The Spoils of War
Set several years after the end of the war, Hermione is taking up a position as a professor but as Draco a fellow Professor find out the perfect Hermione Granger is falling apart.
HG/DM with NL/LL and HP/GW
M+ rating for later chapters
I do not own or claim to own any of the Harry Potter universe.
Early apologies, I am dyslexic and am currently looking for a beta reader so I apologise for any grammatical errors.
Please enjoy
Chapter One
Looking around the great hall, her yes glazed over as the images of her past ran through her mind, walking up the centre with eyes on her and her first year classmates, Hagrid returning at the end of her second year, Dumbledore warning them of the dementors residing around the castle in her third year, the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students joining them, the sickly sweet cough of Deloris Umbridge at the opening feast of her fifth year, the panic when Harry hadn't met them for the starting feast of their sixth year…but the image she could not push past where the rows and rows of her classmates covered in sheets, her friends, Colin Creevey, Remus and Tonks…the Weasley's crying over the body of George.
"Miss Granger" the voice sounded so far away that when a hand was placed on her shoulder she practically jumped out of her skin.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" the voice said, as she turned to look at them her hand clutching her chest, "Your first time back in here?" they asked, she nodded, "I can't even begin to Imagin…I guess it isn't easy…you lost so many friends"
She licked her suddenly dry lips,
"Yes, it just doesn't feel the same as it did the first time I arrived" she whispered turning away from him, "Did Professor McGonagall send you?" she asked,
"Yes, I had gone to meet you at Hogsmeade station, but since I couldn't see you dismount the train, I figured you may have used the flew network." He said,
"Yes" she nodded, "I needed to get here quick so that I couldn't change my mind through the journey" she finally turned to look at her fellow professor, "So Mr Malfoy if you wouldn't mind showing me to my dorms" she said,
"Of course," he nodded, "Leave you bags, the house elves will bring them to your room" he said at his word he saw her pick up her bag, "Seriously, the elves here are paid and you wish to deprive them of their job" he sighed shaking his head, leading her into the entrance hall.
As they reached the staircase several things happened in quick succession;
A loud crash
A scream
And Hermione running into a corner and collapsing in a sobbing heap her hands over her ears.
"Peeves!" Draco cursed looking to the top of the stairs where the poltergeist swooped around the pile that had been a suit of Armor
"Not doing nothing!" the pest squealed, as he rushed away laughing. Draco ran to Hermione's side,
"Miss Granger" he knelt beside her as she rocked, her hands held tightly over her ears and her eyes scrunched closed as she rocked back and forth,
"the war is over…I am safe" she mumbled over and over, "The war is over"
tentatively Draco reached out to touch her, to gain her attention, causing her to jump back her head shooting up her puffy eyes meeting his.
"It's ok" he whispered, "It was just Peeves." He offered her his hand. At first, she just staired at his hand for a few seconds as she composed herself, before taking his hand
"Sorry" she mumbled,
"It's ok, I won't deny that I haven't had a few panic attacks since returning last year" he nodded.
"I think this is a mistake" she whispered, "I should leave, what sort of teacher will I be if I freak out at loud bangs" she said turning away from him,
"Miss Gr….Hermione" Draco reached out to her shoulder "We all have scars and demos, Minerva would not have hired you if she didn't think you could do this…Believe me I was the same last year, so was Neville and Luna, they all had triggers that they had to deal with. What we all went through; you would have to have no soul for it not to affect us. You lost good friends and classmates…" he smiled kindly at her. Hermione nodded at a loss for words before allowing Draco to lead her to her room, completely forgetting about her luggage.
