Draco was brooding away as he sat at the kitchen table of Grimmauld Place. It had been a horrible week for him, and now that he knew that his own housemates loathed him, despite his looks, he felt even worse. Draco was miserable.
At that moment, he was tapping his fingers impatiently against the wooden table, waiting for Isabella to finish making dinner. He slouched in his seat as he glared at the housekeeper's back. He was annoyed that she insisted on making dinner manually. She had always claimed that it made the food taste better, but Draco did not buy it.
Draco then heard the sound of water pouring next to him. He glanced to his left and saw William pouring water into his glass. Draco got increasingly anxious as the liquid filled the glass, anticipating the moment it would pour over. Once it reached the tip, William pulled the pitcher back and Draco sighed in relief. Suddenly, the blind man tipped the pitcher to pour again. Draco jerked out his arm to stop him but William just started to giggle.
"Just wanted to see how far you'd let me go," the tutor said while putting the pitcher down, "No pun intended."
Draco scoffed and grunted out, "Arsewipe."
"Honestly, you have the humor of a goblin. I'm just trying to lessen the waves of 'brood' I keep getting from your direction."
"Well, it's probably because I'm starving, and Isabella is moving at a glacial pace!" Draco barked.
Isabella laughed from her position at the stove, stirring a pot of soup. "Your whining doesn't make it go any faster," she called from over her shoulder.
"And you know what will? This little thing called magic!" Draco retorted.
William interjected, "Come on, Draco-"
"No!" Draco stood up. "You take twice as long to do things than it would normally take if done with magic! You're worse than a house elf! Why don't you use magic, Isabella?" he asked in an angry voice to her back. His biting words shocked the air, and he saw Isabella's shoulders jump in response.
The tutor stood up as well. "Draco-" he started in a stern voice, but Isabella stopped him.
"Well I guess he should know," she said while turning around. She faced William and spoke, "I have to tell him, Will."
The tutor softened, and left the kitchen with a sigh. Draco scrunched his face in confusion as Isabella turned off the stove walked over to him. She slowly sat down and folded her hands on the table. Looking at her fingers she began, "The truth is that I have no idea how to use magic. I am a Muggle."
Draco huffed in disbelief. He opened his mouth to react, but the housekeeper kept talking. "The reason Dumbledore didn't hire some old witch or wizard to be a housekeeper is because I know exactly what you're going through, and how to deal with it."
She looked up at Draco. She was relieved to see him silent, intently listening.
Isabella deeply exhaled and continued, "The man I love was cast with the Unbeautify curse two years ago. He, like you, was narcissistic to the core. He was attractive, and he knew it. He treated women like objects and took a new one to bed practically every week. Much to his misfortune, one witch that he took to bed gave him the Unbeautify curse when she found out he slept with another woman not three days later. He was under the same condition as you are; find someone to love him in a year, or he would be cursed forever. He was an agent for Voldemort at the time, and in the state that he was in, he couldn't serve any longer. He fled here to Muggle London and took refuge. He eventually advertised for a housekeeper, and specifically a Muggle one. He feared that if he hired someone touched with magic, they would find out about his status with Voldemort, though at the time, he was on the run. I applied, and I got an interview. It was held on the phone, and I got the job.
I moved in the following week, and I didn't actually meet the man until a month later. We were communicating only through letters and whenever he had to face me, he wore a mask. It was very strange. Further, his disposition was gruff and rude. We did not particularly get along and we tried to leave each other alone as much as possible. However, one day I walked into his room and I saw him without his mask on. I braced myself, expecting him to scream at me or even hurt me. I was surprised to find his face softened, and he actually looked quite crestfallen; like he lost something. I later learned that he expected me to shriek in horror, and flee. But when I didn't, he looked up at me in surprise. Yes, he was extremely deformed. Interestingly, he looked very different from you. His face drooped to one side, and he had a black eye the size of a baseball. Warts were sporadically placed around his face and his back was hunched. Patches of hair were interspersed across his head. The only thing that he had in common with you was his tattoo on his left arm."
Draco glanced down at his arm. The leaves on the tree were starting to fall, as the Dark Mark intertwined with it was still gleaming. Draco winced at the mark as Isabella continued.
