Harry and Ron were not at all impressed when after leaving the French Ministry on Thursday evening, Kingsley announced that the following day he would be visiting the Minister for International Relations at her home, rather than meeting her at the Ministry as he'd done all week. Both Aurors tried to point out to Kingsley that the whole point of their presence was to ensure he was going to be safe, and going somewhere they hadn't been able to check prior to his arrival was risky. However, despite their numerous protestations, Kingsley was adamant that he would be keeping his appointment with the witch he'd been dealing with at her home. He was also adamant that he would be perfectly safe as not only did he trust the Minister, but he reminded Harry and Ron that she had her only personal security and that he would be onsite the entire time.
"I still don't like it," Ron grumbled to Harry after Kingsley had turned in for the night. Several hours later they'd still had no success in getting the Minister to change his mind, so it seemed that the following day they would be heading into the unknown.
"Nor do I, but Kingsley wasn't backing down," Harry said with a sigh.
"I wonder why though," Ron mused. "It's not like Kingsley not to listen to our advice. We've never had this sort of problem with him before. So why is he so insistent on going against our advice?"
"More to the point, why is he so eager to meet this Minister at her home," Harry countered. "What is wrong with the Ministry? Why the sudden need for privacy?"
"Privacy?" Ron questioned with a shudder. "You don't mean what I think you mean, do you?"
"Perhaps," Harry admitted, grimacing at the thoughts that were swimming around in his mind. "The French Minister is about Kingsley's age. Maybe romance is in the air."
"With that old bag?" Ron snorted. "Kingsley could do way better than that sour old prune. I can hardly see her igniting Kingsley's passions."
"It takes all kinds," Harry replied with a shrug. "All I know that something has got Kingsley acting recklessly, and in my experience when a wizard loses his senses a witch is usually at the bottom of it all."
"True, true," Ron conceded, well aware that when it came to the fickle nature of the heart anything could happen and even the most sensible of wizards could make fools of themselves. It was simply his and Harry's job to make sure that Kingsley's recklessness in dealing with the French witch didn't come back to bite him and that he emerged from their private encounter safe and sound.
Come Friday morning, Harry and Ron did not hide their concern from Kingsley, and the Minister of Magic was left in little doubt that his two Auror protectors did not approve of what he was doing. He was just hoping that they would at least understand once they got a chance to speak to Hermione in private later that day, and found out a bit more about their old friend's life.
Since none of them had visited the vineyard before a port key was necessary for travelling, and fortunately Hermione had provided Kingsley with one the previous day. At the set time the portkey activated whizzing Kingsley, Harry and Ron into the French countryside and depositing them at the driveway leading to the vineyard.
"A vineyard?" Harry frowned, spotting a sign beside the road they had landed in the middle of directing them to a vineyard. "I thought you were visiting the Minister for International Relations."
"I am," Kingsley said, setting off in the direction of the vineyard.
"And she runs a vineyard in her spare time?" Ron questioned as he and Harry ensured that they kept up with Kingsley and that he didn't stray too far from their side.
"The vineyard is her husband's venture," Kingsley chuckled, missing the surprised look Harry and Ron shared at the news that the witch Kingsley was on his way to see was a married woman as it rather blew their theory of an illicit liaison out of the water. "And later on, I'm sure we'll get to taste the fruits of his labour. I've been promised the wine is top notch. I was also told there's a muggle village nearby, so I thought you two might like a couple of hours off."
"We're not going to leave you here unguarded," Ron snorted.
"Especially when we haven't even checked the place out for security," Harry added.
"I can assure you, I will be perfectly safe," Kingsley vowed. "Besides, Pierre will be here the entire time."
Harry and Ron exchanged a scornful look at the mention of the Minister's personal security officer. Neither of them had ended up having much to do with him over the previous week, but when their paths did cross they weren't over keen on his attitude. As the personal security of the Minister of International Relations he seemed to think he was something special, and more importantly he seemed as though he thought he was more important than Harry and Ron.
As the trio approached the vineyard, and the sprawling house that was part of the property, Harry and Ron had no intention of leaving Kingsley, even if he would be in the care of Pierre. However, Kingsley already seemed to have made his mind up and when they reached the house, Pierre was wating for them. Showing Kingsley into the house, he directed him to where the Minister was waiting for him, before offering to show Harry and Ron the security arrangements around the vineyard.
