A/N- Same disclaimer. Don't own, don't get paid. Hate my life. LOL.
Chapter 10
A week had gone by since the fire and Harry sat by the window in their lounge, staring out at the noon rush below. Most times he wished he was just a muggle, oblivious to the dangers around them, bustling absent mindedly to work, not a care about the chaos that was going on around them in the magical realm. What would it be like to be Harry Potter, the freaking ordinary muggle was a question he didn't even want to answer really. He couldn't possibly imagine a life where he didn't fear death was near.
He heard Hermione come out of the bathroom, desperately needing a shower to cure her achy joints. She walked past the lounge and into the kitchen, not noticing Harry. He took this time to watch her, a towel wrapped around her wet hair, a pair of his boxers and a tank tee on. She was positively glowing and she didn't know it. Her body was no doubt curvier now that she was pregnant, and though he could only notice a slight bump in her mid section, she didn't look like she had a life inside her. She bit at her lip as she entered the kitchen, obviously in deep though.
Hermione took note of his cup of half full pumpkin juice on the counter, and looked at him by the window. The both smiled back at each other, knowing immediately the other had something on their minds. Did he really have to say that he was scared? No. He knew Hermione was aware of all the craziness going on, and she was probably trying her hardest to figure it out as well.
Without word, Harry extended his arms, and Hermione grabbed up his pumpkin juice and walked over. He watched as she pulled the towel from her head, and dropped it by the sofa. She settled back against him, snuggling as he rested his chin atop and wrapped his arms protectively around her middle. The smell of fresh vanilla and clean linen filled his nostrils, and inhaled deeply into her wet hair.
Neither spoke as they both watched the muggles below, and Harry knew immediately by the way she caressed her hands on his forearm that rested on her stomach they were both thinking about their child. Harry closed his eyes for minute and relished in the quiet that so often fleeted his life.
Hermione knew her husband was struggling with inner turmoil, his need to protect her, and his intense need to protect the baby, as well as figuring out who or what was causing all this. She had much to lecture him on, the importance of not shutting her out, the fact she was very capable of protecting herself, and most importantly, her belief in him. She wanted to help him so desperately. And she knew that whatever was happening was tearing down the peace Harry had promised to give himself. And that pissed her off royally.
It seemed his visits with Malfoy only gave him more questions than insight, and for the last week, no one had heard anything from Malfoy. Harry and Ron went back to the manor but Ginny angrily revealed Malfoy's absence for the last week. She knew Harry wanted to find whoever was responsible for the bookstore, for killing Amy, but he was lost as to who could be behind it. Surely Crabbe and Goyle were the triggermen, but they weren't brilliant enough to come up with such a plan. Someone was fueling this. And whereas Harry truly believed Coogle or Malfoy was involved, he seemed to be losing steam on that theory.
Harry opened his eyes and focused in the distance, an owl. Hedwig.
Hermione noticed it too, and sat up to open the window as Hedwig swooped in and sat upon her perch, a Daily Prophet tied to her ankle.
"Good girl." Harry quipped, feeding her a treat and untying it. Hermione shut the window promptly and sat beside Harry on the sofa as he unrolled the paper.
Their eyes widened together as they read the bold print on the paper, and Harry's hand started shaking violently as Hermione gasped and covered her mouth.
"No!" she yelped out and stared at Harry, whose knuckles were white from clutching the paper.
Harry's heart had jumped into his throat and at this point was doing it's best to push its way out of his body. He couldn't hear Hermione calling his name, or her hands on his face trying to get him to look at her. All he saw was the words that inhibited some of his worse nightmares.
MURDEROUS DEATHEATERS LUCIUS MALFOY AND BELLATRIX LESTRANGE HAVE ESCAPED AZKABAN!! WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN!! MINISTRY LEAK CONFIRMED BREAK A WEEK LATE!
All Harry could feel was his pulse quicken and sweat bead on his brow. Why didn't Draco warn him? Was this why Draco was missing? Did he release his father?
