Title: All Roads Lead Back
Keywords: Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Draco and the rest of the gang. H/Hr, with a whole lot of other ships thrown in. Post-HBP
Summary: Harry Potter always figured that once he had fulfilled his destiny he could finally have a happy, normal life. Unfortunately for him he fell in love with his best friend...and everything went straight to hell. Set 7 years after the final battle.
Spoilers: All six books.
A/N: I am a Harmony shipper thru and thru. HBP almost sent me into a fit until I realized that I was throwing a tizzy over a book and told myself to get over it. Hee. I then decided to throw my hat in the fanfiction ring and see if I could come up with a realistic (at least to me) story of my favorite couple getting together that adheres to canon. This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic. I have the whole story already plotted out, but would appreciate it if you would tell me if writing the rest is worth it or not.
Disclaimer: If it looks like it's JKR's, well, that's because it is. She's provided me with the canvas and I'm truly enjoying painting on it.
"You're late Potter!"
Shit. Harry had tried to discreetly enter into his cubicle at the Ministry without his department head noticing, but it looked like his major stealth skills that worked so well for him out in the field were a wash under the bright lights of level 2. Harry aligned his face into a semblance of innocence and turned to face the voice of his hacked off boss.
"Commander Hanes. Good morning sir."
Chief Auror Armistead Tiberius Hanes III was an imposing figure. He had been hand picked by Rufus Scrimgeour to replace the late Gawain Robards as the Head of the Auror department. Robards had fallen prey to an Imperius curse near the end of the war and had tried to assassinate the Minister in his office. Luckily for Scrimgeour's sake (and Armistead's ambitions) Robard's assistant was there at the time to foil the plot. In later years when asked if it was necessary for him to use an Unforgiveable on his former mentor Hanes would always reply that he just did what had to be done.
At 41 Hanes became the youngest Chief Auror in Great Britain's history. As such he tended to over compensate when it came to showing his authority. He ran his Auror department as if it were a well oiled machine. His Aurors were immaculate in dress, procedure, and attitude. Not a lapel was out of place, not a case file was filed improperly, not an inner office fracas went down in his department without his knowledge. He knew by heart every bullet point in taking down a dark wizard. He expected no less from the young men and women under him.
He himself had become an Auror back in the dark days right when Voldemort was at his highest power. He had witnessed firsthand several of his colleagues cut down in the prime of their life. The fact that he was still fully capable of catching the bad guys (as well as fully limbed) spoke volumes about his skill.
As a young man in his late 20's his hair had already begun to turn silver. This led to him being dubbed the Silver Shadow by the Prophet after he helped track down and capture the Lestranges. Hanes didn't mind the nickname. He felt the respect that came with the notoriety was fully due him. Hanes was often heard saying, "I don't care if you don't like me, just respect me". Respect was very important to him. That's why Hanes was hacked off at the young man before him. Harry Potter neither liked, nor respected him it would seem.
"That's it? That's all your going to say to me? Good-bloody-morning?"
Harry chose a spot beyond the older man's shoulder to stare at as he coolly replied, "Yes sir."
"You do realize Potter that the morning is almost passed?"
"Yes sir." Harry concentrated very hard not to cross his eyes.
"Do you have a good excuse for your being tardy then?"
"Yes sir."
Commander Hanes stared at Harry for a good 2 minutes waiting patiently for an answer. That is if you count having every blood vessel in his forehead throb painfully in rhythm patient.
"Well Potter," he barked irritably when he couldn't take anymore.
"Bacon sir," Harry clarified with a perfectly straight face. "I had to finish my bacon."
Hanes stared at the seemingly arrogant young man before him. It was easy to see by the look on his face that he couldn't stand the whelp. The feeling seemed to be mutual. For the first time in his life Hanes felt the need to beat the hell out of a subordinate. This was both a terrifying and thrilling feeling.
Due to his long years at the Ministry Hanes always seemed to be in command of somebody. He flew up the ranks at a scary speed. He had never felt beneath anyone, even though he himself had superiors. With that kind of self awareness Hanes always carried around a sort of detached authority about his person. Since respect of your superiors was part and parcel of your job in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement he naturally expected that kind of treatment from everyone. But not with Potter it would seem.
There was something about him that Potter didn't like, didn't respect and as such the young man only acted as if he had his regard. This knowledge bothered the hell out of Hanes. Add that to the fact that Hanes didn't even want Potter in his department. He liked to get his recruits fresh from school. He wanted to mold young minds and break them to his will and ways before they picked up any bad habits. Potter however didn't apply to the department until he was 21. Of course he had had that minor little pit stop of defeating the Dark Lord of all dark lords when he was barely still a kid of 17 years to take in consideration. However the next few years he spent playing Quidditch. Quidditch!
Now Hanes was a Quidditch enthusiast just as much as the next wizard, he was a Falmouth fan himself, however the idea of taking on some lazy playboy who had decided that it would be smashing good fun to be an Auror held no charm for him. Even if the lazy playboy had an Order of Merlin, First class. Hanes sniffed disdainfully at the thought. He himself only had a second class designation.
