children all because Voldemort had deemed them unworthy and wanted to control all magic and all people. He woke up to his alarm with the hot sweat on his bare chest and tears on his cheeks. He looked at the clock, took a deep breath, and headed to face this day.
Draco re-straightened an item on his desk that didn't need to be straightened. He arrived at the office early and moved in his plants, a few pictures, and all of his supplies. He was dressed impeccably with an expression of indifference fixed firmly on his face. He was not going to let anyone belittle him or make him feel like he couldn't make his life better here. He paced back-and-forth a few times in the office waiting for Hermione to get in. The nerves starting to get to him, not that anybody who look to him would ever be able to tell. He turned to look at his desk one last time and noticed a speck of dirt on the table. He walked over to brush it away when Hermione said "Good Morning Malfoy."
Malfoy jumped, knocking over several picture frames and a plant from his desk and shattering the glass. His face tinged pink just a little bit and he pulled out his wand.
"Reparo" he said but in his nerves he stumbled a little on the pronunciation. Glass flew everywhere Draco and Hermione ducked. Frick Draco growled in his head. How could he screwed up such a simple spell! ESPECIALLY in front of the brightest Witch of the Age. He took a deep breath and repeated the spell. The picture frames and pot flew back together and sat on his desk. Draco turned to face Hermione. He expected to see her looking irritated, disgusted, or, annoyed but instead she was stifling a giggle.
"Draco you don't have to be so nervous! This is just a temporary position under me and hopefully it will help people see that you want to do good in our community. At least that's what your mother said and I believe her. My usual assistant chose to stay in my previous office and I appreciate having someone to come in on such short notice to help me out. Usually I start my day out with some coffee, And once I figure out what my days will entail I will give you more work to do." She smiled a small, sweet, compassionate smile.
"Can I do anything for you?" Draco blink rapidly a few times. What kind of coffee can I get you?"
"A Mocha is fine, thank you." Hermione walked into the office beside Draco's desk and Draco could not help noticing her cute butt in the fantastic skirt she was wearing.
He left the office in search of the requested beverage, his mind galloping ahead of him. He had never thought in a million years that this position would end up being pleasant. Could Hermione be able to look past his upbringing and stupid adolescent behaviors and actually get along with him? Not that he expected more than that. Friendship would most likely be out of the question but a good job, helping do good under a boss who was trying not to despise him? Draco smiled just the hint of a smile as he paid for the coffee, he could do this.
Chapter 2
The last month had flown by as Hermione had gotten the feel for her new position, Draco had been handed quite a work load. He was enjoying himself immensely. The work within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was hard and busy, and Hermione was making huge strides to undo years of unfair and unjust laws, rules, and procedures. He knew before that she was a force to be reckoned with. She had hit him after all. Seeing her at work here, where her passion and fire was powerful and unstoppable was awe inspiring.
He looked across the conference room at her with her hair frizzy and her eyes gleaming. The law she was working on was very dear to her and she had been championing it since day one in office. The Daily Prophet was saying it was taking too hard a stand when her term was in its infancy but she hadn't cared. Now, the law protecting muggle borns from being treated as dirt but also protecting magical folk from muggles was almost at fruition. Despite what the Daily Prophet had said she had flocks of people supporting her, either married, cousin, friend, niece, nephew ot neighbor where muggle or half muggle. The section working with the muggle government to add more punishment for crime committed against the vulnerable populations of muggle was a never before seen act as well. Hermione had met with the Prime Minister and explained how this protected Muggles from outburst from young witches and wizards that could kill them while giving them a another tool to weed out crimes of cruelty that were not allowed in their own laws already.
As she bit the quill concentrating hard, Draco again for the hundredth time, thought how lucky he was his mother had insisted that he take this position. He had learned so much working at the Ministry of Magic and he was no longer this strange presence in the building anymore. Sure plenty of people wanted to assume he was just like his dad and would be back to a dark lifestyle the moment he was allowed again, but plenty of others didn't seem to care as long as he did a good job. No one flinched when he walked through a room anymore, and Hermione had started to look for a permanent assistant so Draco had started looking to see what other position he may be able to get. There had been bumps. A couple people had yelled at him and cursed his name. One lady had slapped him so hard he had almost blacked out. Today though he walked through the building running errands for Hermione and it was calm and almost like he could belong.
He had just finished his stack of work and he looked over at Hermione while stacking it all up.
"Anything else I can do today?" he inquired.
"Umm, no I don't think so, I just have to finish polishing this to be read by the Wigamont tomorrow." She was very distracted digging for a book to reference.
Draco smiled at her and she looked up.
"What Malfoy?" His smile broadened because she only used his surname when she was on edge.
"Oh nothing just impressed by the view."
She snorted. "Sure you are, all the ink, papers, and shedded hair."
Draco chuckled and said,"Well I mainly meant the intensity of which you are changing our world but take it how you want too." She glanced up at him, mouth slightly agape.
"Oh, thank you," she was obviously thrown off guard.
"Well I mean it, you are a force unable to be withstood." She stood up smiling again.
"There that's done and we are set for tomorrow. I really appreciate how hard you've work to help me launch this off the ground on top of all the other things I had to accomplish in this first month. You've been stellar, steadfast, a rock." She walked around the table with a pile of paperwork.
"I'll take that" said Draco, grabbing it from her and opening the door. "I appreciate the opportunity to prove myself more than you could ever know Hermione. Besides that I like helping make changes that fix some of the flaws that ruled how I was raised." They had in the meantime, dropped the papers at her office desk, locked the door and walked towards the exit so they could apparate. Draco looked slightly down at Hermione, a strange feeling taking over him. He took her hand. She stopped dead, looking inquisitively at his face with a slightly confused smile.
"I really, really appreciate it more than you could ever know. You have given me hope of redemption and a job with purpose and a chance to lessen the stain the name Malfoy has left on the Wizarding community. I can never thank you enough for believing in me." Hermione's gaze softened.
"I believe in everyone if I am at all capable of doing so. I know though that you had more need of the chance than most. I also knew you could be doggedly persistent if you had it in you mind to accomplish something and who was I to stand in your way when you are trying so hard to make amends. I was glad to give you a chance."
Draco looked into the face of this marvelously caring woman and felt a shift, a feeling he never thought he'd feel again. He felt the strength leaving him while all the while another feeling was bubbling up like a spring of fresh mountain water. Hermione gave him a funny look just as Draco leaned over and gave her a soft, determined, kiss on her wonderful and lovely mouth.
The kiss must have lasted just a moment but for both of them it was an age when Draco pulled back, amazed at his own audacity, overwhelmed by emotions. He looking into her eyes and saw confusion, surprise, and then there in the corner like a long forgotten treasure, a sense of joy and pleasure at the kiss. He panicked suddenly, stumbled backward, letting go of her hand. Her expression changed to confusion and then a little bit of irritation as he kept walking backwards, stammering. Then completely engulfed by panic he apparated away, leaving Hermione thunderstruck.
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