It seemed improbable after Harry saw the way Draco responded to his father, but the article made no mention of Draco's whereabouts.
Ministry officials are baffled once again by the second daring escape in recent weeks. The hunt in on for these mass murderers as well as the hunt for Crabbe and Goyle continue. Minister Coogle begs for the wizarding world to stay vigilant and alert. "These are dangerous times, and we must come together under a common goal…safety of our future…
Hermione's voice finally broke through and he turned red eyed to his wife.
"How did they get out? I mean, didn't they tighten security after Crabbe and Goyle's escape? Didn't they take precautions?! What about Draco Malfoy?!"
Harry didn't answer any of that. He blinked her in focus and stared intensely at her. His throat was dry and he opened his lips and croaked out, "Pack your bags, I'm moving you somewhere safe."
"Am I being charged with something? You had me in hold up for a fucking week." Draco hissed out at Dweedle, as he sat on the other side of the interrogation room table.
Dweedle looked up from his report and furrowed his brow, before looking back at Coogle standing in the viewing window. When Coogle gave him a small nod, he turned back to Draco. "It's up to the Minister. You know the procedure Malfoy."
Draco followed his glance and looked at the man who no longer trusted him. When he came into the office that afternoon, Draco was still reeling from Ginny's admissions. He wondered if Ginny even knew he was being held, or did she just contribute his absence to another one of his temper tantrums. God he hoped not. She seemed so adamant that he didn't care for her, he surely hated to know he was probably giving that impression. But he had no time to really dwell on that before Coogle and Dweedle came in his office with two other Aurors, alerting him to his father's escape with Bellatrix.
Now he was being held in custody until it could be proven he was innocent of conspiring to release his father. If only they knew how much he hated that bastard. He was the last person to ever want his father free.
Dweedle cleared his throat and tapped his wand. "You know the drill Malfoy…"
Two Aurors came in and before Malfoy could move they held him down in his chair as Dweedle dropped two drops of Vertiserum. They slowly released Draco and stepped away, leaving Draco gasping for breath.
"Alright, do you Draco Malfoy understand your rights under the decree of the Ministry of Magic, under laws and virtues written and maintained under the Magical Code of Ethics?"
"Yes."
"Do you Draco Malfoy, understand that you are being held in connection to the escape of Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange?"
"Yes."
"And do you Draco Malfoy, want to plea bargain your conditional release or prison sentence in exchange for information regarding said escape?"
"No…because I know nothing."
Dweedle looked at Malfoy suspiciously and stared back at his parchment. "Did you visit Lucius Malfoy a week and a half ago?"
Draco chuckled bitterly. "Yes."
"And what was the purpose of that visit?"
Draco looked back at Coogle who stared into the interrogation room. "To ask questions about the escapes of Crabbe and Goyle."
Dweedle scribbled on his parchment as he asked the questions. "And were you with a one, Harry Potter?"
"Yes."
"And what did you learn from your visit with your father?"
Draco swallowed hard. Part of him was struggling to tell the truth, but he had learned how to fight Vertiserum. He knew how to block some things in his mind. Draco closed his eyes and scraped his teeth against his tongue, taking some of the Vertiserum off. He didn't know why he didn't trust Dweedle with the information his father had given him. Or Coogle for that matter. "That he is still a black hearted son of a bitch."
"So your father didn't give you any pertinent information on the escape of Crabbe and Goyle?"
"N-No."
Dweedle lifted his eyes from his parchment and back over to Coogle. He then swung around to Draco. "Are you loyal to the Ministry?"
Draco felt sweat bead on his forehead and he looked determinately at Coogle. "Yes."
Dweedle scribbled that down and frowned. "Did you help your father escape?"
"No."
"Did you hide the execution date of your father from the Ministry? You do know that is treason, to hide such info to the Ministry?" Dweedle smirked. "Punishable by death."
