Back in the dimly lit office, Hermione leaned against her desk. Draco's jacket was draped around her shoulders, the scent of his cologne still clinging to the fabric. He had placed it there without a word as they walked side by side through the Ministry's deserted corridors.
Now, across the room, Draco sat on his desk, facing her but staring down at the floor. His posture was closed off, arms crossed tightly as if bracing himself. He hadn't said much since they'd returned.
"Hermione," he began, his voice low, "I'm so sorry for putting you in that situation tonight."
A small puff of air escaped her. Pushing herself off from the desk, Hermione stood tall, turning to face him directly.
"Draco, I'm going to say this once, and you are going to listen to me."
He lifted his gaze, meeting hers, his eyes reflecting something deeper she couldn't quite place.
"You didn't put me in this position. I did that myself. So there's no point apologising for something you had no control over."
Her words hung in the air between them, a finality to them that made Draco pause. He stayed silent for a moment, his jaw tightening. Finally, his eyes softened, but they didn't leave hers.
"The way he looked at you," Draco said quietly, his voice laced with frustration. "Like you were something he owned. It made me—" He stopped, struggling with the words. "I've never been closer to stunning someone in broad daylight."
Hermione blinked, caught off guard by the raw honesty in his tone. His level of concern wasn't just professional—it felt personal.
The office seemed smaller, the walls closing in as Hermione's awareness of their proximity heightened. She couldn't help but notice the subtle changes in Draco's appearance—his tie loosened, the top buttons of his shirt undone. He looked so different from his usual, composed self. As if reading her thoughts, he ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable, the movement only further disheveling his appearance.
"I, um—I'm going to get changed. Can you pass me the bag in the corner?" Hermione asked, gesturing toward a red bag near Draco.
He remained silent, standing up to retrieve it, though the tension in his shoulders hadn't entirely eased. When he handed her the bag, he held onto it just a fraction longer, causing her to look up. They were only inches apart.
"What?" she asked, gripping the bag between them.
A soft, almost shy smile played on his lips—so different from his usual smirk. "I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, but… you look wonderful tonight," he said, his voice steady but warm. He paused, holding her gaze. "You blew everyone else away."
The sincerity in his words left Hermione momentarily speechless. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared back at him, caught off guard by his tone. She didn't know what to say for a moment, her cheeks betraying her as a faint blush rose. She quickly glanced away, hoping he hadn't noticed.
Draco's smile widened into something more familiar, his tone shifting. "I mean, you were the best-looking personafterme, of course. But coming second to me is still a pretty big win."
She rolled her eyes, yanking the bag from his grip with a touch more force than necessary. "Always so humble," she said with a wry smile.
Just then, the office door quietly opened, and Theo walked in, his gaze immediately settling on the lack of space between Hermione and Draco.
They took a couple of casual steps apart, attempting to appear calm so as not to betray their surprise at his sudden appearance.
Draco recovered first, his brow furrowing in concern. "What's up?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
Theo raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly. "What's up?" he mimicked, his tone laden with subtle amusement.
"Is everything okay?" Hermione said, interrupting their prolonged staring competition.
Theo's expression shifted to something more serious. "Harry's in his office. He wants a debriefing about the operation. There are a few people from the team there as well."
Hermione nodded. "You two go ahead. I need to change."
Draco and Theo exchanged a brief nod before heading toward the door. As Draco walked past Hermione, she noticed him casting a subtle glance back at her, his eyes lingering on her red dress. Her cheeks warmed again, and she quickly turned away from the door, hoping he hadn't caught the flush of colour spreading across her face.
After changing into more comfortable Muggle clothes, Hermione now stood at the back of Harry's office, which was bustling with the low hum of conversation. It seemed that nearly everyone stationed at the ball had been summoned here.
Harry stepped to the front of the room and cleared his throat, instantly commanding the attention of everyone present. The chatter died down, and the room fell into an expectant silence.