When Potter first applied to the department Hanes had almost ignored his application until Scrimgeour impressed upon him what a major addition Harry Potter would make at the Ministry. Rufus even convinced him to speed along (wink wink, nudge, nudge) Potter's process in. The usual 3 years of training? Potter did an accelerated program of 1 and a half. All the children who were supposed to have graduated from Hogwarts the year it was unfortunately closed due to the war were granted a special dispensation in regards to their N.E.W.T.s. Their course work for the six years prior to the closing as well as their O.W.L. scores were tabulated together somehow and that formed their N.E.W.T. score. Potter barely got in due to his potions work. Hane's heard tell that there was some young girl in that class who managed to attain the highest N.E.W.T.s in Hogwarts history. Now that girl Hanes would have liked to have had in his command.
That was however neither here nor there. He was 'gifted' with Potter. Potter who despite joining the department under questionable circumstances, was a damned good Auror. That was what Hanes hated most about the kid, the way he seemed to naturally take to his assignments as if defeating the dark forces were all in a normal days work for him. Of course for an Auror that was a normal day, but in his opinion Potter was just too good at what he did. His first week in the field after completing his training Potter single handedly apprehended Bellatrix Lestrange in one of the half dozen polyjuice brothels down Knockturn Alley, The Shrouded Asp. Rufus made Hanes promote Potter to Second Squad Leader the very next month.
Yes, Hanes definitely wanted to make Harry Potter's nose bleed. Although the two of them were roughly the same height, Hanes easily had 50 pounds on him. He could take him! Chosen One be damned....
"Sir?"
Hanes felt as though he was exiting some kind of fog. He shook his head as if to clear it and glanced down at the pretty young woman trying to figure out just when she appeared by his side.
"Yes Miss Vane?"
"That transfer list you wanted for Darthmont has just arrived. I placed it on your desk."
Hanes glanced at Potter. Harry's eyes were trained on Hane's clenched fist. His eyes slowly traveled to those of his superior officer's and saw with out a doubt the distaste and open hostility in them before Hane's adopted his neutral Auror facade.
"Yes...well...I'll just go take a look at that them. Thank you Rommy," Hanes said as the young woman placed a steaming mug in his previously balled up hand. He smiled at her, scowled at Harry, and proceeded to make his way to his office.
Hane's final thought before entering his private room was that at least Potter hated his partner. The little star of the department suffered some misery that Hanes was personally responsible for. Hanes smiled. Sometimes you just have to make lemonade.
Harry exhaled the breath he had been holding.
"It looked like you could use a hand there Harry," the former Gryffindor teased.
"And how! Thanks for saving my arse there Romilda."
Romilda beamed a saucy little smile at the young man. "Ah, ah, ah. What did we agree on?"
Harry looked at Romilda for a second, face twisted in confusion.
"Err..."
"You and I are old school chums Harry. All my friends call me Rommy," she flirted as she brushed off an imaginary speck of dust from Harry's robes.
"Oh right. Sorry," he said as he let loose the patented Potter grin.
Romilda had to use all of her control not to loose her balance. Her knees went weak.
"Hey," Harry exclaimed, "Hanes called you Rommy too."
"That he did." Romilda placed her hand on her hip and struck a cheeky pose. "What do you think? Romilda Vane-Hanes? Has a nice ring doesn't it?"
"Sorry sweets, I don't think he goes for your type. Your not nearly masculine enough," he joked.
She reached over and swatted him playfully on his arm. "Silly boy!"
The two of them shared a chuckle. Hanes who had been previously occupied in his office stuck his head out at the sound of the laughter. He frowned at the sight of Potter and his secretary lazing about.
"Miss Vane, a word please?"
Romilda swallowed her giggles and turned a serious face towards her boss. "In a crack sir." Hanes retreated back into his sanctuary. Harry was fairly dying to laugh out loud.
"I'm pretty sure that I'm the right type for Army," she said showing just how close she must be to the man to use his childhood nickname without the slightest sense of trepidation. The last bloke who did that ended up being demoted down to Hit Wizard. Absalom Hanes never did forgive his brother for that.
"Besides I've been told I have a rather handsome face."
Harry was roused from his thoughts as he turned to look at the dark haired beauty fully. She flashed her charming smile at him. Harry patted her on her arm and turned to sit in his cushy office chair.
"You know..." Romilda began as she turned to walk off to Hane's office, "I am always open to other offers."
Harry paused in mid action. His eyes went wide and he looked at her as if she were on coming traffic and he was trapped in the midst of it. He tittered nervously as she turned back and flirtatiously winked her eye at him. Harry watched her make her way across the room before he felt he could breathe normally again.
Better Hanes is the Arse then me, he thought to himself. Harry made to look at the files on his desk, but before he could open the first one he felt the presence of someone near by.
"Tsk, tsk Potter," a silky voice drawled. "And here I thought you were a model for committed whipping boys everywhere."
Harry rolled his eyes havenward and silently asked whatever deity present to make this day end soon.