"Here we are," Draco said stopping at a portrait of Ariana Dumbledore, "The current password is Initium novum" he said causing the portrait to swing open, "You can change it once I'm gone" He nodded, "Neville and Luna are down the hall behind a Newt Scamander portrait, although they haven't arrived yet, I assume they are still on their honeymoon" he said moving aside to allow Hermione to enter her rooms,
"And you?" she asked taking him by surprise,
"Sorry?" he asked gawking at her,
"Where are your rooms?" she asked, "I mean just encase I need to speak with you" she asked her pale skin flushing a beautiful shade of pink,
"Oh, um I'm on the third floor…Severus" he mumbled, Hermione nodded,
"ok, " she smiled weakly, "And the other teachers?" she asked, "have they arrived…" she was asking questions just to keep him here, to prolong the time before she would be left alone,
"um, well Minerva is away until Sunday, and I believe the rest of the faculty will start arriving towards the end of next week or so, everyone should be here by 28th or 29th as Minerva likes to do a staff meeting a few days before the students arrive." He said, Hermione nodded, "but I'm sure Hagrid will be in his hut if you need a friendly face" he said moving to leave
"Wait…" Hermione practically screamed at him, "Sorry…I…never mind" she mumbled turning away and stepping through int her rooms the portrait closing behind her. Draco stood there for a moment in disbelief before turning and heading to his rooms.
When he made it to his chamber, he flopped down on the couch in front of the fire his mind spinning. Staring into the fire he let out a heaver sigh before getting to his feet and grabbing the green powder from the pot on the side of the fireplace stepping into the flames
"The ministry of Magic" he said clearly dropping the powder onto the flames and disappearing in a green flash.
"Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter is in a meeting, you can't…" the witch tried to stop him entering the office of Harry Potter, but he wasn't stopping, although he regretted it when he opened to door to find Harry and Ginny in a compromising position. "I'm sorry sir, I tried to…" the witch began,
"Finish up I need to talk to you" Draco said closing the door and leaning on the wall beside the door and waited,
"Malfoy what is this about" Harry snapped as he opened the door a few minutes later, "Because I really don't want to deal with your shit today" he snapped
"Granger" Draco said simply, Harry's face fell,
"Is she ok? What did you do?" Harry snapped, Draco raised an eyebrow, and Harry let out a sigh stepping aside and letting the blond enter his office, "What is going on" Harry asked as Draco sat in the chair opposite Harry's desk where Ginny was currently sat
"You asked me to make sure Hermione arrived safely at Hogwarts…you neglected to inform me that she is having severe panic attacks"
"What?" Ginny asked looking at her partner,
"It's not like that" Harry said to Ginny before turning to Draco, "She had panic attacks…Had, but she told me that they had stopped. Its why she and Ron broke up and don't speak anymore, he couldn't deal with the trauma, but I swear she told me she was doing better that she hadn't had an attack in over a year" Harry said,
"Well either she lied or being back at Hogwarts caused them to come back, Peeves caused a ruckus and she ended up, curled in a corner." Draco said,
"Oh god" Ginny gasped, "I should go see her" she got to her feet,
"No" Harry said surprising both Ginny and Draco
"I think she needs a friend right now" Draco said,
"No…look Ginny you know why; Hermione made it clear that she didn't want us near her after what happened." Draco looked from Harry to Ginny who flopped back into the chair, "Draco, please, its complicated, I love Hermione but I'm doing as she asked, its why I asked you to keep an eye on her for me…If I asked Neville or Luna she would know I was checking up on her…" he looked at Draco, a look that clearly said please just leave it at that,
"Excuse me?" Draco snapped, "You want me to be your little spy? Who do you think I am, Severus Snape?" he got to his feet, "Well get someone else to do your dirty work" he shook his head and moved to leave the room,
"WAIT!" Harry cried out as Draco's hand reached the door handle, "Draco, please I'm not asking you to spy on her…just I guess I'm asking you to be a friend for her." Draco turned to look at the dark-haired man,
"What the hell are you smoking Potter?" Draco snapped, "She's my colleague, she doesn't want…me of all people being her friend." He shook his head and pulled the door open, "I don't know what the hell is going on…but keep me out of it" he said leaving the office with every eye following him out of the Auror department.