"As you all know by now, our operation tonight has yielded some significant new information," Harry began, his tone firm. "First, I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone for tonight's execution. I'd also like to give a special acknowledgement to Auror Granger for her performance."
The room of Aurors nodded in agreement, many of them glancing toward Hermione with approving looks.
"I'll provide further updates on how we'll handle the situation later in the week," Harry continued. "Thank you, everyone, for your time. You're free to return to the ball and enjoy your night."
With a collective sigh of relief, people began to file out, the conversations picking up again as they excitedly returned to the celebrations in the Ministry's atrium, no longer on shift.
As the crowd began to thin, Harry called out, "Auror Granger, Malfoy, Nott, and Zabini, could you all stay for a moment longer?"
Blaise looked at him panicked and raised a hand apologetically, his eyes scanning the room as he tried to manoeuvre past people with evident urgency. "Just give me a minute," he said, clearly intent on reaching someone.
Harry raised an eyebrow at Blaise's behaviour but ignored it and let him go, waiting for the rest of the room to leave. Once the room was empty, he closed the door with a soft click and turned to the remaining group. "Have a seat," he instructed, his tone serious and commanding.
Theo, Hermione and Draco all took their seats, and Harry took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Considering this is your case," he said, addressing the group, "I think it's important that we have a more in-depth discussion while everything is still fresh in our minds." He looked at Theo. "You can fill Blaise in later."
Theo took the lead, beginning the conversation. "Cormac mentioned that Astoria Greengrass knew Hermione's address," he began, his eyes shifting to Hermione. "Can you think of any reason she might want to cause you harm?"
Hermione thought about his question hard, her mind racing as she considered it. "I really can't think of anything," she replied.
Draco, who had been quiet until now, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His gaze was focused on the floor as he spoke up, his tone almost uncertain. "I might have an idea," he said quietly. "But I'm not entirely sure."
Harry leaned forward, urging Draco to continue. "What is it?" he asked.
Draco took a deep breath, clearly struggling with the revelation. "I, um… I used to be in an arranged marriage with Astoria when we were still at school." He paused, wincing as if the memory was painful. "But after my father was imprisoned, my mother dissolved the pact."
Theo's eyes widened in surprise as he turned to Draco. "I didn't know about this, Draco."
Draco looked down, his face a mixture of discomfort and resignation. "I never wanted it, so I wasn't exactly keen on discussing it during school. We were children."
Hermione continued observing the interaction, allowing the information to sink in. "How did she handle the dissolution of the marriage pact?" she asked softly.
Draco met her gaze, his expression pained as he recalled the memory. "Badly," he admitted. "Very badly."
"What do you mean?" Harry probed.
Draco's eyes darkened as he continued. "After she lost the Malfoy fortune, she completely lost her grip on reality. She started lashing out, insisting that we were meant to be together, that we were destined for each other." He sighed, the weight of his words evident. "Her obsession didn't stop there. She kept interfering in my life, one way or another. In fact, she was one of the reasons a past relationship of mine fell apart. She just kept inserting herself, one way or another."
The room fell silent as the gravity of Draco's revelation sank in, each person processing the implications of Astoria's role in his life.
"But that doesn't explain why she would target Hermione or any of the other victims," Theo interjected, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Draco's eyes seemed to glaze over as he pondered Theo's question, and then, suddenly, an expression of realisation crossed his face. "I had spent the afternoon with Mildred Duncan at her furniture shop just days before she was murdered," he began, pausing as if the significance of the memory was dawning on him.
Harry leaned closer, his head perched on his hand, curiosity piqued. "We were discussing furniture for the Manor," Draco continued, his voice steady as he pieced together the information. "At the end of our meeting, I asked if she'd like to meet up for a drink as a thank-you gesture."
Hermione's eyes widened slightly at Draco's revelation, but she masked her surprise. He had never told her he and Mildred had planned to go for drinks when the case first came through. His reaction to her murder made more sense now.
"Did you ever end up going?" she found herself asking.
Draco met her gaze directly. "No," he replied, his answer coming swiftly and without hesitation.
Hermione was taken aback by the immediacy of his response.
