Draco Malfoy and the Mistress of the Manor

by Naiadx

When snatchers caught the golden trio and brought them to Malfoy manor, no one expected that Granger bleeding out on the drawing room floor would awaken the spirit of the manor when it recognized Hermione as its rightful mistress. "Mistress?" Draco questioned. "Yes, sir," the elf continued. "Mistress Hermione. Your beloved." Draco Malfoy goes back in time and tries to fix things.

9. Friends and family

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It and any characters from the franchise that may appear in this fanfiction are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling. This story was written for entertainment purposes only and no profit is made from this story.

The trio and Neville were sitting in a circle on the Malfoy Library floor, Hermione tucking her knees under her to keep some sense of modesty considering she was wearing a dress. Most of her hair had come undone, but since it was charmed, she now had long curls falling over her shoulders instead of her usual frizzy hair. Dobby had served all of them some tea and biscuits, and Tipsy had come in to look for them on Narcissa's behalf. The elf had scolded them for not allowing her to conjure some armchairs, the four of them choosing to sit on the floor like the common folk instead. Draco had laughed. That elf was hanging around his mother a bit too much.

"It has to be Ron, right?" Neville asked, unsure, twiddling his fingers. "But why?"

Draco had been wondering exactly that. Why was Weasley doing it? Last time, it had been Ginny, but the Horcrux had been controlling her. The book was not a Horcrux, it was just cursed, making the owner lose all of their control and inhibitions when it came to getting the thing they wanted. They would literally stop at nothing to achieve what they wanted, which was why it had brought wealth to some families, but despair to most others. What did Weasley want? Why would he want to hurt his own sister? None of it made any sense.

"Before we find out the why, we should perhaps do something about the how," Hermione said. "Would it be possible for Harry to… control the Basilisk, you think?"

Neville's eyes turned wide and he spat out his tea. "A Basilisk? Merlin's beard, Hermione! Is that what has been attacking everyone?"

Hermione's plan made sense, even if it was dangerous. If Harry could talk to the Basilisk, perhaps even make it stop attacking everyone, then the issue of petrified students would be solved. Something didn't sit well with Draco though. Sure, Weasley had been a bit of a jealous bigoted git. But he wasn't evil. Something else was at play here. He just hadn't figured out what exactly.

"When I heard it speak, it said it was going to kill, 'Mione," Harry quietly said. "It came from the walls…"

She had that typical thinking frown on her face before she spoke up. "The pipes! It's moving through the pipes, which means the Chamber would be connected to Hogwarts' plumbing system. Do you remember Mrs. Norris? She was lying in front of a puddle of water…"

"That's right, Hermione," Neville spoke up, getting caught up in her excitement. "She was found close to the second-floor bathrooms, the one that's haunted by Moaning Myrtle! Do you think the snake came through there?"

Draco thought about this for a moment. It would make sense for the Basilisk to move throughout the pipes, it would explain how it so easily moved throughout the whole castle. But would it be wise to go looking for it? Without any preparations? Hermione had suggested the roosters… But he couldn't risk the others getting hurt. Even if Harry had survived the first time around, the others hadn't been there. Anything could happen to them. He would not allow it. "We should get Professor Snape involved," the blond said. "This is way over our heads."

Neville nodded, agreeing. "We could also tell the Headmaster-"

"The Headmaster has never truly come to our aid, looking at everything that has happened so far," Hermione scoffed. "He might be one of the greatest wizards alive, but he doesn't see the dangers lurking in the castle. I'm doubtful he would listen to us. Your godfather might be our best bet, Draco."

Neville sighed in defeat. "You're right. Grandmother has been saying the same for years, ever since mum and dad… She's quite displeased with the Headmaster for not protecting our family when it was so obvious that You-Know-Who and his followers were after us, after the Prophecy… She blames Dumbledore for the state Mum and Dad are in now."

"The boy knows," Deandra urgently said. "This could confirm our suspicions… If Harry truly is the one to defeat the Dark Lord, then we need to train the boy. He's stronger this time. As courageous, bold, fierce, and loyal to his friends. But he's allowed his cunning and ambition to grow and is not in the Headmaster's grasp, no longer in his shadow."

"Did you just say prophecy, Neville?" Draco asked, feigning surprise, Hermione and Harry were as interested as he was.

"Oh," Neville blushed, scratching the back of his head. "I thought you'd at least heard of it, Harry, since both of our families were notified once we were born…"

Harry just blinked at Neville, encouraging him to continue. "About half a year before we were born, Dumbledore witnessed Professor Trelawney foretelling the downfall of Voldemort. It's the reason our parents went into hiding, even though we now know that they weren't protected well enough… We weren't hidden properly."

"I'm sorry," Draco said, actually shocked. "Did you just say that Trelawney is actually a seer? I thought all of her premonitions were just a hoax. She predicts the death of at least one student every year!"

"Grandmother is doubtful if she's a seer, or if she just has seer blood," Neville shrugged. "Either way, the prophecy was shared with our parents who were part of the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society under Dumbledore's leadership that fought Voldemort and his followers."

"Why, were our parents told the prophecy?" Harry asked. "Sirius has never told me about it, and I'm sure he would have if he'd known about it."

Neville went quiet. "What my grandmother has told me, was that Voldemort was targeting us specifically. The prophecy stated that… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. That's all I know. That's why our parents went into hiding. Both of us were born at the end of July."

"So, one of us is going to have to kill Voldemort?" Harry asked, a shiver running down his spine. Harry might do anything to save his friends, to save the world even. But he was still just a 12-year-old boy. They were all still children, but the war was always lurking around the corner. Draco frowned. He had come back wanting to prevent this. But it looked like they would end up in a war no matter what. Voldemort would return. That much was certain.

"No, Harry," Neville said solemnly. "There's a reason why you are the boy-who-lived… Why you have that scar. Grandmother is convinced that you will have to kill You-Know-Who."

"Are you sure?" Hermione whispered as the fear for her friend was obvious in her eyes.

"Harry would have to go to the Department of Mysteries and listen to the Prophecy," Draco answered, Neville nodding at him in agreement. "We should take Sirius and go as soon as possible."

Harry agreed, determined to finally meet his destiny.