"Go away Malfoy."
"Of course I can't say that I blame you. Rommy is a tasty lil' bit of crumpet."
"Go away Malfoy."
"She is fucking Hanes in the Arse though. Well not 'in' the arse..."
"Go away Malfoy."
"Although she does have a rather extensive assortment of toys so I wouldn't be surprised...."
"Haven't you ever heard of boundaries Malfoy," Harry asked as he turned to face the young man who was leaning at the opening of his cubicle.
Malfoy just continued to grin that creepy smile that usually made Harry's fist itch to connect with his face. Ages ago, in a fit of boredom, he and Ron had once cataloged every Malfoy smirk and it's underlying meaning. The smile that Harry was currently receiving had been dubbed the "I'm smarter then you, plebe". Malfoy winked his eye at Harry and when he got a disgusted eye roll in return he chortled evilly.
"Oh come now Potter. We're all friends here. There are no secrets amongst us now is there?"
"I hardly think your girlfriend would appreciate it if you started sharing her intimate doings with your work mates," Harry snotted. Draco merely bent over and laughed.
"Really Potter! It's all I can do to keep the woman from telling my mother what goes on in our bed, during high tea."
Against Harry's will his face cracked a small smile.
"I see you have the Ptolemy Cadmus file there?"
"Yeah," Harry replied as he half heartedly thumbed thru the thick folder. "Has the team been able to put a trace on him yet?"
Draco entered the cubicle and sat partially on the corner of Harry's desk. "No. The ruddy berk seems to not want to check in at home."
Harry sighed. They had been trying to locate this new upstart dark wizard for months. He went simply by the name of Cadmus. He was a pyromaniac who used a Peruvian Vipertooth as both his means of weapon and his way to escape the crime scene.
He was, what they dubbed in the department, a blood supremacist. He came from a very old, very prestigious line of wizards and witches. Cadmus differed from most purebloods who placed such emphasis on bloodlines in that he felt that all magical people (whether pure, half, or muggleborn) had no business marrying people with no wizarding pedigree whatsoever.
According to his file his daughter from his first marriage, Harmonia, had married a muggle when she was only 17. He was a theology student studying near where she lived in West Yorkshire. Cadmus had been against the union, but he could never deny his precious child anything. If she wanted to marry some Nancy boy so be it. The poor young woman however died a few months after the wedding. Her husband burned her alive in their bed. As he was carted off to an insane asylum he calmly maintained that he had to kill his wife. She was a witch and the baby that she was carrying would be evil too. He was found in his cell burnt to a fiery crisp nearly seven years ago.
Although Harry and his team couldn't be positive they suspected that the muggle had been Cadmus' very first victim. The very first couple that he was suspected of killing were murdered just under 5 months ago.
The young muggleborn groom was a fellow who had attended Hogwarts around the same time as Harry although he was a Hufflepuff a few years younger then him. Kevin Whitby was a pastry chef who had opened a little bakery in Hogsmeade. Although it was located in a less desirable area of town next to the Hog's Head, it had become fairly popular in the months before his death. He had recently married his childhood sweetheart, the girl who had lived next door to him in his muggle neighborhood since they had both been kids. Whitney Whitby took the good natured ribbing of her new name in stride. She also seemed to take the fact that her brand new husband was a wizard equally as well. Unbeknownst to most Kevin had long confided in the girl the reasons for his long absences during their childhood. Most mornings Whitney could be found at the counter of The Enchanted Truffle pouring coffee and cutting slices of pound cake for the early rush customers, while Kevin was in back whipping up fantastic creations. Sometimes he would do it by hand, sometimes by wand.
The Whitbys had 2 very happy months together. Before they made it to their three month anniversary they both burned to death in the store right before the eyes of their usual morning crowd. All the witness could agree on was that they had briefly seen the shadow of a small dragon fly by. As far as the Aurors had been able to piece together Cadmus' death toll was up to 8 couples.
"Have we questioned the wife again," Harry questioned his colleague.
Malfoy shook his head. "She isn't talking. All she says is that Toley hasn't been home in a few months."
Harry pinched the area right under the bridge of his glasses. He closed his eyes and slightly leaned back in his chair.
"Then again," Malfoy continued, "if my wife were fucking half of wizarding London I don't think I would be too quick to come home either. The wench must have a vagina like a welly-top!"
Harry stifled a snort as Malfoy continued to babble on. Sometimes Harry marveled at how surreal his life had turned out to be. Here he was, at his job at the Ministry of Magic, discussing the sexual exploits of the wife of a suspected serial killer with his childhood enemy.
Had Trellawney foretold this scene years ago in one of those hateful Divination classes he reluctantly attended back at Hogwarts no doubt he and Ron would have shared a hardy laugh and eye roll at it. Then again Sibyll tended to stick strictly to death and destruction when it came to Harry Potter. No matter, it seemed almost impossible to believe. Especially considering the events that transpired at the end of Harry's 6th year. Although Draco hadn't been the person wielding the actual wand, Harry strongly considered him partly responsible for the death of Albus Dumbledore.