Harry interjected, his voice cutting through the tension. "Do you think Astoria would be capable of murdering someone over something so minor?" he asked, his tone laden with scepticism.
Draco nodded solemnly, his expression grave. "There's something seriously wrong with her. I just never imagined she would take it this far," he admitted.
Theo shifted his focus. "What about Mrs. Kirsty Birbeck?" he asked, seeking clarification.
Draco leaned back, considering the question. "If we stick with our earlier theory that Mrs. Birbeck wasn't the intended target but rather an unfortunate witness, then Astoria remains a viable suspect."
"What about the Nullis Elixir found at the scene?" Harry said, adding to the pile of questions sent Draco's way.
Draco shrugged. "That's the part that doesn't add up."
"But then why would Astoria be targeting me?" Hermione said, going back to the motive of the crime.
Draco's gaze grew distant as he searched for the right words. "Any woman she sees interacting with me could be perceived as a threat." His tone was tinged with nervousness as if there was more to the answer than he was letting on.
Hermione's mind raced as a realisation struck her. "She would have seen us at our work drinks at the Leaky Cauldron," she said, connecting the dots. "That's when Cormac mentioned she asked for my address." She paused, her brow furrowing. "But I didn't see her there."
"I didn't see her either," Theo confirmed, his tone matching Hermione's confusion.
"I never saw her at Mildred's furniture shop," Draco added, his expression tense.
Harry took charge of the situation, clearly showing his expertise. "Alright, we have two courses of action to verify this," he said decisively. He turned to Draco. "First, would you consent to placing your memories into a Pensieve? If your theory holds up, we need to review what happened both at the furniture shop and at the pub."
Draco nodded in agreement.
Harry then shifted his gaze to Theo. "Second, Theo, could you and Blaise try and find the underage trace records from before Astoria came of age? The two systems aren't linked up, but now that we have narrowed down a suspect, we might find a match on the criminal magical trace database."
"I'll get on it right away. I'm going to look for Blaise now," Theo said, rising from his seat. He glanced at Harry. "Am I excused?"
"Yes, go find him," Harry replied before turning his attention back to Hermione and Draco. "The Pensieve won't be available until tomorrow morning, so you two might as well head home for the evening."
Hermione and Draco stood up, ready to leave. Just as they were about to head out, Harry called them back. "Hey," he said, his tone softer. "Without the two of you, we wouldn't have made any progress in this investigation. I know it's not easy for either of you, but just keep an eye on each other, okay?"
Draco met Harry's gaze and nodded. "We will," he assured him, and with a final nod, Draco and Hermione left the Head Auror's office.
The two of them walked in silence once again, the weight of the evening's revelations hanging heavily between them. When they finally reached their shared space, they each moved with practised ease as they gathered their belongings; exhaustion was evident in their slow movement. As they put on their jackets, the silence between them was disturbed by the soft rustle of fabric and the muted clicks of zippers, which filled the space where words might have been.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and Blaise burst into the room, his face flushed and breathless as though he had been running in a frenzy. "Have you seen Margaux?" he demanded with urgency.
Draco and Hermione shook their heads in unison. "No, sorry, Blaise," Hermione said, her tone laced with concern.
Blaise's eyes darted around the room, his agitation growing. "I need to find her," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "It's important."
Draco's gaze hardened, a note of suspicion in his voice. "Why do you need her?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he studied Blaise's dishevelled appearance.
"I need to tell her I love her," Blaise blurted out, panting.
Draco and Hermione exchanged a glance, their shared look filled with unease. Something was off.
"Blaise," Hermione began gently, her tone laced with concern, "are you sure you're feeling alright?"
Blaise's erratic behaviour didn't sit right with her. There was a desperation in his eyes that felt out of place.
"I feel perfectly fine! Why wouldn't I?" Blaise insisted, a wild gleam in his eyes. "I'm about to tell the woman of my dreams that I love her."
Hermione kept her tone calm and soothing. "Why don't you sit down and tell us what you like about her?" she suggested, hoping to keep him in the room long enough to figure out what was happening.