Draco frowned and looked from Dweedle to Coogle and back to Dweedle. He had to make a move. Suddenly he jumped up and punched Dweedle in the face, shocking him and grabbing his wand. Dweedle fell backwards and landing in a crack on the floor, his nose broken.
Coogle scrambled behind the glass, grabbing his wand and the door opened and the two Aurors stepped in the room, wands at the ready. Draco had anticipated this and had tapped his wrist quickly with a Disillusioning spell, causing him to go invisible right as they entered. He kicked one in the throat hard and he fell back choking. Swiftly Draco whirled around and stunned the other.
"He's Invisi-" Dweedle began to yell as he staggered to the door.
Draco then turned and cracked Dweedle in the nose again as he stood up. Draco ran out the door, knowing his use of Dweedle's wand was short once they trace the signature. Aurors came running down hall, Draco took his foot and kicked open the door to the stairs, knowing they would block the lifts. He looked for Coogle, but saw no sign of him. Coogle had obviously run off to get re-enforcements.
He ran down the flight of stairs, one after the other, but suddenly the sound of storm troopers filled the stairwell, and he looked down to see Aurors coming up from the bottom floors.
Draco ran onto the 5th floor and pushed at each of the door, all were locked.
Shit, Merlin…I'm screwed.
He ran down the hall, looking behind him, suddenly he felt his disillusion spell grow weak and he feared they could check his signature. Tapping his wrist again, the spell was lifted and he pushed against the last door and tumbled inside. The wand snapped in half under his weight and he growled and pushed himself up, shutting the door behind him.
"Who's there?" a voice called.
Draco looked around him and was relieved he knew exactly where he was.
"Longbottom! You have to get me out of here! The Minister is after me! They are trying to frame me for my father escaping!"
Neville pushed up his goggles and stared at Malfoy. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"
"Dammit! Please tell me you aren't that thick! I just told you! Find a way to get me out of here!"
"ATTENTION! ATTENTION!!" Called the PA system. "WE HAVE A BREECH IN SECURITY! AN AUROR NAMED DRACO MALFOY, SPECIAL SERVICES HAS BEEN HELD FOR CONNECTION WITH THE BREAK AT AZKABAN! HE HAS ESCAPED INTERROGATION AND IS NOW ARMED AND DANGEROUS IN THE BUILDING!"
Neville stared hard at Draco, who was sweating and pleading with him, and cursed himself. He didn't trust Draco, but Draco obviously was okay with Harry now.
"Look, here." Neville grabbed his arm and led him through the forest like lab. "This was for emergencies, but you will be safe here."
"Where is 'here' exactly?" Draco questioned as Neville pulled an envelop out his pocket. It looked like the one Weasley gave him for Ginny.
"Does it matter when you have hundreds of Aurors in this building looking to kill you on sight?"
Draco shook his head defeated. Suddenly the lab doors blew off its hinges and both men looked up to see Aurors running inside.
"HALT DRACO MALFOY! YOU TOO! Hands up!!"
Neville looked at Draco and quickly opened the envelope as Draco grabbed the other side and they both were sucked away and disappeared.
Dweedle stumbled in behind the group of confused Aurors with Coogle. "Sir?"
Coogle frowned at scene. "The manor. I want him in custody by any means necessary."
Ginny sat up in the bed, her focus blurry but she swore she just heard something. Maybe Draco had finally stopped being stupid after their talk last week and decided to come home. She knew she had hurt him dearly, which was never her intent. She was so sure of her love for Harry, but when she was talking to Draco, and she saw the pain in his eyes, she felt horrible. Torn, even. But then she saw the folder sitting atop his desk with Harry's name and she felt bold. And she made her choice. Draco or Harry. But part of her didn't feel good about it. Yet she came back to the mansion anyway. Still confused. Still hurt. Then this past week of him completely ignoring her and probably immersing himself in his work, Ginny felt like she had only made things worse between them.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and yawned carelessly, before snapping back. She heard it again. Like…an army marching inside the manor. Grabbing her wand from behind her pillow, Ginny tugged on her robe and proceeded to the door of the bedroom. Her hand went in the pocket of the robe and patted the envelope Ron had sent for her, while she rested an alert ear to the door.