- December 29th 1992, the Department of Mysteries –

The Unspeakables had been surprised when Madam Bones showed up on Level 9, her fiancé and four second-year Hogwarts students behind her. The head of the D.M.L.E. slid over a small piece of parchment to the Unspeakable, the parchment combusting into flame as soon he had read it.

"Only Mr. Po-"

"Don't say his name," Amelia hissed. "No one should know we are here. You saw what the note said. All of us will come in, and you will be obliviated once this is over Croaker. That is an order."

"Certainly, Madam," the unspeakable agreed, leading them deeper into the Department of Mysteries.

Draco had always been curious about what was studied here and when they stood in front of twelve black handle-less doors, he wished he could know what was behind every single one of them. Alas, he had no ambition to become an unspeakable and curiosity alone would not give him a glimpse of what was behind all of them. Croaker took them through one of the doors, which led into the Time Chamber.

"Time-turners," Hermione whispered to Harry and Neville. "The Ministry keeps a tight control on wizards and witches who try to meddle with time. They are extremely rare and powerful and should never be used to go back in time for more than a few hours."

"They are also extremely dangerous," Croaker supplied. "Time is not to be meddled with. The consequences of time travel are not to be underestimated. They could be catastrophic."

Draco just nodded and kept silent, Deandra lending her strength to his occlumency walls. Just in case.

They turned left, and the Unspeakable opened the door for them. "A portkey, Madam," he said, handing Amelia a small key. "It will activate in about five minutes. I suggest you make your way to the corner on the left, where you will find what you are looking for."

The Director of the D.M.L.E. nodded and whispered an obliviating spell before closing the door in the man's face. "Let's go, children."

"Hey!" Sirius said, feigning being upset. "I'm not a child!"

"No, you're serious," she smirked at him as she led the group to where Croaker had told them to go.

"This is why I love Amelia Bones," Sirius whispered to the group of four. "Always keeps me on my toes that one."

Draco smiled. He'd felt much the same when he and Hermione had started dating in secret during their fifth year. Hermione completed him and challenged him at the same time. She defied him and agreed with him. Did what was right by him, not what was easy. How he wished it could be like that again… But she would have to pick him this time. Just like she had done the last time.

They had finally reached the prophecy. Hermione gasped when she read the inscription. Harry J. Potter and Tom M. Riddle.

"I told you," Neville said sadly. "Grandmother was sure it was about you."

"Well, let's find out why," Harry said, shrugging.

As soon as he touched it, they heard Trelawney's voice around them, a magical wind circling around the six of them.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Harry staggered backward, Sirius grabbing him.

"It's true," he said desperately. "It will be me or him, Sirius… He killed Mum and Dad because of me."

Sirius took the Prophecy from him and put it back on the shelf before crouching down in front of Harry. "Harry, listen to me, son. What happened to your mum and dad, was never your fault. The day James told me that Lily was pregnant, he said it was the happiest day of his life. All up until the day you were born, when that became the happiest day of his life. He was so proud to be your dad. So proud when you first got on that broom when you were just a year old. Your mum almost whacked me over the head with it when she realized what I had gotten you… Told me you were chasing that damned half-kneazle of hers all around the house on your broom. James and Lily loved you, Harry. And wherever they are now, behind the veil, they are watching, and they love you still. They are proud. No matter what anyone says. They gave their life, so you could live. And they wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

Even Draco had to blink away the tears as Harry and his godfather hugged, Amelia also crouching down and hugging the two of them closer to him. This also provided the perfect opportunity for the blonde wizard, however. Since everyone was distracted, he silently summoned the Prophecy into his hand, duplicated it, and hovered the duplication back into place.

"Let's see what Father and his band of baboons will do about that," he said to Deandra before Amelia wiped away her tears and told all of them to hold onto her before the portkey was activated.

Deandra grinned. "Lucius will be in for a treat."

- February 14th 1993, Hogwarts Halls –

Harry was already in a foul mood after his Uncle Remus had fallen victim to Dolores Umbitch's new anti-werewolf legislation. He was currently living with the Black-Bones family after it had become nearly impossible for him to find a job in the wizarding world. Draco's cousin Tonks had been trying to lift the werewolf's spirits but to no avail. Harry's mood had also not improved when Lockhart announced that in order to celebrate Valentine's Day he would have dwarfs delivering valentines. Draco looked down at his best friend, trying to help him up after one of Lockharts' card-carrying cupid dwarfs had tackled his best friend to the ground wanting to sing him his Valentine's message. Harry was doing his best not to cringe as Draco, Theo, and Blaise were snickering when the dwarf had finished his song, running off to bother someone else.

"Oh, Lord Slytherin, your eyes are so green as a fresh pickled toad," Blaise sang, taking Harry by the hands and twirling them around. Theo, Draco, Hermione, and Daphne burst out laughing as Blaise puckered his lips towards Harry, leaning in for a kiss.

"Sod off!" Harry said as he pushed Blaise away, dusting off his clothes after he'd been pulled to the ground. "I swear if I see Lockhart one more time today-"

Harry's head suddenly whirled around, and he started crazily looking in all directions. "You guys head on up," he said to his fellow Slytherins. "I have to go to the bathroom."

"Me too," Draco said, getting Harry's hint. "Didn't you need to use the loo, 'Mione?"

Clearly torn between being late for class and following her friends, she eventually nodded. "Yeah, I did actually."

"I'm not even going to ask what you three are up to now," Daphne said as she rolled her eyes at them and pulled the two other boys with her towards the Charms classroom.

Ever since they came back to school, they had tried to get Harry to actively start speaking Parseltongue. Saying it only felt natural when he saw a snake, Hermione had taken to carrying around the picture from a snake she'd asked her mother to photocopy for her from an encyclopedia in her home. When they rounded the corner, Harry almost hugged the walls as he followed the hissing, Draco cast a Muffliato around them, Hermione shoving the picture in his hands.

"What do I say to it?" he mouthed at his best friends.

Draco shrugged.

"You could try not referring to it as it but ask its name instead?" Hermione suggested. "You know. Be polite," she urged him on.

Harry nodded and started hissing, Deandra translating to both Draco and Hermione what he was saying, unbeknownst to Harry, who had never met the spirit.