"You can then take a break and be back here in a couple of hours," Kingsley said in a stern voice that told them he wasn't talking no for an answer. Not that they got the chance to complain as he vanished into the sprawling house the second he'd issued his command.
Left with no choice, Harry and Ron accompanied Pierre as he gave them a quick tour of the area, and explained the security around the vineyard. Despite themselves Harry and Ron were impressed with the level of security, although they did question why it was necessary as it was clear that a lot of the security which was in place was always there and wasn't just for Kingsley's visit.
"There has been a few threats to Madam Minister over the years," Pierre explained when asked about the security. "On the whole she is a very popular appointment, both with her colleagues and the general public, but there are a few small elements who are against her for various reasons. And as I'm sure you're aware sometimes these small fractions can be the most dangerous as they're often the most fanatical."
Harry and Ron knew exactly what Pierre meant as they knew that one determined person could cause a lot of trouble. The few threats Kingsley had dealt with in his time as Minister for Magic had all come about through small groups or sometimes even a single party. Although if the French Minister had faced those sort of threats then it was no wonder her security was top notch and reluctant as they were to admit it, Harry and Ron eventually conceded that Kingsley would be safe enough without them for a couple of hours.
Gaining directions to the village from Pierre, Harry and Ron, headed away from the vineyard and down the quiet lane towards the village. Luckily Harry always carried an emergency supply of muggle money so they would be able to buy themselves a drink and maybe a mid-morning snack.
"I have to admit, this is stunning countryside," Harry remarked as they strolled along enjoying the summer sunshine. "The Minister is a very lucky woman living here."
"She is," Ron agreed.
"Maybe I should bring Ginny out here for a holiday," Harry mused. "A few weeks peace and quiet could be idyllic."
"For you maybe, but not for my sister," Ron snorted. "She would hate all this stillness, Harry, you know she would."
"You're probably right," Harry conceded with a disappointed sigh. Personally he loved the peace of the countryside, but his wife craved action and hustle and bustle. It was why they lived in London, rather than a smaller wizarding village, and it was why when they went on holiday it was always to somewhere with a buzzing nightlife and plenty to do in the day.
"I would come with you though," Ron offered with a chuckle. "A few weeks somewhere like this would be a lovely holiday."
Harry couldn't agree more, especially when they reached the village and found it to be absolutely stunning. It wasn't an overly large place, but it was big enough to have a pub, several shops, a bistro that hadn't yet opened for lunch and a café advertising homemade cakes and pastries.
"Let's go and get coffee and cake," Harry decided, leading the way to the café.
Even though Ron wasn't a complete stranger to the muggle world, he wasn't confident enough to deal with the staff so he left placing their order to Harry and found a seat by the window. It wasn't until he sat down and took a good look around the café that he spotted a figure with platinum blond hair sitting in the back corner, bouncing a small child on his lap. Unless Ron was very much mistaken, Draco Malfoy was in the café with a baby.
Convinced he was mistaken, Ron couldn't help but stare at the man with the baby. Only the longer he stared, the surer he became that he was indeed looking at Draco Malfoy. Only it was a vision of Malfoy he'd never seen before. Not only was he looking relaxed and smiling and making faces at the baby in his arms, but he was wearing a plain green t-shirt and muggle jeans. There was even a muggle pushchair sitting beside him.
"Tell me I'm seeing things, Harry," Ron hissed to his best friend when Harry arrived at their table, carrying a tray containing two cappuccinos and two pieces of cake.
"What are you seeing?" Harry asked in confusion.
"The back corner," Ron said, bobbing his head in the direction of their former schoolmate.
Due to the placement of the seat Harry had chosen, he didn't have to turn around to follow Ron's line of sight. However, when he did realise what, or rather who, his best friend had spotted, he almost fell off his chair in shock.
"Malfoy," he whispered, keeping his voice down in case the blond somehow overheard them despite the fact he was across the room.
"It is him, isn't it?" Ron checked, even though Harry had just confirmed he was right about who they were looking at.
