an: I'm really sorry about the delay. There has been a lot going on in my life. Hope this chapter can bring some joy to the people who need it xxx
Happy reading,
JollyFairy123
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was in a complete lockdown. It felt like time had slowed to a crawl, every second dragging as Draco and Hermione waited for their turn to be interrogated. It had been hours since the discovery of official Auror evidence in Astoria Greengrass's abandoned house had sent shockwaves through the entire department, leaving every Auror under suspicion. No one could leave, and no one was above questioning. Everyone would be interrogated under Veritaserum.
Draco paced the length of their shared office, his movements restless and agitated. He stood in front of the dartboard behind his desk, tossing dart after dart with mechanical precision, each one hitting its mark with a satisfying thud. The repeated motion seemed to be the only thing keeping his frustration in check.
"I hate this waiting," Draco muttered under his breath. This time, he threw a dart a little harder than necessary, the force of it making the dartboard shudder as it sank into the target.
Sitting at her desk with a pile of paperwork in front of her, Hermione wasn't faring much better. She'd tried to distract herself by working, but the words on the parchment kept losing meaning as her thoughts wandered back to the photograph Astoria had taken—her and Draco hugging. The image had been burned into her mind since they discovered it, a constant reminder that this case was more personal than she had wanted to admit. She glanced at Draco, who looked like he was barely holding it together. His face was tight with frustration, his jaw clenched each time the dart slammed into the board.
"You're going to tear that dartboard apart at this rate," Hermione commented dryly, finally giving up on any attempt at work.
Draco gave a short laugh, though there was little humour in it. "What else am I supposed to do? We're sitting here, waiting to be interrogated like criminals," he said, throwing another dart with sharp precision that hit the bullseye dead-on.
"I'm sure it'll be quick. We've done nothing wrong."
Draco didn't respond; he just threw another dart. The silence lasted a while, and she watched him quietly. The tension in the department was unbearable. With the discovery of tampered evidence and the possibility that one of their own might be the mole, everyone was on edge. The longer the lockdown lasted, the more strained things became.
"Do you have any idea who the leak might be?" Hermione asked curiously.
Draco paused mid-throw, the dart still held loosely in his hand as he glanced over his shoulder at her. "We have to suspect everyone. It's protocol."
There was a knock at the door, and Harry stepped in, his expression unreadable. "Hermione, it's your turn," he said, motioning for her to follow him. "You're next, Draco," he continued as he left the office.
Hermione took a deep breath, rising from her chair. She cast a quick glance at Draco, who gave her a small nod before following Harry out of the office. The usual camaraderie they shared was absent as they walked side by side down the corridor in silence. There was no small talk or reassurances—just the sound of their footsteps echoing against the stone walls.
When they reached the interrogation room, Harry held the door open, and Hermione stepped inside. It was the same room she had interrogated Marcus Belby in, and the room was still just as bare as it had been the last time. She sat down, folding her hands in her lap to steady herself as Harry took his seat across from her.
"Right," Harry began, slipping into his professional tone as he pulled out a parchment. "I'll need you to sign this consent form. It states that you're willingly taking Veritaserum for the purposes of this investigation. All questions asked will relate strictly to the case."
Hermione nodded, not needing any further explanation. She picked up the quill and signed her name with a steady hand, then slid the parchment back across the table. Harry glanced over it quickly, making sure everything was in order before placing a small vial of Veritaserum on the table between them.
"This is the Veritaserum," he explained. "It's potent, but you'll only be taking a small amount. The effects should last around ten to fifteen minutes." He uncorked the bottle and handed it to her, his eyes studying her closely, though his expression remained neutral.
Hermione took the vial, feeling its weight in her hand before lifting it to her lips and swallowing the potion in one quick motion. The bitter taste hit her instantly, but she suppressed a grimace, knowing the interrogation would begin shortly.
After a few seconds, Hermione didn't feel any different, but she knew the Veritaserum had taken hold. Once Harry began asking questions, she wouldn't be able to resist answering truthfully.
"Alright, the potion should be active now," Harry said, leaning forward slightly, his quill poised to take notes. "I'm going to start the interrogation. Are you ready?"
Instinctively, Hermione went to nod, but her voice beat her to it. "Yes," she replied, the word slipping out effortlessly, confirming the potion's control.
"Alright," Harry began, his tone all serious as he looked at Hermione, a tired look on his face. "First question. What was the name you were given at birth?"