Oh shit.
The door was kicked open and Ginny fell backwards, her red hair in her eyes as she landed on her bum across the room. Ginny scrambled and was relieved she still had hold of her wand as, she saw men enter the bedroom and pointing their wands at her.
"DO NOT MOVE! HAVE YOU SEEN DRACO MALFOY?!"
Ginny shook her head frantically and pushed back on her wrists as the men advanced in the room and begin searching in the closets and bathroom, under the bed.
She grabbed the envelope and looked up as a man with red hair and a bruised nosed began to stalking towards her.
"YOU'RE COMING WITH US!" he shouted, but Ginny ripped the envelope with her teeth and grabbed the parchment inside.
"I don't think so." She said before she disappeared suddenly, leaving the red haired man screaming in defeat.
Dobby was so happy. Harry Potter and his Hermione Potter were at Grimmauld Place for a "little visit". There was so much to be done, the master bedroom to clean and meals to prepare, making Harry Potter's Hermione comfortable. She looked a little fatter, but Dobby wouldn't dare hurt his mistress's feelings like that. Dobby pulled at his sock, and popped happily into the foyer with a tray of freshly brewed tea and biscuits. Harry Potter looked absolutely exhausted and the mistress was sitting on the couch with her head between her legs, rubbing her temples.
"Dobby made some tea." Dobby said brightly, and Harry just gave him a faint smile.
"Thanks Dobby."
Dobby set down the tray and looked over at Hermione before he patted Harry lightly on the knee and whispered. "Excuse Dobby Harry Potter, but is Harry Potter's Hermione feeling well?"
Harry looked over at his wife who obviously was stressed and afraid and he got up and walked over to her as Dobby watched.
"'Mione, maybe you should go lay down."
"For Merlin sake Harry, I'm not tired." She grumbled. "I-I just don't get why this is happening."
"Me either. I'll try to contact Malfoy and see if he's heard anything."
"You still trust him after what we just saw?"
Harry looked at her intense eyes. "Yeah, I do. I saw how much he hates his father, he would have never released him."
"Who do you think did it? Surely not Coogle?!"
"I don't know anymore Hermione." Harry breathed out, rubbing his open palm on her back to soothe her. "I need to tell Ron we're here."
"Yes-"
Harry and Hermione perked when they heard the sound of two men bickering at their front door. Harry stared at Hermione and moved to the door, clutching his wand and yanking it open.
His wand pointed right between Neville's eyes, which were wide with fear.
"Honestly Potter, every time I see you you're pointing that thing all willy nilly." Draco muttered, pushing it away from Neville. Harry looked between the two men, who looked brow beaten and tired.
"Funny, considering I was going to ask you the same thing. The portkey was for emergencies only."
"Obviously it's an emergency," Draco hissed and walked into the lounge to see Hermione standing alert.
"You!" she shouted angrily.
Draco turned to Harry and Neville and smirked. "I'll just dismiss that as just horm-"
Harry shook his head feverishly. "Don't even finish that sentence, Draco. Where have you been?! This business with your father and Bellatrix, are you involved?"
Draco whipped around and stalked back towards Harry, Neville shuffled out the way.
"What are you, my wife?! What is everyone smoking? Did you not see me trying my damnedest not to snap his miserable neck that night? And I'm here, because the Ministry believes I helped him escape. They held me for a week and forbid anyone to discuss the breech! And not only that, the dunderheads believe I orchestrated the whole thing and they know I hid the decree, which is punishable by death. Witless here-"
"HEY!" Neville went to protest by Draco continued.
"-used his handy dandy portkey that you bastards failed to provide to me to escape the Ministry. They saw him help me so now they are after him too. So Potty, the question I answered. Now I have a question. Four Death Eaters are free and all amped to kill you. What are you going to do about it?"