"I was curious. In fact, I was intrigued. Especially by the fact that he was so exposed and frightened in that moment, and I knew that the only reason he was secluded from me was because he was afraid he'd lose me. Over time, we grew close. He told me about the Magical World and he showed me incredible things. After months of living together, I grew to love him. However, I couldn't tell him for I feared my feelings were unrequited. Suddenly, he had to leave. He woke up in the middle of the night screaming in agony. When I checked on him, he told me he had to go and he didn't know how long he would be gone. He wouldn't tell me why, and he wouldn't let me come with him. Heartbroken, I moved out. A month after no word from him, I got a letter from him. I read it, and I learned that he had been summoned by Voldemort the night he left. He wrote that once he answered the calling and apparated to him, Voldemort tried to kill him. He fled, and had been on the run. He told me that the reason he didn't come back to me was because the Dark Lord could constantly track him, and he didn't want Voldemort to get to me. With me being a Muggle, and with Voldemort's pure hatred for Muggles, it was exponentially more risky.
Eventually, he explained his curse to me. The reason that Voldemort was able to summon him was because the witch that cursed him was also an agent of Voldemort. She told the Dark Lord, and he was able to track him, though his old identity was gone. He then explained that the curse would be permanent after a year. He wrote that by the time his letter got to me, the year would be up."
Isabella suddenly choked up and put a hand to her mouth. She closed her eyes and muffled cries escaped her throat. After a minute of silence filled with soft sobs, she took her hand away and spoke again through streaming tears, "I realized that he sacrificed himself to keep me safe. He could've come back to me, or I could've gone with him, and maybe by then I could've gained enough bloody courage to tell him how I felt! He doomed himself to permanent disfiguration because he knew that I loved him, and would follow him to the end of the Earth. But he loved me enough to leave me behind. He loved me enough to let me go. Can you imagine that love?"
Isabella put a hand to her chest. " To this day, he is on the run from Voldemort, still in his wretched state. There is a hole in my heart and I pray every single day to something that he will return to me, ugly or not."
Draco was shell shocked. He remained silent, processing Isabella's story in his mind. This man learned to love beyond himself. He loved Isabella enough that he sacrificed any hope of returning back to his normal state, just to protect her. Draco couldn't comprehend that kind of deep, passionate love because he had never before felt it, nor did he know that it even existed. He answered Isabella's question in his mind, for he could not imagine that love.
"That's why Dumbledore sent you here?" Draco asked in a low voice.
Isabella nodded, and then spoke softly, "Yes. To teach you that love is not a transaction; you cannot make a bargain and expect anything in return. Love is selfless. Love is sacrifice. If you go into this with the ultimate goal of your curse being lifted, then your curse will not break, for it's not true love. It is conditional love. To truly learn and grow, you must learn to love unconditionally. If by the end you have learned, it will not matter to you if you're still disfigured or not. True love surpasses all things physical."
Isabella expected Draco to say something sarcastic in response to her story. But he didn't. Draco himself was surprised that he didn't brush her off or roll his eyes. In fact, Draco was floored and didn't know what to say.
Isabella snickered, "Alright, I'll step off my soap box for now. Goodnight." Isabella left the room, leaving Draco, and the soup on the stove, cold.
Hermione had a blaring migraine after the late night meeting with Justin. With Halloween less than a week away, they were nearing crunch time with planning the party in the Great Hall. After nearly two hours of arguing with Justin, they got to an almost-compromise; Justin was in charge of everything, but Hermione got music and decorations.
Hermione rubbed her temples, trying to massage the pain away. She looked out the window of the Head Boy and Girl office and saw the twinkling lights of Hogsmeade on the horizon.
She sighed. She missed Hogsmeade day because Justin kept her in for an urgent meeting. This "urgent" meeting was merely about dress code, and Hermione wanted to rip the suggestion box off of the wall and clobber Justin with it.
The Head Girl glanced at her watch. It was nearly midnight, and well past curfew. Hermione had always entertained the idea of sneaking off to Hogsmeade in the late hours of the night by herself. She never did because it was way too out-of-character. However, she was feeling rebellious that night and thought she should ruffle Justin's feathers a bit by breaking the rules.
Hermione went to her room and changed out of her school robes. She put on jeans, boots, and a blouse. On top, she wore a button up coat and a wool beanie. Before she left her room, she pocketed her wand and coin purse. The girl tiptoed her way out of the Gryffindor common room and into the main hallway. She held her breath as she walked outside. Hermione felt the bite of Autumn air hit her face as she ran across the courtyard. Once her feet hit the grass, she audibly exhaled. She was officially off of school grounds. Hermione turned around to face the castle and a bubble of laughter escaped her throat. She was practically giddy that she was breaking the rules, and without Harry Potter to lead her; she was doing this because she wanted to.