Draco didn't see Hermione for the next few days as he worked on his lesson plans for the first term. He had received several owls from Potter, but he had sent them all back, save for the last one, and this was because he'd obviously told the bloody owl not to leave until Draco sent a response. He was making his way to the library when he heard her footsteps coming around the corner. They both stopped when their eyes met but before either could reply the owl divebombed Draco,
"Fuck off!" he snapped at the persistent creature,
"Someone clearly want you to reply to that" Hermione said picking up the letter the owl had dropped,
"Yeah, well I made it clear to the sender that I would rather spend the rest of my life in Azkaban" Draco said
"Why is Harry Writing to you?" she asked taking him by surprise.
"I…" he looked at her, "How do you know it is him?" he asked
"I read over his homework for six years" Hermione said "I know his handwriting…and its on watermarked parchment, see" she said holding the envelope at an angle revealing the Auror Department monogram, "so, what is it that Harry so desperately need you to read" she asked looking the envelope over.
"I don't know" Draco said holding out his hand, "Probably making sure that I'm not torturing you" Hermione looked at him but didn't give him the letter
"I doubt that" she said her fingers running over the seal, Draco watched her intently, he didn't know what was in the letter but he really didn't want to start their colleague relationship with her reading a letter that could make it appear that he was spying on her,
"Why? I would think that as your best friend he would want to make sure old habits don't rear their ugly heads" Draco said Hermione let out a bitter laugh,
"Don't make me laugh, he's not my best friend…or my friend I guess…he couldn't deal with my trauma…" she said dropping the letter to the floor, and turning to walk away,
"Wait…What?" Draco said as her words unfrogged in his brain "Miss Granger?" he made after her picking up the letter as he followed her, "Miss Granger, wait" he ran after her
"Mr Malfoy please I just want to be alone" she said reaching the library doors,
"Hermione stop," he said causing her to turn to look at him, "We're colleagues, we need to get past what happened back then, I know we'll never be best friends but…" he stopped when he saw the tears streaming down her cheeks, "Hermione"
"Please, just leave me alone, I know that my dirty blood sickens you…It sickens me too" she said before walking away again. Draco staired after her in shock.
Later that night Draco made his way down to the kitchens, he had spent dinner time in the library, he had intended to make sure that the students would have access to everything to get them through their class, but he had sat there, the unopened envelope in front of him. He had continued to refuse to open it, there was no way he was going to be a spy for Potter.
He made it to the kitchen and made his way to the alcohol stores, hoping to help himself to a bottle of Fire-whisky, but stopped dead when he found Hermione sat at one of the tables two empty bottles and one, half empty one in front of her, a glass in her hand
"Malfoy" she said raising the glass before downing the content before placing it down and grabbing for the half full bottle to fill the glass again, but her hand missed and sent it crashing to the floor, "Shit…" she mumbled standing up, she swayed a little grabbing the edge of the table before making her way to the alcohol stores. Draco turned to the house-elf who was cleaning the glass away,
"How long has she been down here?" the elf sighed and shook her head,
"The missis was here when I started at eight this evening, she already had one bottle empty" the elf said,
"Ok, thanks" Draco followed in the direction Hermione had gone, "Miss Granger" he said as she came into his view, she was sat on the floor downing more whisky straight from the bottle, "Oh, Hermione, what happened to you" he sighed kneeling beside her and taking the bottle from her hand. "Come on you need to sleep" he said scooping her into his arms, she giggled,
"You're strong…Ron couldn't lift me because I'm fat" she said throwing her head back, Draco staggered but by some miracle he was able to stop himself from dropping her or falling on her.
"Miss Granger please don't do that" he whispered, carrying her to the portrait of Ariana, "Initium novum" but the girl in the portrait shook her head, He let out a groan, "Hermione what is your password?" he asked but she was out like a light, "Of for Fuck sake" he groaned turning and against his better judgement, that was currently telling him to just lay her on the floor by her portrait and why not they where the only two in the castle, he carried her to his rooms, gaining a quizzical look from Severus portrait, "Don't go there" he said "Verus lux" he said causing the portrait to swing open.