Harry and Draco stared at each other intensely, the tension in the room violent. Hermione huffed and pushed Harry back, causing him to break eye contact.
"Oh please, pissing contest over! So Draco you didn't have anything to do with this. What about Coogle?"
Draco stared at Hermione. "He thinks I did it! They were giving me Vertiserum to find information about the escape."
"What did you tell him?"
"I told him the truth, but then Dweedle threatened me with execution. I flipped out and escaped. I don't know how any of this happened, but my Father is free. They have no idea what he can do now, only Potter and I know this. Which means he's coming after Potter, you, AND me."
Neville shifted, reminding them he was still in the room. "Will they find us here?"
Harry shook his head. "It's still Unplottable, and the Order never told the Ministry of this place. Now they could trace magical signatures, we just have to be careful not to use strong spells."
Draco looked livid. "I'm not staying here!"
"Where else do you have to go? The Manor?" Neville quipped causing Draco to narrow his glare at him.
Draco snorted. "This is bullshit."
"Maybe so, but with some good wards, they won't find us and can't get to us." Harry replied. "Till then, we all stay here. The Ministry can't get to us, and neither can your father or Bellatrix."
"Fine." Draco mumbled as he pushed past Hermione and Harry.
She threw a look at Harry and was about to go up stairs when a soft knock came to the door. "Who-?"
Harry shushed her and looked at Neville and they both raised their wands. Draco walked back and took his defensive stance as well. Harry gripped the knob and yanked it open.
Ginny gasped and stumbled back, as Harry and Neville dropped their stance and reached for her. Draco approached the door and noted she was still in that black gown he brought her for Christmas. Her hair was tussled and she looked pale and worn.
"Gin?" Draco's voice cracked at the sight of her, obviously concerned.
She glared at him, pissed she hadn't heard form him in a week, and here he was okay while she was scared to death. She hated him for this. Glad he was fine, but upset he had abandoned her. She gripped Harry's arm tightly and began to wail about narrowly escaping the Ministry breaking into the Manor. Draco hardened at the sight of her being comforted by Harry, he pocketed his wand and huffed up the steps past Hermione. He didn't know which room he was staying in, he didn't care. He just wanted to leave.
"Let's get her inside." Neville suggested, helping Harry pull her inside, as Ginny continued to hold on to him and cry. He wanted to suggest she tie up her robe, as her nightgown left little to the imagination. But Ginny sobbed into his shirt and gripped it to the point he felt like she was choking him. Harry glanced at Hermione on the staircase. She rolled her eyes at Ginny's damsel act and followed Draco upstairs.
Dobby watched as his master helped carry the crying young miss into the house. He should go prepare dinner, make the master happy. Yes…that would make the Master happy.
Ron shook in the cold air, his hands stuffed in his pockets.
"Hurry up Luna! Mum's cooking and I don't want Fred and George to eat up all the good stuff!" he called into the dark office where Luna was finishing up her day. They were to have dinner at the Burrow, and Luna promised she would be ready in time, but 3 patients had emergencies and Luna couldn't refuse them. Ron shifted on his feet to shake off the cool night air, and looked up in the night sky at the twinkling stars.
"Luna! Hurry!"
Inside the office Luna had foolishly cut off the lights, and now she had lost two files, and was feverishly looking for them. Ron was obviously growing impatient and Luna was doing her best to ignore his shouts from outside the door.
"Hold your hippogriffs Ronald!"
"Fine, I'll just stand out here, starving to death!" he yelled back.
"Big baby, Lumos." She muttered and a light hit the tip of her wand. She gathered the scattered files off her desk and began to put them away in the file cabinet.
Glickstein, Mussles, Scanterburge, and Potter...speaking of babies.
