A/N: AHA! I found a way to beat the computer!!!
Pfft. No I didn't. So I'm reloading my chapters and hopefully…smooth sailing from here!
CHAPTER 3
He just saw them again. Two of them, acting as if they were blending in with the crowd. One in an odd red parka, when it wasn't that cold yet, and the other in jeans, a tee shirt, and a waistcoat. The waistcoat tipped him off. Crabbe and Goyle, idiots. They had walked up and down the street in the crowds, stopping to look into the front of the shop window. Practically sticking out like sore thumbs. At first, Harry just watched to make sure he wasn't imagining them there. When they strolled past the window for the 8th time, he knew he had to do something. He waited until Amy returned from her break and excused himself for lunch.
Hermione looked at him inquisitively, remarking on his jumpy behavior that morning. He calmed her fears, telling her he just had to run some errands and didn't want to be caught up in the afternoon rush. It had been 3 weeks since he heard from Coogle, and he didn't like it. Not that he missed the correspondence but because the threat was always lurking there.
Instead of taking the front entrance, Harry exited through the back and walked down the alleyway. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked a few steps before he heard a small popping sound behind him.
His wand was tucked in his sleeve, a habit from the war, and it slipped into his hand in one easy move. Harry whipped around quickly and pointed his wand into the chin of the blonde haired, pale-eyed man in front of him.
Draco sucked in a breath, but then pushed Harry's wand away. "Get that out of my face. Merlin, Potter."
Harry lowered it, but didn't put it away. "What the hell do you want? You got those gits following me? Like I wouldn't recognize those rather large fools staring at my window."
Draco scoffed. "You're so full of yourself. No way was I going to apparate here without having someone scope it out. It was for my safety not yours."
"What? Afraid Hermione would punch you in the face again if you came in the store?" Harry turned back around and continued walking down the alley.
"I'm not here to discuss your-"
Harry whipped around again. "Say it. I dare you to."
"Wife." Draco sneered. He knew Harry's soft spot was Hermione. Play on his weaknesses. Harry turned to walk away. "Have you thought anymore about what the Minister has asked of you?"
"Oh, that's why you've cursed me with your presence. You're his message boy. His lap dog. Well, tell your master the answer's the same as last time. NEVER."
Draco caught up with him. "Not wise Potter. This is for the good of the wizarding world."
"Since when do you care about the 'good of the wizarding world'? Obviously the ministry is desperate. They did hire you after all."
"I see…so you're afraid. That's it isn't it? You killed the biggest baddest dark wizard out there, and now you're afraid. Potter's afraid."
"Yeah that's it Draco. All the Auror training they gave you works! Is this your assignment, to goad me into recruitment? To send the twin oversized gits to stalk me?"
Draco sneered and jammed his slender well-manicured finger into Harry's shoulder. "You are afraid. You don't have the stomach to kill a man and destroy his soul EVERYDAY. Once was enough for you, I guess. The Chosen One who can only do it once."
Harry stopped in his tracks. "Funny, I don't recall you watching everyone you love die, since you only love yourself and clearly you're still alive." He turned his head to Draco and gritted his teeth. "Don't you ever think you presume to know what I had to go through. What I've been through would make you wet your bed every night…if you don't already. Tell your Minister I already gave my answer. He pushes me, I'm going to push back."
Draco didn't follow Harry this time as he turned into the main street and disappeared into the crowd.
************************
Ginny yawned and stretched, sliding nude out of the huge bed she'd been sleeping in all day. Lazily she pulled on a black slip, making her way out of the bedroom. She hadn't heard from Draco all day which wasn't unusual, he was an Auror after all. It was funny to see him delve so deep into law enforcement; he had always seemed to abhor authority. We all grow up sometime, she thought as she walked barefoot down the dark hall of Malfoy Manor.
Sleeping during the day was making her a night creature, she always got up and explored the Manor late in the night, coming upon locked rooms or deserted hallways. The place was humongous really, and certainly way too big for two people.
Maybe she would go downstairs and demand the house elves make her something sweet. She felt a little devilish tonight, bored when Draco wasn't there to keep her mind on other things. Their relationship was odd indeed. She knew how to push his buttons and he seemed to allow her to. However, sometimes he could be cold and unfeeling, and Ginny wondered if he was just with her to get back at her brother and Harry for all those years they one-upped him.
Harry. Surprisingly, she hadn't thought about him in days. Usually she would daydream about him, about how their life would be together if that bushy haired bitch hadn't have stolen-
A light coming out of Draco's study distracted her thoughts. She walked up to the doorway, and peaked in, noticing no one was in there. He must have left without turning out the light. She strolled over to his desk and traced a finger around the expensive wood.
That's when she noticed it. An open file, with pictures spilling out onto the desk. Ginny frowned and tucked strands of auburn behind her ear. She picked up a few of the pictures and frowned. It was him and her. It was her Harry, smiling and holding hands with a brown haired traitor named Hermione.