Back when he was 17 in Harry's put away heart he kept a list. The list was fairly short. It only contained 4 or 5 names. The list were the people who Harry, before he took his last breath in this world, wanted to make pay. Voldemort and Harry's old potion master Severus Snape held the top two spots. Bellatrix and Greyback were next on the list. Malfoy was sitting pretty at #5.
In the end Harry settled most of his old scores. Although he didn't get to personally finish off Fenrir he did watch as Remus, in his werewolf form, tore out the monster's throat.
Lestrange who had originally escaped from the final confrontation was found some years later working as a prostitute in Knockturn Alley. The former proud concubine of Lord Voldemort was reduced to shagging the dregs of society for the spare sickles in their pockets. When a thrifty consumer asked to see the cheapest whore in the house they were shown to Bella's door. She had become an halcyonian addict, a potion that left the drinker in a state of prolonged calm. She was so completely under the thrall of the draught that when Harry walked in to the little room she occupied she hadn't even batted an eye.
Later he found out she had assumed he was just another customer. Harry was horrified to discover that his visage was one of the most sought after and in demand faces of the illegal polyjuice sex trade. People either wanted to fuck Harry Potter or fuck while being Harry Potter. This was about the time Harry started to grow his hair out. It now sat on his head as a overly messy mop of hair. Long in front, even longer in back. Only Dobby was allowed to cut it. This alleviated him of the worry that his precious strands would find their way into the hands of people who would make a dollar from them. It also helped to cover his now bare forehead. It seemed that people eyes would always drift up there, scar or no scar. Harry thought he had found the perfect solution to make himself seem as ordinary as the next bloke. None of his friends and family had the heart to tell him that he had helped create a mini rage in wizard's hair fashion.
After witnessing Bellatrix receive the Kiss from one of the few Dementors who had remained loyal to the Ministry Harry had been able to cross out all the names on his list save one. He had killed Tom after the final horcrux was destroyed. He had managed to separate Riddle's head from it's neck with the use of Godric's sword. The same sword that Harry used to kill the basilisk in his second year. With the last vestiges of Tom's cursed soul decimated he was really an easy target.
And Snape...well...Harry preferred not to think of Snape. All that mattered was that Dumbledore's killer received some sort of justice.
Malfoy was another story. What had been simply a strong dislike for the blond boy when they were children had morphed in to a burning hatred once Harry reached 17. Although Harry recognized the fact that Malfoy hadn't actually cast the Avada on Dumbledore, in fact the boy seemed terrified to do it, Draco had been responsible for the destruction of one of Hogwarts towers, the year long closing of the school it's self, and most importantly hurting many people's lives.
Bill Weasley was one of those most affected. Although he never showed signs of succumbing completely to the werewolf curse, after being attacked by Greyback he never was quite the same. Some of his wounds never fully healed marring his once dashingly handsome face. He also tended to stare longingly at the full moon for long periods of a time. Harry always suspected that the mauling may have left some psychological scars on Bill however his brother-in-law never really showed any signs of it.
If Harry added in all the hurt, humiliation, and pain Malfoy had caused other people he cared about he figured that Malfoy, as the common muggle saying went, had it coming. However since he was low on the list Harry didn't spend too much time on thinking of ways to exact revenge on his school rival.
Imagine then his surprise when Draco Malfoy showed up on the doorstep of Hermione's parent's home in Notting Hill one balmy night in August.
After Dumbledore's death The Order needed new headquarters. He had been their secret keeper and no one seemed to know how much a Fidelius charm would be compromised in case of death. Besides with Snape back in Death Eater central it would be stupid to remain like sitting ducks at Grimauld waiting for Riddle to make his move. The Burrow was not an option even though the Weasleys swore that they didn't mind.
As usual Hermione offered a solution. Her parents had left for the summer to visit her father's mother in Killarney. Hermione had opted to stay with Harry and Ron. First at Little Whinging, then at Godric's Hollow. To put it simply her parents here not happy with her. If they had known that the fate of the wizarding world be planned at their kitchen breakfast nook they would have hog tied her and spirited her away to Ireland with them.
"I don't bloody well care Harry," Hermione shouted at him one night after he asked her one too many times if this all was such a bright idea. Dedalus Diggle had just exploded her microwave and Hestia Jones was in the living room talking back to the people on the telly.
"There are bigger things right now," she pressed as she tied her bushy brown hair into a messy ponytail that sat high upon her head. She then walked away from him and went up the stairs, he surmised, to her bedroom. He had seen Ron go up a few minutes before, but at the time thought nothing of it.
Tensions were already high in the muggle house that night. So of course that was the very same evening that Malfoy showed up.
The tiny group that was assembled together that night were waiting for some of their fellow comrades to get back from a fact finding mission. Remus, Shacklebot, and Charlie Weasley had gone to the Hog's Head to see Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. He had gotten a note thru Mundungus that he had some vital information that would come in handy to the Order. Harry was hoping it was information on where one of the missing horcruxes was. So far the Order knew what three of them were. Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's Cup, and thanks to Hermione's brilliant research, Ravenclaw's pensieve. They just didn't know where any of the bloody items were or even how to destroy them once they found them. Harry was beginning to think that it was going to take a miracle to solve this.