"Hermione Granger," she responded, her voice steady. The only sound in the room was the faint scratching of Harry's quill against the parchment as he took notes.
Harry continued with a practised efficiency, "What is your role in this investigation?"
"I am one of the lead Aurors working on this case alongside Blaise, Theo, and Draco," Hermione said. "Additionally, I'm a potential target of the primary suspect, Astoria Greengrass."
Harry's face was scrunched slightly in concentration as he jotted down her answers. "To your knowledge, have you or anyone you know been involved in manipulating or concealing evidence related to this case?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I haven't."
Harry scribbled more notes before looking back up at her. "Do you know how Ministry evidence ended up at Astoria Greengrass's house?"
"No," Hermione replied truthfully, "I don't know how it got there."
Harry leaned back in his chair, visibly relaxing now that the answers had been given. "You're cleared," he said, his relief evident. "I'm sorry if I seemed distant earlier. I just need to be careful where I place my trust."
"It's okay, Harry," Hermione said, her voice still tinged with the effects of the Veritaserum. "You're doing the right thing. You must be exhausted."
Harry offered a tight smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "That comes with the job description," he replied, trying to lighten the mood.
Hermione looked at him with concern. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Harry shook his head, his expression weary but firm. "You're free from the department lockdown. Once you've wrapped up, you can head home."
"Thank you," Hermione said, rising from her seat and heading toward the door.
"Oh, and one last thing," Harry called out before she could open it. "The Veritaserum will be in effect for a few more minutes. Just, um… be cautious around anyone you wouldn't want to spill your thoughts to."
Hermione nodded, a small smile of appreciation on her face. "I'll keep that in mind."
She stepped out of the interrogation room, her mind still a little fuzzy from the potion's effects. As she walked down the corridor, she noticed Draco heading in her direction for his own turn under Veritaserum.
They exchanged a brief, knowing glance as they passed each other. Draco paused for a second, searching her face. "How'd it go?"
"I'm cleared," Hermione said, the truth spilling out easily under the lingering effects of the serum.
Draco gave her a slight nod as he continued past her. "Good. I'll be next."
As she made her way back to her office, she was keenly aware of the Veritaserum's lingering effects. She kept her head down, carefully navigating the bustling corridors to avoid drawing unwanted attention from her colleagues.
Once Hermione reached her office, she let out a long, steady breath, the familiar surroundings offering her a much-needed sense of comfort. She began tidying up her desk, preparing to go home, methodically organising her files and stacking them neatly. The routine task also helped ground her, pulling her focus away from the lingering effects of the potion.
It wasn't long before Draco returned, looking notably more relaxed than he had been. "I'm cleared," he announced with a hint of relief, walking over to his side of the room and easing into his chair.
Hermione could no longer feel the residual effects of the Veritaserum. In the time that had passed, the potion had left her thoughts unusually transparent, and she wasn't sure if her curiosity was purely her own or influenced by the lingering effects, but as she watched Draco from across the room, a question gnawed at her.
Draco noticed her lingering gaze and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. "I recognise that look from school."
Hermione hesitated. "I have a question," she said carefully, "I'm afraid you might not want to answer it. But if I ask it, then you'll have to respond truthfully."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Just ask," he said with a resigned sigh. "If it's important enough for you to worry about, then it's important enough for me to answer."
With a hint of trepidation, she looked directly at Draco. "Why didn't you want me to look at your memories in the Pensieve?"
An unreadable expression crossed Draco's face, his eyebrows rising slightly as he began to speak. "It's not that I didn't trust you to see the memories," he said with a certain ease. "I was just embarrassed about how I was acted at the Leaky Cauldron, and I didn't want you to see it."
Hermione's heart raced at his unexpected confession. She felt a flood of questions bubbling up inside her but bit her tongue, careful of taking advantage of his current state under the potion's influence.
A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Draco's lips. "Come on," he said, extending a hand as if beckoning her to continue. "Out with it." His gaze was unwavering as though daring her to ask.
"Why were you embarrassed?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows furrowing in curiosity as she tried to understand the situation further.
Draco let out a soft, amused chuckle. The effects of the Veritaserum seemed to be wearing off slightly, as he took a moment before responding. "I suppose I didn't want you to see how much I... noticed you," he admitted. He seemed almost surprised at his answer.
Hermione's mind was rearing at the implications of the words. "Are you still under the influence of Veritaserum?" she asked, trying to gauge whether his admission was truly genuine or a lingering effect of the potion.
Draco's gaze remained intense as he looked at her. "No," he answered firmly.