Luna smiled at Hermione's file. She knew her friends were going through a lot, she was very aware how scared they were, but a baby was a blessing as far as she was concerned. She filed away the folders and tapped her wand on the Potter label, and an ultrasound image came out of her wand. The baby was thriving just fine, but the glow seemed to be getting stronger since Hermione's last checkup. Luna was concerned about this, after much research she found that a magical signature in utero was very, very rare, almost non existent. This did worry Luna a bit. Hermione was carrying a very powerful being within her, and Luna wondered what effects it would have on Hermione's own magic.
Meanwhile outside, Ron muttered bitterly to himself about Luna's taking so long by time they get to the Burrow it will be dessert. He went to yell again, when something moving caught his eye. Ron turned away from the open cottage door and walked towards the bushes that were by a wooden area to the side of the cottage.
Suddenly he felt a stabbing in his back and he fell to his knees, groaning in pain, and blacked out. Two figures in black robes walked towards his unconscious body, and one figure bent down and pointed their wand into his cheek.
"He's out."
"Good form."
"Thank you Lucius," Bellatrix replied, pushing back her hood and revealing her thin face.
Lucius wanted remark that she obviously had not gotten enough nutrition while at Azkaban, though, he was sure he would just be reminded he suffered the same. She turned back to the redhead and pushed her wand into his cheek." I still don't get why I'm not allowed to kill him. One less Weasley would be a good thing."
"I understand and thoroughly agree with you Bella, but we have business to take care of."
Bellatrix stood quickly to follow Lucius, but then turned and kicked Ron in the side before following the trail back to the cottage.
"It isn't my business. I don't understand what we are doing here if we can't kill them," she huffed, her cloak gliding behind her.
"Patience is a virtue." Lucius lectured quietly as the walked to the cottage. "I would hope you can control your murderous rage for a moment."
"Screw virtue! I sat in Azkaban for years! I want to kill someone! Anyone!"
Lucius turned menacingly to her. "Me too. And you might just be that person if you don't shut your mouth."
Bellatrix sneered at him, noting his cold eyes, but said nothing as they approached the opened door.
The other target was still inside, and they slipped in quietly behind her. Luna pushed Hermione's file back in its place and she was about to tap her wand again, releasing the image when she heard the front door shut. Ron must have been tired of waiting outside.
"Ron I'm-!" she turned around but before she knew it, she was hit hard by a spell and tossed through the air, landing hard on her desk. Her head limply lay to the side, unconscious and her wand dangled from her fingers.
Lucius rolled his eyes. "Honestly Bella."
"What?!" she shrugged and walked over to Luna's body. She looked at the unconscious blonde and snorted. "Radish earrings… and you call me crazy."
Lucius stood beside her and shook his head. "I told you to control yourself, idiot."
Bellatrix whipped around and pointed her wand at Malfoy. "Just remember, I could have killed you on that hill. I should have killed you after the way you treated my sister. Oh no Lucius I haven't forgotten. This business, as you call it, is just temporary. Sooner or later, it'll all get personal again."
"You think I'm afraid of you Bella?" Lucius scoffed, swiping her wand out of his way. He strolled over to the file cabinet, his back to her. "The day it gets personal Bella, I expect neither of us will walk away unscathed."
He turned his attention to the files in the open cabinet, chuckled lightly at the open Potter file sitting on top. "Wow, it's almost too easy."
While he flipped through the file, Bella looked over at Luna and picked up her wand. She tapped it twice with her own, uttering a reverse charm and an ultrasound image beamed out the tip.
"Look at this."
Lucius stared for a minute and his eyes lit up. "My god…"
"What is it? All I see are stupid swirls and squiggles."
Lucius's smile crept across his narrow face. "It means we've hit the jackpot."
"Jackpot?" she grimaced at the use of Muggle language.
"Yes, Bellatrix. The jackpot. See there? This isn't a wasted trip after all, keep the wand. Let's go before they wake up."
He sat the file back on the cabinet and walked towards the door.
"I still don't understand why we can't just kill them." Bellatrix mumbled as they walked outside and disappeared into the night.