Hermione then headed towards Hogsmeade. Once she reached the village, Hermione was shocked to see the usually bustling town so quiet and tranquil. Street lights emitted a yellow glow from both sides of the street. Leaves softly fell from the trees and to the cobblestone ground. The only noise that was heard was her own boots crunching against the leaves. Hermione was in awe. She skipped her way through the streets, forgetting herself completely. She almost felt like she was in Muggle London with her mum, window shopping and walking through the city. Hermione felt like a child again as she danced with reckless abandon through Hogsmeade. She later was grateful that no one was there to watch her.
She eventually smelled the delicious aroma of Butterbeer. She inhaled deeply, trying to find the source of the smell. She turned and saw The Three Broomsticks. As the smell of Butterbeer wafted from inside the inn, Hermione immediately was drawn in. Once inside, she admired the warm atmosphere, relief from the cold outside. Only about a dozen people were inside. She sat down at the bar and ordered a Butterbeer. As she waited for her drink, she noticed two figures in dark hoods sitting at the end of the bar, whispering about something. Hermione knew she shouldn't have, but she chanted an eavesdropping charm under her breath. She was feeling rebellious, and eavesdropping wouldn't hurt anyone. As her drink arrived, Hermione leaned in to listen.
We cannot discuss this here! It's too public!
I don't care! I want out of this!
I cannot help you! Leaving the Death Eaters is not a delicate matter.
Hermione choked on her Butterbeer. Were these people Death Eaters? Hermione panicked but tried to appear calm on the outside. She slowly reached for her wand to attack them until one of them spoke again.
You know that the only reason I helped you was so I could teach Draco Malfoy a lesson!
Hermione's breath stopped short, wand in hand. She thought she had forgotten about Draco, and now suddenly memories of him came flooding back into her mind. She was lost in thought until a flash of red came flying to her face.
Hermione snapped out of it and dodged the spell. People inside the inn were started screaming and running out. She called out Stupefy, but the Death Eaters dodged it. Sparks of colored light were flying between Hermione and the two Death Eaters. They managed to dodge every single one of Hermione's spells, and then they started to retreat. Hermione chased them out of the inn but lost sight of them.
Hermione bent over and put her hands on her knees. She was hyperventilating, shocked that Death Eaters were here. However, her mind was still swimming at the mention of Malfoy's name. Was he alive? Who was teaching him a "lesson", and about what? She stood up and shook her head out. She needed to focus on the task at hand and tell Dumbledore about the Death Eaters. With the herd of villagers pouring out of the inn and the cottages surrounding her, it was difficult to navigate through the panicked crowd and out of the village. Eventually, she made it to the outskirts of Hogsmeade, and then sprinted to the castle.
Draco's mind was still reeling about Isabella's story. He sat in the kitchen completely silent. After awhile, the room felt incredibly stuffy and he needed to get out. Draco grabbed and put on a black coat with a hood. He then snatched his wand as he exited Grimmauld Place.
It was dark, and the streets of this part of London were barren. His only source of light were the sporadic street lamps and the stars. Draco slid on his hood and then walked slowly down the street, looking down at the concrete below him. Soon, he entered the city. It was still quiet, but the streets were much busier. Draco had to make an effort to not be seen. Many times he had to pretend he was tying his shoe or checking his watch. There were moments where he had to just put his hands in his pockets, and pin his chin to his chest looking down, hoping no one would see him. It was odd for Draco to not want to be seen when he was so used to being the center of attention. He stuck out like a sore thumb, and yet he had to find a way to blend himself into the cityscape. He eventually got frustrated with the effort to hide and moved into an alleyway.
Draco got out his wand to apparate back to the safe house, but he found himself thinking about Hogsmeade. Thus, he apparated to the very location. He looked around and saw that he was on the path to the village outside of Hogwarts. Draco was confused, and then cursed himself for not concentrating enough and letting his mind wander. Draco was about to disapparate until he heard someone coming. In a panic, Draco lept through the tree line beside the path to hide. He took out his wand to try to disapparate again, but he stopped when he saw who was coming.
Draco gasped as he saw Granger walk into Hogsmeade village. What was she doing here so late in the night? She was putting herself in danger! She was lucky she hadn't been killed yet! He knew he should have tried to get her back to the castle but Draco's curiosity got the better of him, and he emerged from the trees to follow her into the village. He navigated through the village about twenty feet behind Granger. He saw how awestruck she was by the village, and how she skipped through the streets. She stared with delight at the street lanterns and the window displays of the shops. Draco smiled at the sight. He wondered how she saw the village as some sort of Wonderland. It was nothing special. It was just like any other town, and at this hour it was just empty. She seemed to find this ordinary village as something beautiful.