When Harry heard the doorbell ring he naturally assumed it was the Order members returning. Hermione had put up repelling charms all around the house to ensure that no muggles came near. As far as all of Hermione's neighbors were concerned the Grangers and their lovely daughter had all gone to Ireland on holiday. She cast the Fidelius charm to ensure that no wizard or witch would be able to find them. She made herself the secret keeper. That's why Harry was so shocked to find the emaciated looking Slytherin standing on the door step. His hair hung limply on his head, thick with grime. His eyes had no luster and were a dullish gray color.
"Son of a bitch!"
The surprise didn't last long. Harry hurled himself at Malfoy and the two went crashing down on the cobbled mews in front of the house. So much adrenaline was running thru Harry's blood that he didn't even think to use his wand. That is until Malfoy punched him in the nose.
"Fuck," he screamed as he stumbled from off of the other boy. His shout brought most of the inhabitants from inside the house out although Harry was too busy to care. As Harry head lost the dizzy feeling it had been experiencing he reached into his jean pocket and pulled out his wand. By time he got it to Malfoy's neck he felt an object poking into his Adams apple. Malfoy's wand.
"What are you going to do Potter," Malfoy snarled. The little scuffle had left him winded and he looked like any moment he would pass out.
"Just you wait and see," Harry replied in a low steady voice. That's when the street lights went out.
"Expelliarmus!"
When Harry came to he realized that he was back inside the house laying on Hermione's parent's huge bed. The large orange blur that was sitting on his chest as he awakened came into focus and he realized that it was Hermione's cat. Crookshanks licked at his paw oblivious to Harry's return to the living.
Crookshanks wasn't the only party in the bed with him he soon realized. Malfoy was lying next to him, still knocked out. The last thing Harry remembered was hearing Hermione's voice shout out a disarming spell.
At the thought of her name the young witch in question came into view. She was standing at the foot of the bed with her back turned towards him, there was very little light in the room, but he could tell that she was wearing her red Gryffindor dressing gown. Although he couldn't see her face from his advantage point he could see her reflection in the mirror across from her. Her head was bent down examining the engravings of a golden cup she held in her hands. Harry's heart froze. He had seen this cup before.
"Hermione," Harry whispered, his voice strangled with fear.
She whirled around as if surprised to find him in the same room with her. Her big unblinking eyes found his and her lips parted as if to speak. Before she could though her attention was drawn to Malfoy's form. He was beginning to stir.
"Hermione, put the cup down," Harry pleaded. Hermione brought her eyes back to his.
"But Harry..."
"Please Hermione. You don't understand. I've seen that cup before." And he had. In Dumbledore's pensieve.
"Harry just listen..."
"He thinks your hand will disintegrate into dust."
Both Harry and Hermione turned their heads to look at Malfoy. For the first time Harry realized that his head was about all he could move.
"That's Helga Hufflepuff's cup you hold there my dear Granger." Malfoy pronounced her name as if he was speaking a curse.
"I know," Hermione softly responded.
She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed in front of Harry and half turned her body to face the two boys. She held the cup in her lap. She shooed the half kneazle off of Harry's chest and watched him pad across the room, swishing his bottle-brush tail to and fro before turning her attention back to the pair on the bed.
"Professor Lupin and the rest got back shortly after he," she looked pointedly at Malfoy, "arrived."
"Should we be speaking of this in front of him," Harry asked, his brow creased in worry.
"If we need to we can obliviate him." She turned steely eyes towards their current captive. "I won't hesitate."
"You would be a fool if you did Granger."
The way the two of them stared angrily at each other Harry almost felt as if he were intruding. If he could he would have left the room. Except that he seemed to be frozen in place.
"Ummm...Hermione..."
"I cast a body-bind on you two."
"Why me?"
"Because I figured we had better find out why Malfoy came here before you tried to kill him," she sniffed. He really hated it when she talked to him like he was 5 years old.
Harry turned his body towards the Slytherin as best as he could.
"How the hell did you find the place ferret?"
"I followed Mublood's stench here," he nastily quipped.
Harry made a guttural sound in the back of his throat and thrashed around on the bed as if he could throw off Hermione's spell that way. He was going to annihilate Malfoy!
"Harry be still," Hermione chided.
She put down the golden cup and pointed her wand at her empty hand. Before Harry could blink a glass vial filled with what looked like water appeared in it.
"Is that what I think it is?"
Harry could barely hide the awe in his voice. The making of Veritaserum was not an easy thing. Besides being very difficult to brew there were also strict Ministry regulations on it. Hermione was violating some serious rules. He figured she really must have been serious when she said that there were bigger things.
"Do you know what this is Malfoy," Hermione asked. Her voice took on a chilling tone. Harry had heard her speak this way once before. Cold. Threatening. Inhuman almost. It made Harry's blood run cold to hear it again. She then proceeded to crawl on the bed and before Harry realized it she had straddled Malfoy's lap.