After a few minutes of internal debate, he carried the sleeping witch to his bed and laid her down on top of the covers before moving to remove her shoes. He pulled the door by and made himself comfortable on the sofa, the letter sitting on the table in front of him.
He tossed and turned unable to shut off and sleep he sighed looking at his watch, two thirty, he let out a groan before sitting reaching over to his cloak he pulled his wand from the pocket,
"Incendio" he yawned, relighting the fireplace, "Tig" he called stretching,
"Professor Malfoy" the tiny elf squeaked as she appeared by the door,
"Sorry if I woke you, but…"
"Oh no sir, Tig's is on night shift today" she smiled,
"Oh ok, well, would you be able to send up a pot of coffee…A very strong Pot of coffee" he sighed,
"Of course Professor" she bowing so her long nose almost touched the floor, "Is there anything else Tigs can do for you" she asked,
"Actually yeah, could you go to the hospital wing and bring me a hangover potion" he sighed knowing that Hermione would wake with a sore head, "And in anti-sickness one" he asked before the elf nodded and disappeared. Letting out a heavy sigh he reached over and picked up the letter. He really did not want to open this, he really wanted to throw it into the fire but he would be no help to Miss Granger if he didn't know what the hell was going on.
"Draco.
I know you may not understand why I am so insistent on you knowing what happened.
Hermione is like my sister, I love her dearly…but there are things that we cannot move past.
We are all damaged by the war, some more than others. We all coped in our own ways.
If I could turn back time and change how I reacted of course I would.
The truth is when she and Ron broke up I didn't take it well, I didn't understand why she couldn't just put the war behind her and move on…Ginny and I didn't seem to be having issues, so why where she and Ron struggling.
She took it to mean that I was taking Rons side.
The full-stop after this as heavy and large as if Harry had held his quill there unsure on how to continue.
I guess in a way I did take his side. I asked you to keep an eye on her for me because I knew you wouldn't sugarcoat how she really was doing…In truth I
there was something that followed but Harry had scribbled it out and Draco was unable to read it
she wont speak with me, Ron, Ginny or any of the Weasleys.
I just want her to be happy.
I didn't know she still had panic attacks. Please you don't have to reply to me or even update me, but I need to know that someone is looking out for her.
H. Potter
Draco staired at the letter, confused, why the hell would Harry think that he was the best person to support her…they had been the furthest thing from friends that was possible.
He slumped back on the couch and sighed,
He guessed Harry was right in one way he had done everything to help her over those last few days, not that she allowed him too close, for obvious reasons…
His thoughts where interrupted when a tray appeared on the table in front of him. He let out a sigh and poured himself a black coffee and sighed at the two rather large slices of Victoria sponge sitting on the plates. As he brought the mug to his lips he heard a thump followed by running feet and a door opening and closing,
"Well, this is going to be interesting" he sighed, he debated for a moment if he should go up and see if she was ok, but decided it best to wait for her to come down.
After about five minutes he heard the toilet flush and knew she would be down momentarily.
Hermione looked around the room, it was clearly a teachers room but it wasn't hers, the main give away was that there where mirrors still hanging on the wall, she had removed them the moment she had entered the room, she looked down at herself, glad to see she was still dressed, even if her dress was now a little wrinkled.
She knew she was trying to find any excuse to go down stairs, there was only one person who could have brought her here. She tried to remember what had happened, she remembered a letter, the library and then fire-whisky…after that it was all fuzzy.
With a groan she moved back to the bed and picked up her shoes from beside it before making her way down the stairs where she found Draco sat with his back to her,
"Hello" he said not turning,
"I'm sorry, I don't know what happened, I should leave" she whispered,
"Nope" he said, "I gave up my bed for the night so I think I deserve an explanation" he sighed leaning back on the sofa, "Besides you will want those" he said indicating the two potions, "They will help with your head" he waited for a response, he was beginning to think she would just leave when he heard her place her shoes on the floor and walk towards him.