Find someone who can see better than you can. Millicent's words echoed through his mind. He wondered if Granger, of all people, could be that someone. That person who could look beneath appearances, and see the beauty inside.
Draco laughed as the brown-eyed girl started dancing her way through the village. She was twirling and leaping, and it made Draco feel warm. He was taken aback because the last time he felt warm was when Granger held his face in her porcelain white hands that day in the office.
He watched her suddenly stop dancing, and turn towards The Three Broomsticks. She seemed to be sniffing the air, and she started to follow the scent. Draco inhaled through his nose, and he smelled the inviting scent of Butterbeer. He chuckled at how Granger was entranced by the smell. She must love Butterbeer. Draco followed her inside and sat at a table in a dark corner. Granger sat at the bar and ordered a drink.
Draco sat in his corner and observed her. She seemed to be oddly reckless that night. If he were still Head Boy, technically he would have to report her for leaving the grounds after curfew. Draco was just astonished that it was Granger breaking the rules this time. He was bewitched at how she moved through the village. Her golden curls bounced every time she skipped, and they whirled around her head every time she spun. He realized that he had never before seen her like that. She was usually so conservative, and she tried to not be seen. But at that moment, she let go of any apprehension and became carefree and childlike. She probably thought that no one was watching her, but she had no idea that she was very wrong.
Draco then noticed that Granger was slightly leaning to the right. She scrunched up her nose and narrowed her eyes. She seemed to be focusing on something, but what? His eyes flicked to the right and saw two dark figures talking lowly to each other. Draco smiled when he realized that Granger was eavesdropping. But Draco's smile disappeared when he inspected the two figures. They looked uncomfortably familiar. Draco stood up and tried to look nonchalant as he moved closer. He was right behind Granger when recognized the figures as Millicent Bulstrode and Bellatrix Lestrange.
He heard his name in their conversation, and he gasped. Both of their heads whipped around at the sound, and Millicent's eyes widened. She raised her wand to cast a spell, but Bellatrix jerked Millicent's arm away. This caused the spell to head into the direction of Granger. Draco called out, but she dodged the spell.
Draco tried to cast a spell, but a wave of panicked villagers pushed him outside. He stumbled into the alleyway beside the inn. Fear seized him as he saw sparks of colored light fly through the window of The Three Broomsticks. He silently prayed that Granger would be alright.
He then saw Millicent and Bellatrix emerge from the inn, and started to run away. Draco was relieved to see Granger come out as well. He watched her run towards the castle, and Draco desperately wanted to follow her. However, he needed to take care of Millicent and his aunt. Draco sprinted through the streets, going against the current of villagers trying to escape Hogsmeade. He saw the two Death Eaters turn into an alleyway, and Draco followed them. They were taking out their wands when Draco reached them.
"Why are you here?!" Millicent interrogated, pointing her wand at him. Bellatrix shoved Millicent's arm down.
"Do not hurt him," Bellatrix hissed.
Millicent glared at her. Draco's aunt then spoke, "Why are you here, Draco? You are putting yourself in jeopardy! Oh, by the way, you're doing a really horrid job of keeping the mudblood in the castle!"
Draco deflected the question. "Never mind that! Why are you here?"
"Millicent and I had important matters to discuss, and it was her bloody brilliant idea to meet in Hogsmeade!"
Millicent defended herself. "It's not my fault this place is so busy! It's midnight, for Merlin's sake!"
Bellatrix turned to the girl. "It's still a public place!"
"Well, we couldn't go in the Forbidden Forest because your bloody Death Eaters are there!" Millicent barked. Bellatrix rubbed her forehead because she knew Millicent was right. It would have been too risky.
Bellatrix sighed and turned to Draco. "Anyway, this little fracas has caused Hogsmeade to go haywire. The Death Eaters in the woods will no doubt notice. I suggest you tell Dumbledore about what happened, and I'll try to do some damage control with the Death Eaters," Bellatrix pulled out her wand and continued, "And Draco, I also suggest that you keep an eye on Granger. The date of the infiltration is no longer set in stone. And make sure she stays in the castle! Luckily the Death Eaters in the forest are so daft, they haven't recognized her yet."
Draco only nodded as Bellatrix apparated away. Millicent, however, didn't leave yet. She asked Draco, "Why did you come here?"
Draco clenched his jaw and cleared his throat. He remained silent.
Millicent smiled and asked, "It was to see Granger, no?"
Draco's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name. He unintentionally blushed.
Millicent laughed. "Maybe there is hope for you," she stated. Draco looked up at her, but she had already apparated away.