$ Who are you? $

Harry came to a stop. As Deandra wasn't as powerful at Hogwarts due to her being so far removed from her original leyline, she could only hear what Draco was hearing and had to wait for Harry to speak up again.

$ My name is Harry. And these are my friends, Draco and Hermione. $

Harry's ear was plastered against the wall now, a bunch of Ravenclaw fifth-years giggling at his antics. He waved at them awkwardly and Hermione blushed. Draco could not be bothered by them in the slightest. All he was interested in was who had been controlling the Basilisk. He still couldn't believe that wimp Weasley was actually controlling a beast as powerful as that. No fucking way.

Harry blinked and stood up, addressing his friends. Hermione looked nervous, holding her book bag in front of her protectively as Draco nonchalantly looked at him, his hands in his pockets, his bookbag swung over his shoulder.

"So?" the blonde inquired.

"She said she knows you," Harry said, quite confused himself. "She has been following you because you know her master, Lord Slytherin. Because you know me."

Draco was baffled. She?

"Of course," Hermione said, jumping up in excitement. "After my birthday, me and Draco got stuck on one of the staircases when we were on our way down to the dungeons. He joked that he would get Lord Slytherin to come and tell it to move, since you know, you are the current owner of Hogwarts."

"I'm what?!" Harry yelled, his eyes wide.

Draco frowned. What did he mean? All heirs of the four houses owned Hogwarts. Harry being the only known founders' heir, was currently also the only one owning the castle. "Didn't Sirius tell you? I thought he was taking care of Slytherin Estate?"

"Well, he's been busy… and I tend to doze off and start dreaming when he's talking politics," Harry sheepishly said, rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, Sirona wants to meet us in the bathroom. She said to keep your eyes closed, just in case."

"Sirona," Deandra wondered, a feeling of nostalgia hitting Draco. "How did she end up here? As Slytherin's familiar…"

"Please don't tell me this is another one of your friends," Draco sighed mentally. "Seriously, one day you will have to write down a list of all the spirits currently residing in Britain. 'Mione will probably help you."

A cozy feeling went through Draco's body as Deandra imagined her and Hermione working together in the Malfoy Manor, writing their first book. Draco wasn't sure what that made him feel. 'Mione sitting in his library as if she owned the place. As if it was her right to be there, in her home.

Shaking his head, he followed his two friends as they ran off towards the bathrooms, Moaning Myrtle nowhere in sight when they came in. Who was there, however, was Luna. She was standing barefoot next to one of the faucets in the middle of the room. Draco saw the snakes engraved on the taps right as Harry did.

"Ehm, Luna, what are you doing here?" Harry asked as he approached her, guiding his friend away from the faucets as he looked at Hermione and Draco in a panic. They were at least a little prepared to meet a Basilisk. Luna was not.

"Oh. I was trying to find Myrtle. She sometimes helps me find my shoes. I think it's the nargles, hiding them," the blond said as she took Harry's hand in hers and let him lead her toward his other friends.

Draco saw Harry frown. He remembered that Luna was bullied in her past lifetime, almost the whole of Ravenclaw house hiding her things from her all year, just because they couldn't deal with her strangeness. Perhaps he should have influenced her more to be in Slytherin? Or would she have seen what would have been the best outcome for her?

"Are you still waiting for Myrtle?" the raven-haired boy asked as he was now trying to guide all of his friends closer to the door when they heard the faucets turning on. Oh fuck.

"No. I just felt like I should be here, waiting for someone. A friend. But not you three though." She tilted her head to the side. "Not that you aren't my friends, there's just… another" she smiled encouragingly.

Luna opened her book bag as Harry turned around to the Basilisk, trying to shield his friends in a protective stance as Draco and Hermione closed their eyes shut.

"Oh, hello," he heard Luna say. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

$ Welcome, Master and friends. $

Wait a second, that wasn't Deandra's voice. That was… Oh Merlin-

"Luna what are those?" he heard Harry ask.

"Oh, these are Spectrespecs," the tiny witch answered. "They help to see Wrackspurts, but they are also very effective in keeping from getting stunned. They came for free in the last issue of the Quibbler, here, I have some more."

Draco felt her tiny hand touch him as she shoved what felt like glasses in his hand.

"You need some too, Harry?"

$ Master is safe from me. $

"Lovely," Luna said. "Now, put those on you two, it's bad manners not to properly greet a lady."

When Draco opened his eyes he saw Hermione holding back a giggle. Merlin. If his glasses looked as ridiculous as Hermione's and Luna's did, this must be a sight to see. He hoped no one took a picture of him and plastered it on the Slytherin common room. It had taken Hermione about five days before she figured out how to unstuck that picture of her and Lockhart. Draco was certain it would at least take him two weeks if 'Mione came up with a new spell.

"I wish Colin was here to take a picture," Harry whispered. Draco scowled back.

$ The boy with the camera was master's friend? $

The four of them now looked up at the giant Basilisk which had draped itself around the faucets, curling up like it was protecting something, her head lying lazily on her tail, showing that she was no threat to them.

"Well, not necessarily a friend," Harry admitted. "More of a fan, but still… Why have you been petrifying people in the hallways, Sirona?"

The snake flicked her tongue. $ I thought Master had come to visit. $

Did the Basilisk sound… Sad?

$ At the beginning of the School Year, a boy visited me. He smelled like Master Salazar. Just like the one that lived here 50 years ago… The one that ordered me to kill. Tom Riddle… But after a while, I noticed the boy didn't smell right. Something was off. Cursed. He was not my Master. And then I heard your friends, talking about Lord Slytherin… I wanted to warn Master, about the boy and his cursed life, coming for Master… But whenever Master was near and I showed my face… I hurt people… $

"She is sad," Deandra sighed. "Sirona is a Celtic spirit. A healer. I have no clue how she came to be trapped in this form, but it would not surprise me if Slytherin bound her to him this way. She used to live in current Hungary. He must have found her there, forced her here…"

Well. Everyone knew that Salazar Slytherin wasn't exactly a humanitarian. Seemed like he didn't really respect spirits or magical creatures either, if he had used dark magic to bind one to him. To bind it in a form where it would kill anything that looked at it.

"You mean Ron?" Harry asked. "He's been coming to visit you?"

Sirona nodded at him and blinked slowly, flicking her tongue playfully at Harry as he finally dared to go closer.