Ginny glared at the pictures before putting them down and picking up a handwritten profile. Why did Draco have a file on Harry?
She read the profile and frowned. Was Draco tailing Harry? Her eyes scanned back to the picture of a smiling Harry walking hand in hand with Hermione. She put the paper on top of Hermione's image and stared at Harry. He looked great, happy. He was no doubt older, taller, and well built it seemed. His smile and eyes were brilliant, and his raven hair still refused to lay flat. Ginny didn't realize how long she had been staring at the picture, until Draco's hand swiftly shut the file.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" he hissed.
Ginny jumped back and stared as he scrambled to stuff the photos into the file. "Why do you have pictures of Harry?"
"That's none of your business. This is official Ministry work! You had no right."
Ginny crossed her arms over her chest. "Well you shouldn't have left them out if you never wanted me to see them."
Draco shoved the folder in his file cabinet. "Didn't think you'd be out of bed. Or snooping in my study."
"Where did you just go?"
"Don't we have a lot of questions tonight? First snooping, now you want to know my whereabouts?"
"Don't be an asshole, although I know that's almost impossible for you. And you still haven't told me why you have pictures of Harry."
Draco glared at her for a minute. Of course she was still in love with Harry. Even when they decided that she would stay here and the relationship between them would be mostly physical, he knew she was mostly pissed about Potter. And even after Draco had given her the best nights of her life, Harry invaded her dreams and his name was on her lips at night. He pulled in his torn emotions and sneered. "I don't have to answer to you. This is my home. You are a guest remember?"
"Still insecure, Draco?"
"Still bitter, Ginny?"
"Hmmm." Ginny frowned, glancing at the file cabinet once again. Draco huffed and he sat down in his chair, scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment. She would figure out why he had pictures of Harry. Later. "Well, I'm going back to bed. Will you be joining me?"
"Later." He grumbled.
She turned on her bare heel and walked back down the hall to the bedroom. Later indeed.
**********************************
Hermione leaned against the bookshelf and drew a deep breath. She had been moving volumes all morning, and her body felt like a ton of bricks had hit it. Every muscle ached and she just wanted to lie down. Normally she would use magic but this was Muggle London and customers were still in the store. She had sent Harry to mail off her order list, and come back with some lunch, even though she honestly had no appetite. She was too concerned about Harry and this Ministry nonsense. Last week, she saw Harry in the alley behind the store, talking to Draco. It didn't look like a friendly conversation at all, and when Harry walked away, Draco apparated back to where ever he had come from.
Hermione had waited until that night to say something to Harry. She had snuggled against him and he was stroking her hair absently as they were going to sleep.
"Harry?"
Harry's eyes were closed, obviously willing for sleep to take him. "Mmmm..."
She shifted against him. "What were you doing talking to Malfoy in the alley?"
Harry gasped slightly and his eyes flew open. "How did you- you saw?!"
"I have been called the brightest witch of my age, Harry," she replied simply, sitting up to look at him. He chuckled." Not to brag or anything. Tell me what's happening."
Harry reached over to the nightstand to put on his glasses. "Coogle sent him. Seems like he's sending people instead of owls now."
"What did he say Harry?"
"He asked me had I considered the Minister's offer. I promptly told him where he could shove that offer."
"Merlin, Harry." Hermione sighed. Her brow tensed and he pulled her closer and planted a reassuring kiss on her forehead.
"I'm not afraid of Malfoy. I am concerned the Minister thought he would be effective in my recruitment. Obviously the man has no clue."
"What do we do Harry?"
"Nothing. We live our lives and basically ignore the Ministry."
"Do you really think it's ever that simple?"
"Why not? I mean I didn't defeat the baddest wizard only to let some peon with a badge try to bring me down."
"I'm just...afraid. I hate this. I hate they won't let you be-"
"Normal." Harry finished her sentence for her. He tilted her head so her brown eyes could meet his determined green ones. "I will never be normal. But I won't let some old codger try to ruin the best thing that ever happened to me. Which is this...us. I won't 'Mione."
She nodded and shifted up to kiss her husband squarely on the lips. He obliged by kissing her deeper. They would protect each other no matter what.
Her thoughts drifted back from that night as the store doorbell rang out. Amy was up the front and greeted the customer who asked for the store manager.
She didn't wait for Amy to call on her before she went to the front of the store.
"Hello, I'm the owner, Hermione Potter." she stuck out her hand at the older man in front of her. He smiled and tipped his hat at her, a throwback to the days of excellent manners. "How can I help you?"
"Well I'm looking for a rare volume of works." The man stated, his voice cheerful. She noticed his eyes were beaming at her, and she wanted to turn away, it was quite awkward but she couldn't. "A works on rights of...house elves."