"It's either him, or he's got a double over here in France," Harry said, still keeping his voice low. "And I'm sure France was where he came after the war. His mother went off with him, but she came home after a couple of years when Lucius was released from Azkaban, but I never heard anything about Malfoy returning."
"He mustn't have returned or else the press would have known about it," Ron said. Given events of the war, and the mere fact he was a Malfoy, the press would most definitely had reported his return to Britian the same way they're reported his exit shortly after the end of the war.
"I wonder what he's doing here though," Harry mused. "Surely there's plenty of wizarding villages in France. What's he doing living in a muggle one?"
"Who says he lives here?" Ron countered. "He could just be passing by."
"We're in the middle of nowhere, Ron," Harry pointed out. "If he doesn't live in the village, I can't see any other reason for him to be here."
Ron had to agree that Harry was probably right, although like his best friend he didn't understand why a staunch pureblood like Malfoy was living among muggles. Although unless they were going to go and ask him, it was likely they would never know what sort of life their former school enemy had made for himself. Not that either of them planned on going over to speak to the former Slytherin, and when he got up, put the baby in its pushchair and departed the café they made sure to avert their gaze so he didn't stop to speak. Although from what they could tell he didn't give them a second glance and he exited the café without ever realising they'd been present.
Forty minutes, and another coffee and slab of cake each, Harry and Ron left the café to head back to the vineyard. Even though Kingsley had said to take a few hours neither of them were comfortable with being away from him for too long. As it was they were both well aware that technically they had abandoned their duties and if any harm came to Kingsley in their absence they would be in deep trouble.
As they returned to the vineyard they were relieved to see that everything seemed exactly as they left it. Luckily there didn't seem to be any dramas occurring that would indicate their absence had been felt. Heading for the door, Harry was just about to knock when Ron spotted a movement out of the corner of his eye and stopped him. Just in their eyeline was one of the buildings clearly used as part of the vineyard and Ron was sure he'd just seen a figure disappear inside carrying a large bag.
"It's probably just a worker," Harry said with a shrug.
"I would have said that as well, but I could have sworn it was Malfoy," Ron admitted. "Granted it was just a quick glimpse, but you can hardly miss hair like his."
"Why would Malfoy by skulking around the vineyard?" Harry asked. "Unless he works here, and that was why he was down in the village."
"Malfoy is hardly the sort to be doing manual labour," Ron snorted. "I've got a bad feeling about this, Harry. The Minister of Magic is inside that house, and a known Death Eater is skulking around outside. Can that really be a coincidence?"
Despite the fact Draco had emerged from the war without any criminal record as the Ministry had taken his situation into consideration and decided he'd acted under duress, Harry couldn't ignore that the facts as Ron put them were correct. Even without a formal criminal record, he was a known Death Eater, with a father who had actually served time in Azkaban. And since they knew nothing of his life now, they had no idea how he'd developed. Maybe he did have a criminal record in France. It was a chance they simply couldn't take with Kingsley inside the property.
As Harry was trying to decide what to do, the figure emerged from the building and he saw that Ron was right, it was indeed Draco Malfoy. As the blond turned and headed around the back of the building, Harry gave Ron a nod and the pair took off towards the outbuilding. After so many years of being friends and working together the pair didn't need to communicate by words and they split up to approach Malfoy from both sides.
At the back of the outbuilding they came across Malfoy picking up another bag from a small stack that was lying propped up against the back wall of the building. Neither Harry and Ron knew what was inside the bags, but they weren't about to take any chances on it being some sort of explosive. In total sync, they emerged from the side of the building, wands in hand. Simultaneously they cast stunning spells at the blond wizard and an oblivious Draco collapsed to the floor, totally unaware of what, and especially who, had hit him.
"What do we do now?" Ron asked as Harry bent to check the bags and found that they seemed to just contain soil. But he knew from experience that until the bags were thoroughly checked they couldn't rule out anything more dangerous hiding amidst the dirt.
"Get him back to the French Ministry," Harry said. "I'll go and get Kingsley and we'll meet you back there. And let's hope Malfoy has a good explanation for sneaking around on someone else's property while the British Minister of Magic is inside."