$ I do not want to kill, Master. When I was free, I used to take care of younglings. Watched them grow. Healed them when they hurt themselves. But the boy's curse… It forces me to listen. I do not understand why. $

"It's Gaunt family magic," Draco sighed. He had to let his friends know. "My father, he… He dropped a cursed family heirloom he'd found in Bulgaria in Ginny's cauldron the day Lockhart was signing his books. The night he came home early, he and my mother had a fight… It's why you had to leave, so you would not be influenced by it. I kept watching Ginny, making sure she was alright but I didn't think about Ron… It has to be that."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner, Draco?" Harry sighed.

Harry was right to be angry. Draco had blamed Dumbledore so often for keeping secrets, but he was doing exactly the same. What excuse was he going to come up with now? Honestly, lying to his friends sucked. Life would be so much easier if he could just tell them the truth.

Not needing to come up with any explanation, a tiny hand found its way into his. "Because Draco loves his father," Luna stated, sadly. "Even after everything. He's hoping that he will turn out to be a better man. Even though everything he does, proves he won't."

$ I thought my father loved me too. All fathers should love their younglings. But father turned into my Master… Do you want me to kill, like he and the previous heir did, Master Harry? $

Harry stepped up towards the giant Basilisk, gently petting her head. "No, dear Sirona. If anything, I want you to protect the school. You think you can do that for us?"

The Basilisk nodded her giant head at him. $ Master and friends have nothing to fear from me. You can always come and visit me in the Chamber. $ The snake slithered back into the giant opening between the faucets. The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets closed behind her.

Once it closed, Luna took off her glasses and smiled. "It always feels nice making new friends," she sighed. She turned around to Hermione and rummaged in her book bag as Draco collected the glasses and wanted to give them back. Luna got a small mirror from her bag and handed it to Hermione. "Promise you will use this to walk around the halls if you ever find yourself leaving the library at the same time as Percy's girlfriend."

Hermione nodded, used to Luna's odd requests by now, and put the mirror in her own bookbag before the Ravenclaw waved to the three of them and skipped out of the bathrooms, still barefoot.

Harry broke the silence. "Percy has a girlfriend?"

- May 8th 1993, the Hospital Wing –

"Mr. Malfoy, if you do not calm down right now, I will have to ask you to leave or take a calming draught," Madam Pomfrey said sternly as Draco had lashed out at the Mediwitch when she was coming to check up on Hermione, the latest patient to be petrified along with Penelope Clearwater. Thank Merlin that Luna had told her to take that damned mirror with her.

"No one has been petrified for months," he told the nurse. "And then when we are at Quidditch Practice, she just suddenly…" he couldn't say it. Couldn't tell the nurse he had almost fallen off his broom when he felt her disappear. For a moment he thought she had died. His magic had lashed out at Harry who was flying close to him, trying to get him to find his balance again. He'd almost killed both of them with the pure magic static hanging in the air after he thought he'd lost her. Again.

"She will be revived in just three weeks' time when the Mandrake Draught is finished, just like the others. I understand your concern for your friend-"

His friend. She was his bloody wife! The teacup that one of Colin's friends had left on his nightstand when they were visiting suddenly exploded into a thousand pieces.

"Mr. Malfoy! Enough!" the matron yelled.

He slouched down into a chair next to Hermione's bed, his arms crossed as the nurse went to get him some calming draught. No way was he going to leave her. Even if Director Ragnok was getting closer to getting that bloody binding undone, to give her her freedom back, she was his to protect. He'd sworn to protect her. Had given her a vow. Had given his life to her if she'd asked him to. Had gone back through time to save her! Draco's chair was starting to shake, his magic feeling his anger.

"Draco, calm down," Deandra urged. "People will start to notice your state of mind. You are right to be angry, but this-"

"I am going to kill him," Draco hissed as Harry came running inside the Hospital Wing. He'd run off to Snape to ensure he would notify Hermione's parents of what had happened. The professor had also been trying to find proof of Ron controlling the Basilisk, but the Headmaster did not believe him and Severus had found no proof.

Draco stood up and approached his friend. "Let's find Weasley and torture it out of him if needed. I need to know how he's controlling Sirona. And why he sent her after my w- 'Mione."

"Wow, mate," Harry said, grabbing Draco by the shoulders, and shaking him. "Luna saw this coming, remember? Maybe it was just meant to happen. We'll save 'Mione. Just, relax."

Meant to happen? Was this another joke? Another thread of fate unwinding? And why was Harry telling him to relax? Did Harry also want to die?

"Relax?" Draco asked. "What would you do if it was Ginny?"

Harry blinked at him. "You know that me and Ginny have barely spoken to each other, thanks to that stupid brother of hers," he said angrily. "Don't you think that I don't want to…" Realization hit the spectacled boy like a ton of bricks. "Are… Are you saying that what you feel for 'Mione is the same as I feel for Ginny?"

Fuck.

"No." Draco crossed his arms, looking down at his best friend.

Harry smirked. "Yes. I knew it. Sirius owes me 20 galleons!"

Draco blinked. "You two were betting on that?" he hissed.

His best friend shrugged as he led him back to Hermione's bed, seeing Madam Pomfrey approach with some calming draught.

"Not just me and Sirius. Remus and Tonks too. Aunt Amelia. Theo. Blaise. Daphne…"

"Oh," Draco said as he dramatically waved his hands around. "All of our friends and family then. Right. Bloody brilliant." Hermione's nightstand was starting to shake as Draco got angry again.

"Mr. Malfoy, I swear on Merlin's beard-" Poppy said as she shoved the calming draught into his hands. "A twelve-year-old boy should not be spouting all of this. Are you quite sure you're alright?"

He grunted and downed the potion in one take. Fuck. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Was it? 'Mione wasn't supposed to be hurt this time around, they'd even gone and visited Sirona multiple times. Yet, here he was again. Everything was so different, but all the bad stuff was the same. Would that mean that she… Would she end up dying again? Tortured to death by his aunt? Fear gripped him and he shook his head, trying to snap out of it.

"You should go find her," Draco told Harry after the potion had started to work. He was holding Hermione's hand in his now, closing his eyes with his head leaned back, reminding himself that she was still here. That she would be fine. She had to be.