"C'mon Drakey-poo. Surely you know what this is?"
Malfoy looked at her as if he were staring into the face of a banshee. He gulped. "Veritaserum."
"Good boy." She smiled at him. There was nothing of the Hermione Granger that Harry knew in that smile. She looked at the vial in her hand.
"You know Drakey, if I were to pour all of this down your gullet..."
Malfoy gulped again.
"It would make you spill all of your deep, dark secrets." She looked him in his eyes again. "Got anything to hide Drakey?"
Neither Harry or Hermione missed Malfoy's quick intake of breath.
"Like if you've ever had a homoerotic dream." Malfoy's eyes got huge. "And of who. How old you were when you last wet the bed."
She giggled wickedly as if a brand new terrible idea had entered her mind.
"I might even bring Ron in here and make him watch as I ask you when the last time you fantasized about me."
At this Malfoy began pitching around the bed madly trying to shake Hermione off of him. Ron might not be that scary with a wand, but he more then made up for that with his fists. Hermione wasn't budging though.
"Yes. That's what I think I'll do. And then I'll leave him alone in the room with you and lock the door so you both can discuss the matter."
"I've never...how dare you...you filthy bitch...."
Hermione then leaned down and whispered something in Malfoy's ear. Harry tried his best, but he couldn't hear what it was she said. Whatever it was made Malfoy stop cold. The two of them locked gazes.
"Of course you could just answer whatever question Harry and I ask you honestly and we won't even have to resort to this," she said sweetly as a viper.
Malfoy looked at the vial in her hand. He turned and looked back at her. He sighed as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. He closed them and a look of defeat was clearly evident.
"Fine," he whimpered in a petulant little voice that reminded Harry of the eleven year old boy getting his robes fitted.
Hermione pointed her wand at Harry and muttered something under her breath. Harry instantly felt free of the binding curse. Hermione however didn't move from her position over Malfoy. She really needs to get the hell off of him, Harry thought to himself.
Harry got up off the bed and walked to the end where Hufflepuff's cup was. He picked it up and looked at the badger engraved on the front. Without question this was the right cup. Harry shivered as he realized that he was now holding a piece of Tom Riddle's sick soul in his hands.
"How did you find my house?"
Harry turned back to the bed.
"You told me where it was," Malfoy answered.
"Give him the potion Hermione," Harry shouted, his voice full of irritation.
"Granger did tell me. Back when we were in 3rd year. I made a crack about her being nothing but a poor dirty mudblood and Granger here was quick to inform me how wrong I was."
Malfoy then proceeded to do a surprisingly good impersonation of the Gryffindor girl.
"My mum and dad are Denty-tist. I live in Notting Hill. I can walk to Portabello. My house in on St. Luke's. Blah blah blah blah blah."
Hermione's face was molten red with embarrassment and rage.
"I have a near perfect memory Granger. I figured I might need that information later so I looked the rest up. It appears that I was right."
Harry had had enough. "Malfoy I'm going to pour that truth serum down your throat my...."
"He's telling the truth Harry."
Harry looked at Hermione incredulously.
"I remember that day. He's telling the truth. If someone already knows where a house under the Fidelius is they can still find it. They just can't tell anyone else where it is."
"Very smart Granger. Now could you please get off of me."
Hermione rolled her eyes as she removed herself from off of Malfoy and from off the bed. She then walked over to stand next to Harry.
"Gladly!"
"Finally!"
"Honestly!"
"Enough!" Harry was ready for some real answers. "Why did you bring this here," he asked, raising up the cup.
"I wanted to have tea and biscuits with you."
"Malfoy!" Harry and Hermione both bellowed.
"Look Potter, my father was murdered during that raid at Azkaban prison."
At this news both Gryffindors looked at him shocked. The Great Breakout, as all the newspapers were calling it, had only happened a few days prior.
"His body just turned up last night in front of the Ministry. The Prophet tomorrow morning is going to claim suicide, but the truth is is that my father had outlived his usefulness to the Dark Lord." At this his voice choked up. His body was nearly coming from off the bed.
"My mother has gone into hiding in Switzerland. Thankfully we have family there who have remained neutral thru all of this so she should be for safe for now. I'm not sure if I'll ever see her again though."
"Malfoy I'm so sor..."
"Don't you dare pity me Granger," he spat.
Hermione was so taken aback by his outburst that she grabbed Harry's hand for comfort. She looked down at their clasped hands and instantly let go, blushing.
"You lot are supposed to be the good guys right? Well? I'm here! I'm throwing myself at your mercy because I can't ever go home again. I've brought you the bloody cup. We both know what it is, but I'm the only one in this room who knows how to destroy it. Now are we all going to piss around each other all goddamned day or what?"