He watched her swallow the potions one after the other before speaking,
"Coffee?" he asked, she nodded, before perching on the edge of the sofa as far from him as possible. "I wont bite" he sighed handing her the mug,
"Look, I…" she began as he sat back down, "I think coming back here was a mistake." She said simply, "I appreciate you helping me but I think it best that I hand in my resignation and leave" she never looked up at him her eyes fixed on the hot black liquid in the mug,
"I never thought id see that day that Hermione Granger would just give up" he snared, "What would have happened if you did that while looking for horcruxes…where would we be now if you hadn't kept Potter alive all these years…I though you where the brightest witch of the age…" he said, hoping she would take the bait,
"You have no fucking idea what I went through!" she snapped jumping to her feet and dropping the mug to the floor, "I removed myself from my parent minds…irreversibly, I lived everyday in fear that we would be found, every day with a horcruxe in close proximity causing dark and evil thoughts to affect me and my two friends, I had to live through the hearing that another friend was missing or dead…I was tortured in your bloody house and everyone expects me to just move on as if it didn't happen" she was breathing heavily, his plan had worked but he knew the signs of an immanent panic attack and got to his feet, without a work he pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest,
"Shh," he soothed stroking his hair. "It will be ok…you don't need to be ok all the time" he soothed, "It's ok to need scream and shout, no one should ever judge you for doing that." He could feel her tears on his bare chest "No one expects you to be perfect just like before the war, hell I would think there was something very wrong with you, if you where unchanged" he said rubbing her back, he could feel as sobs racked through her body. The two of them remained that way for a good while before she pulled away and he allowed his arms to fall to his side,
"I don't get it…why can't those I saw as family understand that" she wrapped her arms around herself,
"People react in different ways" he sighed, "And when they don't know how to deal with how someone else is coping they can come across harsh or uncaring" Hermione looked at him, "Harry contacted me before you arrived here" he admitted sitting back on the sofa, his arms resting on his knees and watching his own hands as he continued, "he asked me to make sure you settled in ok…to make sure you had someone watching out for you…after you arrived and had that panic attack I stormed into his office demanding answers…if he had know you where struggling then why the hell wasn't he here supporting you…but all I go was that the two of you weren't on speaking terms…I told him I wouldn't be his spy, that I was your college…and left." He rubbed at his face before continuing, "He must have sent me 50 letters in the past few days, I returned them all, until the letter you saw earlier, that bloody owl had been hounding me until you picked up the letter, I guess that he assumed someone took it so he could go rest, job done…I still had no interest in what Potter had to say…until I found you in the kitchen, I had tried to take you to your chambers, but you changed the password so I brought you here" he finally sat up and looked over at her,
"And what did the letter say?" she asked, Draco pointed to the parchment on the desk
"Read it for yourself" he said before picking up his coffee and began to drink it as Hermione stood reading the letter, "So what do you want me to do Miss Granger?" he asked and she placed the letter back on the table,
"What?" she asked as if she hadn't quite heard him
"What do you want me to do, I can reply to him and tell him to get of his lazy backside and come and apologise. We can forget tonight and only talk when its regarding students or Hogwarts business or" he said looking at her,
"Or?" she asked,
"I Reply to potter telling him to grow a pair and we start again, putting our schooldays behind us and seeing what happens, weather that being we become friends or just as amicable colleagues" he suggested. Hermione eyed him thoughtfully before taking a seat beside him, not as far away as she had before but a comfortable friendly distance and repaired the smashed mug and cleaned up the spilled coffee before turning to him,
"I wouldn't min another coffee" she said, "You can reply to Potter, with what ever you want I'm not ready to forgive him, as for us I think the beginning is a good start although it will be difficult to forget some of the things you said and did…I would be a hypocrite if I did not try." She said accepting the mug from him, he nodded,
"That sounds like a plan" He smiled.