"Sirona you mean?" Harry asked as he wiped some of the hair in Hermione's face away, tucking it behind her ear. "Or Ginny?"

"Why not both," Draco inquired, opening one eye to look at his best friend. "Sirona said that she hadn't seen Ron in months. Maybe Ginny is just scared that you don't want to be friends with her anymore after what happened. Neville has come to eat with us at the Slytherin table multiple times, even without the twins being there. Maybe she feels bad that her Gryffindor courage left her?"

"We should give you some calming draught more often if you finally start making sense," Harry joked. "Take care of her, will you? I'll go look for my girls."

Draco smirked and waved at Harry with his right hand, his left one still holding Hermione's. Just three more weeks…

At some point, the blonde must have dozed off. It was nearing nighttime and Mr. and Mrs. Granger were sitting on Hermione's other side, Mr. Granger asleep with the newspaper on his lap.

"Madam Pomfrey told me you were throwing quite the tantrum, Draco," Jean Granger said as she put an empty teacup on the small table next to her. "Your mother would not be pleased with your behaviour." She got up from her chair and walked over to him, brushing his hair out of his face. "But I am grateful, that Hermione has friends like you and Harry. That there is someone who cares about her enough to throw a tantrum. Life wasn't always easy for her, before coming to Hogwarts," she whispered. "'Mione has always been different. Special. And any parent would say that about their child, but I knew was true. That she was magic, just like my grand-mère."

Draco blinked up at Jean. "You knew?" he asked. "Hermione only figured it out after I got her the perfume in Paris…"

"When I was a little girl, my grand-mère told me she dreamt I'd have a daughter who would look just like me. She would be fierce, loyal, and brilliant. Magical. My own mother never believed in magic, but I knew that something about my grand-mère was different. When I got pregnant, we went to visit her one last time, to tell her the news. A daughter just like she had predicted. You see, she was quite ill at that time, and she died shortly after 'Mione was born." Dr. Granger seemed to reminisce. "After she died an owl flew through the window in the kitchen, straight into the dining room. Hermione started crying immediately when she felt my sudden panic since I didn't know that owls delivered the mail back then. She was very sensitive to what others were feeling, even then. The owl delivered a letter, written in my grand-mère's handwriting. It said that Hermione would find her chosen family at Hogwarts. One would be her brother and the other…" Mrs. Granger smiled at Draco knowingly. "I know you two will always protect her, and for that, I will be eternally grateful." She touched Draco's cheek lovingly, thanking the boy with her motherly warmth, and got up. "More tea, dear?"

He nodded dumbly as Jean got up and walked towards the kitchen on the side of Madam Pomfrey's office. She had always known that Hermione would be a witch. Was that why she took the strange happenings in the magical world in stride? Blimey, she had even suggested that he and Harry… No. Harry was her brother. The other could be anyone. She could still meet that person at Hogwarts. It didn't have to be him. She still had a choice. Right?

In the corner of his eye, Draco noticed the doors to the Hospital Wing open, no one walking through it. Harry must be back, hiding under his invisibility cloak since it was after curfew.

Suddenly, Draco felt someone grab his shoulder and he shot up in surprise.

"Merlin, Harry," he said as he jumped up in his chair. "I know I taught you how to cast a charm so you would actually move silently, but there's no need to scare me."

Harry threw his cloak off, shoving the Marauder's map in Draco's face. "I can't find them. I tried calling on Sirona through the walls, but she wouldn't come, no matter where I went! And I… I can't find her. Ginny. She's not on the map either," Harry said urgently. "Do you think that Ron got to Sirona again? She told me just last week that she hadn't seen him in months, and neither had she felt the curse pulling at her. I was honestly starting to think he'd flushed that bloody book down the drain and that we were rid of it and you claimed you couldn't feel that much dark magic hanging around him anymore, I mean where could-"

Draco looked at the map in his lap. There, in the corridor towards Myrtle's bathroom were two names. He took Harry by the arm, interrupting him, and pointed towards the small two dots, moving into the bathroom by now and then suddenly disappearing.

"No," Harry said. "No this can't be. Not him."

"You couldn't find her because your dad and his friends didn't know about the Chamber… The Chamber is not on the map…" Draco whispered in disbelief at what he had just seen.

Jean found the boys, staring at the map when she returned. "Is everything alright you two?" she asked. "Do you need me to get you anything, Harry?"

Harry took the map from Draco, shoved it in his pocket, and shook his head at Mrs. Granger. "Could you find Madam Pomfrey and tell her that the Chamber has been opened? Its entrance is in Myrtle's Bathroom. She will know what it means."

Harry folded up his cloak and put it in one of the pockets of his robes, as Draco went over to Hermione, taking her hand in his, whispering that they would be back soon. It was then he suddenly felt it. A small piece of paper stuck in her fist. Draco pried it out and showed it to Harry.

"'Mione figured it out," Harry whispered. "How could we have been so stupid."

Jean was now looking over Draco's shoulder, reading the small paper. "What does 'Mione mean with "It's Lockhart"?

- May 9th 1993, Myrtle's Bathroom –

Even though Jean had tried to stop them when they rushed off, she had immediately tried to find Madam Pomfrey once they left, realizing the boys were up to something potentially dangerous. Harry and Draco had sprinted out when they realized what had happened. Lockhart had taken Ron into the Chamber, and since Ginny was missing… Well. They couldn't take any chances. All they could do was get there and hope Jean would rally the Professors fast enough this time around. Draco was doubtful, however. Seemed like Harry always had to fight his adversaries alone, with no competent adult in sight.

They burst through the door, Myrtle moaning at them to leave her alone at this hour of the night as Harry ran straight for the faucets, hissing it to open. After he'd started visiting Sirona, most often together with Luna, he had gotten very proficient at being a Parselmouth. A huge pipe opened up and Harry frowned as he saw slime covering it.

$ Show me the fastest way to where that traitor is hiding them $ he hissed. One of the unused stalls opened, the toilet disappeared into the ground, and the wall behind the toilet opened into a door. Torches lit a dusty stairway that seemed to go far underground.

"I'm not going to lie," Harry said as they made towards the door. "I wasn't sure that was actually going to work."