Blaise didn't hesitate. He stormed over to Draco's desk and plopped down with an almost childlike eagerness, completely uncharacteristic of his usual charming demeanour. Something was unsettling about the way he moved and the exaggerated emotions he displayed. His infatuation felt wrong—too sudden, too intense. Hermione's mind raced as she considered whether something, or someone, had influenced him.
Standing beside her, Draco clearly had the same suspicions. He met her gaze briefly, his expression serious.
"So, what's so special about Margaux?" Draco asked, placing a hand on Blaise's shoulder to steer his attention, trying to get him to focus.
"Oh, she's so pretty," Blaise said dreamily, his eyes glazing over. "And French, and smart…" He paused, a dopey smile spreading across his face. "Did I mention she's pretty?"
Draco's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "But what is it about her," he pressed, "that makes you think you're in love with her?"
Blaise blinked as though the question hadn't even crossed his mind before. "I—well, I just know! She's perfect, and I just need to be with her!" His voice pitched higher, desperate and unconvincing, as if he were clinging to the idea rather than a real emotion.
Hermione watched closely, her unease growing. It wasn't love Blaise was describing; it was a hollow infatuation. Draco exchanged another concerned glance with Hermione before nodding slightly toward the corner of the room. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod in return.
"Blaise, why don't you relax for a minute?" Draco said, his voice calm. "We'll figure out how to help you talk to Margaux."
Blaise, still lost in his dream-like state, nodded absentmindedly and slouched back in Draco's chair, muttering something about Margaux's perfect smile.
Draco subtly motioned for Hermione to follow him, and they stepped quietly into the far corner of the office, lowering their voices to a whisper.
"This isn't right," Draco said, his face set with concern.
Hermione's expression was grim as she glanced back at Blaise, whose goofy smile hadn't faded. "I'm thinking the same thing. It's almost textbook. The way he's acting, how fixated he is… I think he's under the influence of Amortentia. It would explain why he just up and left Harry's office earlier."
Draco sighed, his expression grim. "I agree. The potion must have been affecting him for a while for the effects to be this intense. We need to keep him here and away from Margaux.
As Hermione's mind worked quickly to formulate a plan, Blaise's muttering grew louder. "Margaux... I need to see her... Ihaveto tell her..."
Draco glanced at Hermione, his brow furrowed in warning. "Blaise, mate," Draco said carefully, stepping toward him. "Why don't we just take a minute and—"
"No!" Blaise suddenly snapped, leaping to his feet with surprising intensity. His eyes, once dreamy, now burned with a frantic energy. "I can't wait! I need to find hernow!"
Hermione instinctively stepped back, her wand slipping into her hand. "Blaise, listen to us," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You're not thinking clearly—this isn't real."
But Blaise's expression twisted, and his hands balled into fists at his sides. "Not real? How dare you say that! You don't understand!" He stepped toward them, his voice rising in anger. "You're trying to stop me from being with her! You're jealous! You both are!"
"Blaise, you don't have to do this," Hermione said, her voice steady as she tried to calm him.
Blaise's eyes were glazed, and his speech slurred, a dangerous edge to his tone. "You're always so mean to her, Draco," he spat. "You never appreciate her."
"What are you talking about, Blaise?" Draco asked cautiously, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him.
Blaise's delusions were clearly becoming more pronounced. "Maybe I just need to get rid of you." He reached for his wand, a menacing glint in his eye.
Without hesitation, Hermione shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!" Blaise stiffened and collapsed to the ground, immobilised.
Draco and Hermione stood there, their breaths coming fast as they looked down at him, their shock palpable. "What just happened?" Hermione muttered, her voice barely a whisper.
The door creaked open behind them, causing both Draco and Hermione to spin around abruptly. They found themselves face-to-face with Theo, who stood in the doorway wearing a worried expression as he took in the scene.
Before Theo could utter a word, Draco quickly interjected, holding up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "It's not what it looks like."