The air between them crackled with an electric tension, and Hermione struggled to process the sudden shift in their dynamic.
"I, um—" Hermione began, her voice wavering slightly, "I don't know what you're trying to say."
Draco's gaze remained steady, his expression unreadable as he looked at her. He waited silently as if giving her space to find her own words.
Hermione's thoughts went back to when Draco had suggested going for drinks. "When you asked me to go for drinks in the elevator," she started, her voice trailing off as memories of running away from Cormac and Draco's pursuit flashed in her mind.
Draco's demeanour shifted slightly, a flicker of nervousness crossing his face. "I didn't want you to feel pressured," he said quietly, "but yes, I wanted it to be more than just colleagues. I just thought it would be better to wait until things calmed down, with everything happening right now."
Hermione's mind was reconsidering all of their interactions in a new light. "And you letting me stay in your flat?"
Draco raised a hand to stop her. "I would have let you stay there regardless of how I felt about you," he said firmly, his tone reassuring.
Hermione took a moment, grappling with her emotions before continuing. "So why exactly didn't you want me to see that memory?" she asked, returning to the heart of the matter.
Draco's eyes met hers. "It just wasn't the way I wanted you to find out," he answered, his voice steady but edged with something unspoken.
Hermione's brow furrowed as she pondered his response. "Was it that obvious?" she said, almost surprised with herself for not having connected the dots sooner.
Draco chuckled softly, shaking his head. "It wasn't. But I feel like you can read me better now than you could then," he admitted, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
Draco's words hung heavy in the air between them, and Hermione took a moment to let everything he had said sink in. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts and emotions, trying to process everything.
She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. "I, um... I'm sorry that I forced you to talk about it," she said, her gaze dropping to the floor. Draco started to respond, but she quickly cut him off. "I just need to think about this for a while," she continued softly, not meeting his eyes.
Draco's expression shifted to one of concern, his brow furrowing as he took in her words. "No, Hermione. I'm the one who's sorry for springing this on you. You're already dealing with so much right now."
Hermione shook her head gently, her tone reassuring but uncertain. "No, it's okay," she said, her voice steadying. "I just need some time to figure out how I feel."
He nodded slowly. "Take all the time you nee—"
Before Draco could finish, Margaux burst into the office, her urgency clear as she skipped her usual knock and entered breathlessly, as though she had sprinted there. The alarm in her eyes spoke volumes.
"Hermione, Draco, another murder has just happened," she said, catching her breath. "Harry needs a team to go to the scene immediately."
Hermione's heart sank at the news, her gaze snapping to Draco's with a shared sense of concern. The thought of Astoria being behind yet another murder sent a chill down her spine.
"What about the department lockdown?" Draco said, his voice cutting across her thoughts.
"Harry has ordered a temporary lift," Margaux replied, her eyes darting between them. "He wants you, Draco, to head to the scene immediately."
Hermione's confusion grew as she looked from Draco to Margaux. "What about me?" she asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
Margaux's expression softened slightly, a look of pity appearing on her face. "Harry specifically requested to see you before you go to the scene. He said there's something he needs to discuss with you first."
Hermione felt a pang of anxiety as she glanced at Draco, her thoughts spiralling with the gravity of the news.
"What about?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"He—um, he said it was an emergency. Something to do with your parents," Margaux explained, her gaze steady but filled with concern.
Hermione froze. "My parents?" she repeated, panic seeping into her voice.
Margaux nodded quickly. "Harry said it's urgent."
Hermione's mind raced as she turned to Draco, her eyes locking with his in a moment of shared urgency. "Draco, you should go. I'll catch up as soon as I can," she said firmly.
Draco took a moment before responding. He stood, grabbing his wand and quickly throwing on his jacket. Margaux crossed the room and handed him a piece of parchment. "That's the address. The team should meet you there."
Draco took the parchment and gave Hermione a final, meaningful look. "Take care of whatever you need to first, Hermione," he said, his tone filled with concern, before turning and leaving the office in a rush.
As soon as Draco left, the office fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the relentless pounding of Hermione's heart in her chest. The sudden quiet was oppressive, amplifying her rising anxiety. She stood there, feeling the weight of uncertainty press down on her, every second ticking by with an unnerving slowness.
She turned to Margaux, her mind racing with questions and fears, only to be met with a chillingly calm and unreadable expression. Before she could ask where Harry was, a sharp "Stupefy!" shattered the silence, and everything went dark.