The boys walked down the stairways quickly, silencing their feet so Lockhart would not hear them coming, a muffliato bubble hanging around them thanks to Draco. "Harry, just in case Sirona won't listen to you anymore…"

Harry sighed, frustrated. "I know you and Hermione learned how to conjure roosters," he said. "If it needs to be done, then do it. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she actually killed someone. She's been trapped in that Basilisk since Slytherin found her."

"She would understand why you did it, little dragon," Deandra whispered. She had also visited her old friend from time to time when the rest of the castle was asleep.

They came up to a hallway almost completely filled with Sirona's shed skin. Harry pulled out the cloak from his pocket and Draco checked if the silencing charm still worked as both boys crawled under the cloak, wand at the ready. All they had to do was walk towards the whimpering noises they heard. When the two Slytherins entered the room, they saw Sirona curled up in a corner, Ginny lying in a wet puddle on the floor, and Ron on his knees in front of Lockhart. The Professor was aiming his wand straight at him, ready to cast.

"Stop whining, Weasley," Lockhart spat at the redhead. "Now be a good boy and join your sister. I can't believe you told her about the book. That you were stupid enough to run off to try and get Professor McGonagall."

"I didn't want any of this to happen," he sniffed. "When I found that book in Ginny's cauldron… I just thought Mum and Dad had gotten her something new and I-"

"You're just a jealous little boy," their D.A.D.A. teacher said. "You had no clue what the true power of this book was until you were stupid enough to leave it lying in my classroom. I have to say, I had my suspicions after Yule. You weren't as driven to be famous anymore, not like me. And why? Because you almost hurt your little sister? No way someone like you could control the true power of the Gaunt family. The Dark Lord's family."

"What do you mean I hurt Ginny?" Ron asked, confused. "That was the Slytherins, they…"

He kicked at Ron's feet, shutting him up and urging him on with his wand to lie down. "Now. All I need to do is kill the Basilisk and you and your sister can rot down here for all eternity. You will simply be the Basilisk's victim. No one needs to know that the Gaunt family magic can control the Beast. That I control the Beast. If only you hadn't told your sister… Then you would be the only one that had to die."

Harry was urging them forward now, Draco already thinking of how best to disarm their nutter of a teacher while not hurting Ron and Ginny. Harry stopped Draco and looked him in the eye, making the blond understand he needed to lower his walls so Harry could use his legilimency on him. He was just a beginner, so he could not enter anyone's mind without permission.

"Sirona taught me how to evoke Slytherin family magic if she ever got controlled again," the raven-haired boy said. "I get her while you disarm Lockhart. If it doesn't work then… The rooster it is."

Draco nodded in agreement and threw a silent Expelliarmus at Lockhart, who strangely enough, stood his ground. The fucking book. It was giving him strength. Silent spells were always less strong, and Draco being his 12-year-old self was nowhere near as powerful. Fuck. The wanker turned towards where they were standing, firing a stunner straight at them.

Draco pulled Harry down, and Harry hissed: $ Sirona. Your Master and his friends are being attacked by a traitor. Snap out of it. The book is just a curse belonging to the Gaunts, but you belong to Slytherin House. You are meant to protect the students of Hogwarts, and they need your help. $

Right before Sirona woke up, Draco closed his eyes and yelled at Weasley to do the same. Sadly, Weasley was so out of it that he was stunned almost immediately as he saw the Basilisk wake up in the reflection of the puddle his sister was lying in. Fucking great.

Lockhart seemed to be scared for a moment, but he was clasping the book and Draco could feel its foul magic seeping into him.

"Open your eyes, Draco," Deandra said. "Sirona knows you mean no harm. She will not stun you."

Draco wasn't entirely sure about that one, but he trusted Deandra and opened his eyes right as Lockhart disarmed both boys, their wands falling to the floor. Fuck. What now?

Sirona hissed at their teacher, getting closer as Lockhart pulled out the tiniest rooster out of his pocket. "One step closer," he said. "And I will enlarge the rooster to its regular size. And we all know what that means, don't we?"

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked distracting him.

"Why not?" Lockhart said, waving his wand and throwing them backward. Merlin that hurt. Draco could feel his arm starting to bleed. Luckily, he'd faced worse in the war. "How else would I write my next book? I already have the title ready, Beating the Basilisk. Well, maybe it needs some work, but… Honestly how Weasley ever forgot this book is beyond me. As soon as I saw the title, I knew it would lead me to love up to my potential. To fulfill my deepest desires…" The Professor admired the book, its foul magic seeping into him even more, making him stronger. More unhinged.

Draco was slowly getting up, so was Harry. Sirona was ready to strike as well, but they couldn't risk it. Not now. It was then he saw Weasley's wand lying right next to his stunned frame. If Harry could just distract Lockhart, he could perhaps summon it to him silently... Draco mentally nudged Harry, encouraging him to keep the conversation going.

"So you're the one who opened the Chamber?" Harry asked. "Set the Basilisk loose on the school just to increase your own fame once you finally beat it?"

The blonde man laughed menacingly. "No, that was all Weasley. The idiot didn't know he was being controlled by the book. He thought that he would be the one to kill the Basilisk, making him the most famous student Hogwarts had ever known! How stupid. Soon after, he was under my control, however. I didn't want to get my hands dirty while trying to get rid of you," he spat.

Harry blinked. "Of me?"

Lockhart, always loving to hear himself talk, ignored Harry and continued his monologue, giving Draco the opportunity to slowly but surely start stretching out his hand, trying to summon Ron's wand.

"Of course, Weasley wasn't as smart as I gave him credit for. When he cursed that blasted Bludger, he thought that no one other than a Gryffindor would be courageous and foolish enough to keep going after the snitch. So he cursed it to follow the one who wouldn't go after it. Idiot. He was in a right state after that as well. He hadn't thought the Bludger would be so aggressive, hadn't thought that you actually had more of a lion in him than he thought you would. He was going to quit. He thought the book could bring him glory, bring him what he desired, becoming famous. Becoming best friends with the Boy-Who-Lived. Pathetic. I obliviated him of course. Made him think what had happened to his sister was not his fault, but that of the filthy snakes. Making his disdain for you grow."

He kept pointing his wand at them, Draco focusing on summoning the wand, hoping Harry would keep him busy. Apparently, that wasn't necessary as Lockhart just kept going on.