The room was momentarily silent after his outburst. Malfoy crumpled back into the sheets panting, his right arm thrown across his forehead. He looked like he had run a marathon. He was so exhausted that he hadn't noticed Hermione lifting the body-bind from him. Harry did however. Before he could ask her why she grabbed his arm and steered him out of the room. He was still holding the cup. As she was closing the door her cat squeezed his way pass the door before Hermione could trap his tail in the jamb. He turned up his squashed face and tossed them both a cross look before heading down the stairs.
"Sorry Crooks," Hermione called after the disgruntled ginger fur ball before turning back to the bedroom door and muttering a locking spell on it. She then turned her attention to Harry.
"I still have his wand if that's what your worried about." It was almost unnerving how she could do that. "He's completely exhausted however. I doubt that he is going to get up to anything tonight."
Harry agreed with this assessment. Malfoy looked as weak as a new born kitten. Harry almost giggled at the comparison. One look at Hermione's stern face made that amusement die quickly.
"He's telling the truth you know."
"I wish we could be sure," Harry replied. "Maybe we should make him drink the truth serum any way."
Hermione gravely shook her head. "See the problem with that is the fact that we have no Veritaserum. Bottoms up."
Hermione lifted the vial to her lips and downed the contents in one swift gulp.
"Ahhhhh...refreshing."
Harry looked at her as if she had grown whiskers...again. "Hermione!"
"Plain ordinary tap water," she explained as she dropped the vial and her wand into the pocket of her robe. "I haven't been able to get the necessary ingredients to actually make a proper truth telling potion."
Harry looked at her in awe. She had just played the Prat of Slytherin house and gotten away with it.
"I still believe he is telling the truth. I've been doing research and have seen pictures of Helga Hufflepuff's cup. That's it Harry." She pointed at the cup as if to emphasize her point.
"I know. But it makes no sense. Why would he bring us the cup?"
"If he is a spy why would Voldemort allow a very powerful weapon that we could possibly use against him to walk right into our hands," she asked, arms flailing about.
"I don't know ok! But I do know Dumbledore is dead because of him."
"Stop it Harry!" She had grabbed him by both shoulders and gave him a shake. "Stop it now! You told us that Snape was the person who put the Avada Kedavra on the headmaster."
"Well he was but..."
"And that Malfoy tried to but he couldn't go thru with it."
"He did but..."
"Well then! If the reason why he couldn't kill Dumbledore is the same reason he has brought this cup to us you very well can't take out some childish grudge on him can you?"
"But..."
"Well," she asked thru gritted teeth, her arms folded in front of her. The two of them were damn near nose to nose.
"I was right about him before. I told you that he was up to something and you didn't believe me."
Hermione's tense expression softened into one of hurt and remorse. "You're right Harry. I should have trusted you."
She grabbed a hold of one of his hands and held tight to it as her eyes moistened. "I am so sorry for not believing in you. As long as I live I will never do that again. But can you please just trust me on this," she begged.
"Alright! Alright! You win! But so help me Hermione if he compromises headquarters..."
"I'll be personally responsible for him," she primly replied.
Harry just rolled his eyes as she dropped his hand. Hermione could be so stubborn at times.
"Look, like I said Malfoy isn't going anywhere tonight. I'm going to head off to bed myself. I'm knackered." And as if to emphasize the point she stretched arms and yawned.
"We can gather what Order members we have here in the morning and do an in depth question and answer session then."
The three teens were all of age and had officially become members of the Order not too long ago much to Mrs. Weasley's dismay.
"Sounds good to me," Harry said mid yawn. Hermione crinkled her nose and gave him a small smile.
"You should go to bed as well."
"Yeah, well maybe I wouldn't be so tired if someone wasn't using me as a human spell cushion."
That made her giggle.
"First you knock me around, then you bind me up. How did you make all the street lights go out by the way?"
"Oh that? Moody gave me his put-outer."
"Wicked. He seems to have taken a little shine to you," he teased.
"Honestly." She rolled her eyes yet she couldn't hide the smile that was trying to break across her face.
Harry looked back towards the bedroom door. "I still want to kick his arse."
"I tell you what, if we're all still alive by then, I'll let you two use him as a pinata for Ron's birthday."
Harry could barely contain his guffaw.
"Promises. Hey, where is Ron by the way?"
For the first time Harry realized that he hadn't seen his other best friend since Malfoy's arrival. Hermione blushed and fiddled with the tie of her dressing gown.
"Oh, he fell asleep,"she said, barely looking Harry in the eyes, "in my bed."
Harry's eyebrows shot up.
"Oh I like that. Like I'm some tart! We were just talking and he fell asleep," dismissed Hermione. He snickered. "Well what do you expect, the boy would sleep thru a goblin rebellion even if it played it's self out on his duvet."
"Well he slept thru enough lectures about them in Binn's class to last a life time."
"Laugh if you will, but as I recall Mr. Potter you used to be there drooling along onto your parchment right beside him."
Harry mock scowled at her. Hermione innocently simpered at him. She then turned to walk down the hall to her room.
"Night," she called over her shoulder.
As Harry watched her sashay away, hips swinging back and forth enticingly, not for the first time did he think to himself what a lucky bastard Ron was.