"Luckily, the boy wasn't completely useless on the night of the duelling club. I wanted to make sure the whole school would think their great saviour, Harry Potter, was the one trying to get them all killed. I did miscalculate the influence the book would have on him, considering he's still just a child." He spat out the word as if it tasted bad in his mouth. How the fuck did this guy ever get hired by Dumbledore if he disliked children so much? "But then of course you, instead of being shamed by everyone and feeling miserable… You fucking declared yourself the Lord of Slytherin House! Imagine my surprise when I found it was actually real as soon as you spoke that vow. I realized then, that not only could I increase my reputation to be more grand than that of Harry Potter. I could also become Lord Slytherin by right of conquest."

Oh. So that was his plan then? Become Lord Slytherin? Write another book? Kill the boy-who-lived? Achieve fortune and glory when he already had it? What a fucking wanker.

"I want to say not to take this personally, boy, but you have been ridiculing me ever since that blasted day at Flourish and Blotts. If I am the one to try and save poor Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Harry Potter, and his friends dying in the process of trying to save their friend, then well…"

Lockhart looked at Sirona now, pointing the artifact at her, the dark magic seeping out of it. What the Professor did not know, was that once Harry had arrived and invoked Slytherin family magic, well. The Gaunts could not beat that.

"Kill them!" Lockhart yelled, as Draco silently summoned Ron's wand into his hand. Thank Merlin. It felt strange, not like his own at all. But it would have to do.

Meanwhile, the Basilisk didn't move an inch.

The professor blinked, panicked, as the Basilisk started hissing at him, slithering in his direction. He pulled out the rooster, not knowing Draco had gotten himself a wand and had cast a silencing charm at it. Sirona didn't slow down when she went straight for the Professor.

"Impossible!," he yelled. "The beast is under my control!"

Harry smirked, growing bolder by the second as he saw his best friend was now carrying a wand and aiming for the Professor from under his robes. "You see Professor, that book you are holding there might seem like it will make your deepest desires come true. But it was written by a Gaunt. By a descendant of Slytherin. That is where you made a slight miscalculation," Harry enlightened him. "Slytherin is the house of cunning. Do you really think one of our own would allow a cursed object to make the members of our own house fall victim to it? That its powers could be abused to hurt the true Lord of Slytherin?"

Lockhart gulped and stumbled backward, dropping the book as he realized it would be of no use to him.

$ Sirona why don't you show Professor Lockhart what the House of Slytherin does to its enemies? $

The Basilisk opened its mouth, all of its fangs showing.

Lockhart came up with his most stupid idea yet, threatening Harry. "If I kill you, then I will become Lord Slytherin and the snake will listen to me. Avada -"

Draco had seen this coming from a mile away of course. He wasn't sure if Lockhart was actually this unhinged, or if it was because of that damned book. He'd been straining his magic to wandlessly and silently summon Ron's wand to him, but thanks to Harry's distractions, and mainly Lockhart's own vanity, he'd managed it without the idiot noticing. This was his chance to disarm him.

His best friend immediately dropped his body to the ground when the green flash of light came for him, and Draco conjured a stone wall in front of him. Sirona was now hissing in what Draco could only understand to be anger, and when he heard a sickening crunch, he dared to peek around the wall. The snake had hit Lockhart out with its giant tail, his body lying in a heap against the stone walls.

Harry started hissing back to the snake as he ran over to the two youngest Weasleys. Sirona now protectively curled around Ron and Ginny. Draco walked over to get both of their wands from where Lockhart had just been standing, putting Ron's in his pocket for safekeeping.

"She's saying that their magic is leaving them. The curse has been draining them," Deandra explained to Draco.

"Harry," Draco said. "We should go and take Ginny and Ron to Madam Pomfrey." He threw Harry's wand to him, pocketing his own. Harry was looking concerned and crouched down as he wiped some of the sweat off Ginny's brow. "I will take care of the Professor, you just get them to-"

A grunt could be heard behind them.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, can't you just realize when you've lost old man," Harry said, standing up and rolling his eyes. He turned around, ready to stupefy the Professor.

What Harry hadn't noticed, was that Lockhart was aiming his wand at them. His broken wand. Oh, Merlin.

"Watch out!" Draco yelled as he threw up the strongest shield he could master around the four of them. In the end, the shield was a bit of an overkill as Lockhart's wand and whatever spell he had been casting exploded in his face, knocking him out.

Harry walked over and nudged the Professor's leg with his shoe.

"Is he dead?" Draco asked entirely unimpressed.

"Just knocked out cold," Harry shrugged. "Let's stun him just to be safe."

- May 29th 1993, Hospital Wing –

Their adventure had gone through the school like wildfire. Everyone was glad to see Lockhart go, even the teachers. Apparently, the explosion from the broken spell had left him in quite a vegetative state, not being able to remember a single thing. Couldn't even hold a damned spoon. Draco smirked. Served that bastard right. The Quibbler had released an article about all of his misdeeds. Lockhart had been going around Europe, obliviating witches and wizards and claiming their triumphs as his own, making money off of it. This had never been common knowledge the first time around and Draco was glad that the man had faced justice and his victims had been compensated and were in the process of getting their memories back.

Sirona had swallowed the cursed book whole, saying it would be better that no one would ever get to that again. She had also asked Harry to put her to sleep again, like Slytherin had, and to call upon her when she was needed to protect the school. She didn't want to risk anyone controlling her again. Harry promised he would try and find a way to release her from her Basilisk prison, letting her roam the world again as a free spirit. If he wouldn't be able to do it, he would ask his descendants to. The Basilisk had flicked her tongue at him, hissing, and had curled up behind the statue of Salazar, falling into a deep slumber, waiting for the day she was called upon again. Luna had been very understanding when Harry told her their friend was back to sleep now. "Oh don't worry," the blonde had answered. "We'll see each other soon enough."

Both Harry and Draco were standing watch in the hospital wing as the Mandrake Draught was finally ready and all of the petrified inhabitants of the school would be revived. Right before Draco was about to leave his dorm, Dobby had shown up, jumping in the air since this was the day his mistress would come back. Draco had tackled the elf to the ground, hand over his mouth. "Dobby, stop saying she is your mistress. What if anyone hears?" Director Ragnok was close. He knew it. Just a little while longer, and she would be free.