Five weeks after that night Draco Malfoy joined the Order of the Phoenix. Regrettably Harry and Ron never got a chance to go at him with large sticks. Hermione welched on her deal. Although Malfoy and Harry never really became friends, they both respected each other. Malfoy's contribution to the fall of Tom Riddle was nothing small. After the end of the Second Great War Malfoy remained a presence in their lives. Harry shivered at how much a presence he remained.
When Harry joined the Auror ranks Malfoy had already been in the department for a few years. Harry's superior Hanes had thought it a perfectly brilliant idea to actually make Malfoy his partner. And so their current relationship came to pass. In the field Harry couldn't ask for a better back up. He trusted his old school mate.
He just didn't like the bastard.
"Potter! Did you hear a word I just said?"
Harry's attention was focused back onto the blond. "Err..."
"As I thought. Here," Malfoy drawled slipping a picture into Harry's hands. "The wife gave it to us. A picture of the darling daughter who started this whole mess."
Harry looked down at the moving picture. It was so old that the sepia toned image moved slower then usual. The 17 year old girl in the picture waved at him. Harry's heart stopped.
"My God!"
"You see it too eh," Malfoy asked. "I nearly thought someone was playing a late April Fools on me when she handed it over."
Harry's hands, still holding the picture, began to shake. Although the hairstyle was different the woman in the picture resembled Hermione Granger, Harry's best friend, at that age. The same Cupid's bow mouth. The same large brown eyes. The same long dark hair. Harmonia's was just bone straight as opposed to the bushy mass that belonged to the other girl. They even appeared to have the same bone structure and be about the same height, 5'6". Hermione however had been slightly heavier then this girl. Though never fat, Hermione did tend to be rounder then her other female peers in her year.
"But how," Harry asked, hoping his partner could make more sense out of it.
"No clue. But it is quite creepy in'it? Similar names too."
"Could they be distantly related somehow?"
Malfoy shook his head no. "Already checked in to that. As far as we could find the answer is a resounding no."
"Bugger!"
"You're telling me," Malfoy said as he lifted himself from off of Harry's desk. "Although for once I'm glad that Hermione is off gallivanting in the Sates I tell you."
Harry simply nodded his head.
"Well I better go before Hanes starts making his random desk checks. Ugh!" And with that Malfoy exited the cubicle.
Five minutes later Harry was still looking at the old wizarding photo. What the hell is going on, he wondered to himself! Eventually he placed the picture in with the rest of the Cadmus file. Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes closed. The resemblance between the two females was not only mystifying, but also worrisome. If asked he wouldn't have been able to put it into words, but without a doubt Harry had a bad feeling about all of this. He had to agree with Malfoy, he too was glad Hermione was off in America. Harry just wish he knew where.
"I'm right here Harry."
Harry quickly looked up to see the woman who had made him late for work this morning sitting comfortably on his desk.
"Hermione," he asked tentatively.
"Who else would it be silly," she smirked.
You don't want to know, he thought.
Harry looked at the vision. Hermione was dressed in her old Hogwarts uniform; a pleated woolen skirt, a white Oxford shirt, and a pair of white knee socks. She was however missing her Mary Janes and her Gryffindor colored striped tie. Her shirt was also unbuttoned to her bosom. Harry could see the smooth skin of her breasts that were not covered by the simple white cotton bra she was wearing, it's pretty pink bow in the middle. Harry half suspected that she didn't have any knickers on. She moved her right foot to rest on the desk. Yes, she definitely wasn't wearing knickers. Some how Harry figured that none of this was regulation student wear. Harry leaned back in his chair to peek out his office door. There wasn't another soul in the whole department.
I see, the little voice in his head said, I'm sleeping. I'm having another dream .
Hermione grabbed his tie and pulled his chair back towards her.
"You didn't answer the question. Who else would it be Harry?" Her voice sounded far sexier then the bossy words implied.
Harry gulped. "No one love."
Of course he was dreaming. Even though Hermione was wearing her Hogwarts uniform she was as he last saw her, a stunning 21 year old woman. As evidenced by the fact that she was practically bursting out of her get up. Her chestnut colored hair was half way down her back. She had started wearing it that long because it tended to wave and not look so frizzy at that length. Her skin was the same medium tan colored shade. She had taken to sunning herself on her terrace every chance the weather was right enough. After taking a vacation in Ibiza she had come back saying that she was tired of looking like a pale colorless English woman. To which Ron replied that she looked that way because she was a pale colorless English woman. Hermione then informed him that he better get well acquainted with his hand because she was never going to allow him to touch her ever ever again. Her eyes...
"Ahem."
Harry looked back at Hermione. She now had her shirt fully unbuttoned and she was rubbing her left breast thru the cotton of her bra. Harry could see the nipple straining against the material. Her right hand seemed to be teasingly playing with the edge of her skirt giving him a full view of what was underneath it.
"Am I going to just sit here all day long and not do anything," she pouted.
I'm a sick sad bastard, Harry thought to himself. Then he moved his chair closer to the desk.
Tell me if you like it. Tell me if you hate it. Just tell me something. Please review.