Hermione's parents were bound to arrive within the next few minutes as Sirius and Amelia were picking them up. After Madam Bones had learnt of Lucius' throwing a cursed book into Ginny's cauldron, she moved to get him removed from the Board of Governors of Hogwarts. There wasn't enough proof that he'd known what it actually was, so she couldn't throw him into Azkaban. When the elder Malfoy had asked her who had told her about the book, she said she'd fished it out of Lockhart's jumbled brain.

As Madam Pomfrey made Hermione magically swallow the Draught, her hands immediately started to move, and she sat up straight, staring at Harry and Draco. Before they could welcome her back, Draco could feel the panic in her rise.

"It's Lockhart," she said, swinging her feet over the edge of the bed, not allowing anyone to interrupt. "I heard Ron tell Ginny in the library that-"

Trying to get up too fast after being petrified for weeks, she almost fainted from jumping off the bed. Draco was by her side in an instant, catching her.

"Slow down, 'Mione," Harry scolded her, flicking her forehead lightly with his finger. "We know. He's rotting away in the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungos. Everyone's safe. You're safe."

She smiled up at her best friends and hugged herself closer to Draco, Harry joining in from behind her, completing the group hug. "I'm glad you're alright," Draco whispered into her bushy hair. "Gave us quite the fright."

Madam Pomfrey snorted. "Mr. Malfoy was about to bring down the whole Hospital Wing with his magical tantrums when he found out you were petrified," she said before continuing on to Colin Creevey.

Harry smirked and Draco blushed as Hermione thanked him for worrying about her by kissing him on the cheek. She then pulled both boys on the bed with her, telling them to explain everything that had happened during the past weeks and to please tell her what homework she'd missed. Both boys laughed, glad to have their best friend back.

Sirius and Amelia had come in with the Grangers not long after, and one by one all the victims were revived. Once it was Ron and Ginny's turn, the silver trio, Sirius, and Amelia walked over to get a final explanation as Hermione's parents went to talk with the mediwitch to get more information on their daughter's health. Madam Bones was definitely interested in learning exactly how Ron had received the cursed book which had caused all this chaos and despair.

When they arrived at the bed Ron was lying in, Ginny smiled weakly at them from the bed beside her brother. Harry went towards her and sat on the side of her bed, grabbing her hand, and making both of them blush. Draco rolled his eyes. Idiots.

Ron was crying as his mother and father were sitting on either side of his hospital bed. "I- I thought you'd given Ginny something new," he stammered. "So when I saw she had something extra in her cauldron, I snuck into her room right after dinner and I took it with me. She didn't seem to be missing it, since she never mentioned it, so I just kept it…"

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were unsure why their son would do such a thing. Even if his little sister had gotten something new, that didn't mean that they loved him any less than they did her.

Ron seemed doubtful. "Bill was Head Boy, Charlie was Quidditch Captain, Percy is a Prefect and the twins are, well… The twins. They make everyone laugh and they are so inventive. Ginny is a great quidditch player and she's the only girl, so… What am I? And then, when I thought I could become friends with Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, he ended up getting sorted in Slytherin and…"

Mrs. Weasley was crying now, hugging her son. "Oh, Ron, your father and I don't care if you turn out to be a quidditch player or a Prefect or Head Boy! You are our son, and we will love you no matter what you do. I'm sorry if you felt that way. And I'm sorry for reading you and Ginny all those stories about Harry… I didn't realise you would expect to become friends since you would be in the same year…"

The silver trio felt more than a little awkward witnessing all of this, and Harry rubbed the back of his head, jumping off Ginny's bed, looking sheepish when he said: "Well, technically, I would've been a Gryffindor. The hat was considering putting me in either Gryffindor or Slytherin. But I chose Slytherin," he admitted.

Ron looked dumbfounded. "You chose Slytherin? But… Why?"

"Well, for one I thought it would be cool to be in Slytherin as Lord Slytherin, even though my godfather had told me I missed out on the best political prank in history by getting sorted in Gryffindor as the actual Lord Slytherin. But on the other hand, my friends were there. Apart from Hagrid, Draco and Hermione were the first friends I made in the wizarding world. And I just didn't want to be alone again."

The "again" hung in the air, all adults looking at him sadly. Even if Hermione had not had any friends when growing up, she'd had her family. Harry had been completely alone. Abandoned by the wizarding world. It made Draco's blood boil just thinking about it.

Mrs. Weasley stood up and hugged Harry to her in one of her well-known bearhugs. "Oh, you sweet boy," she cried. "What happened to you after your parents died is unfair, the way those muggles treated you. You will always have a home in the wizarding world, I am sure your godfather agrees."

Sirius nodded and smiled at that. "House Black will always welcome Harry James Potter into its home," he said.

Amelia smiled at her fiancé. Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrows at his wife. Draco looked over at Hermione. She gave him a slight nod, understanding in her eyes.

Draco stood up straight. "So will House Malfoy."

"And House Dagworth-Granger," Hermione agreed with tears in her eyes, noticing how her best friend finally had realized that he was not alone in this and that he would never be alone again.

"House Bones also welcomes Harry James Potter as part of their house," Amelia smiled at her fiancé's godson.

Mr. Weasley stood up after a silent conversation with Molly. "And House Weasley".

Sirius took out his wand, and looked at all five of them who nodded once more to give their consent, Harry being clueless as to what was happening. "So mote it be," Sirius whispered, five golden strands of magic reaching out to Harry and enveloping him in a warm comfortable blanket of pure magic.

"What just happened?" Harry asked, utter happiness on his face as the golden glow around his body ebbed away.

"Well, you're now magically bound to all of us as family, Harry," Sirius said. "We will always come to your aid. You will always find shelter with your magical family. You will never be alone again."

"You guys," Harry said emotionally, lifting his glasses to wipe the tears off his face. "You didn't have to…"

"We know," Hermione said, grabbing her best friend's hand. "But we wanted to."

"Just wait until you tell your father about this," Deandra said. "He will be having kneazles knowing that you bound House Malfoy together with the Weasleys, just to protect Harry."

Draco shrugged and smiled at his chosen family. Who the fuck cared about what Lucius Malfoy thought? The days of wanting to get his father's praise and approval were long gone. All he needed was his friends. His family.