He leaned in and whispered that word to her, and her eyes grew wide. He was a wizard. And obviously, house elf rights had been her passion; she would definitely have such a section. She smiled at him and extended her hand. "Well, I can see what I have, sir. Follow me."
Hermione nodded at Amy to continue in the front as she led the older wizard with the enchanting eyes to the restricted section. "So..."she replied turning to him. "You are working on rights for house elves."
"Well yes, I would love to be a champion of elf rights, however, I am just getting a history of case references about it."
Hermione nodded happily and tapped the wood frame near the door, as a wall opened and a room full of thick magical books was exposed to them. She stepped inside and he followed, all the way smiling. The wall closed behind him as he stepped into one of the aisles of books in front of him.
They continued small talk about it and she pointed out a few books to the gentleman. He nodded quietly and then she asked, "Well what case work are you researching? That should narrow it down."
"I believe it was a case about an uprising of 3 house elves."
Hermione was truly in her element. "Ah, yes, the Nictollia uprising."
She scanned the book spines for the right set of works she thought would interest the man. "Here you go. I must say, this is very exciting to me; I wanted to fight for house elf rights back in school. However, with the war and things…" Her voice trailed off.
The man smiled as he thumbed through the pages of the book. "The war scared us all young missus. It destroyed our world. Letting blood determine who was deserving of life or not. Wizards against wizards, witches against witches. Thank goodness the righteous prevailed."
Hermione nodded. "Yes. Thank goodness."
The man closed the book and looked into her eyes. "Forgive me, but I did realize you said your last name was Potter. As in Harry Potter. The savior of said war. So I think you more than anyone are aware of the sacrifices that were made during that time."
"Yes…" Hermione said in almost a whisper. Tears were building up in her eyes. The man seemed to be so sincere, so eloquent about the war. "Yes I do."
"Well…Mrs. Potter. Surely, you can understand why he is needed now."
Hermione's head snapped in attention and she stared wide-eyed at the older gentleman. He stood in front of her, smiling.
"What? Needed for what?"
"The Ministry."
Hermione stared at him.
"I apologize I haven't made a proper introduction." The older man stuck out his hand. "Coogle. Minister Coogle."
Hermione stepped back and looked defensively at the man. She felt her wand in her sleeve were Harry always told her to put it.
"Is your husband here?" the man asked, holding out the book for Hermione to take back.
"What do you want with my husband?"
"Oh..." The man stood in front of Hermione, noting her defensive stance. He kept his smile on his face. "I was just stopping by to take a look at his bookstore. He seemed very fond of it. Which is probably why he doesn't want to join the ministry. I merely wanted to understand why Mr. Potter was adamant in his stance. I can see why, a lovely wife like you. I wouldn't want to leave you all day either."
Hermione stepped back again. "Sir, I have to ask you to leave."
The older wizard frowned and put up his hands. "No reason to throw hexes, m'lady. My...my. I can feel your powers from over here. Very strong."
She clenched her fists at her side. "Yes, very…"
"I apologize for scaring you, my dear child. I simply wanted to meet you." The man bowed and reached out a hand for Hermione. She flinched back. "And you are lovely if I say so myself, Mrs. Potter."
"Leave now." she spat out.
He simply chuckled and looked at the book on house elves in front of him. "I see your husband has already told you about me. I assure you, I mean no harm. My card." He smiled at her, holding out a simple looking business card.
Hermione shook her head, she felt dizzy suddenly. "No thank you sir. Please leave now."
The gingerly old man tipped his hat and turned back towards the door. "Yes ma'am. And I admire your resources here. Good day." he replied simply, walking toward the wall as it opened and he stepped out.
Hermione leaned against the shelf unsteady, her heart racing. She put her hand to her head and slumped to the floor. He wasn't frightening at all, but something about his voice bothered her. At first he seemed so polite, so eloquent, but then it sounded as if it were nails on a chalkboard. She knew Harry would go crazy if he heard about this. He'd go to the Ministry and hex the minister and then be sentenced to life in Azkaban. She couldn't let him. Hermione stood and ran out the wall and into the front of the store. Amy looked up from the register and saw her boss's flushed face.
"Hermione? Are you ok?" she asked.
"Did you see that man leave?"
"Yes, he left a card for Harry." Amy replied, holding out a small card to Hermione. She grabbed it and saw it was Minister Coogle's business card.
"Amy, don't tell Harry."
Amy nodded as Hermione took the card with her back into the alley behind the store. Her hands were shaking, she knew she should tell Harry but...she couldn't. She dropped the card on the ground and pointed her wand at it and whispered, "Incendio..."sending the card up in flames.
With her foot she stomped on the ashes and looked around the alley before walking back into the store. She had to do something.
***************************
"That git Malfoy! And to think you didn't throttle him when you had the chance." Ron frowned and took another gulp of his ale. He looked over at Harry who was running his hand through his messy black hair. Harry hadn't drunk any of his ale. Instead he looked pitifully at his glass, deep in thought.
Harry had asked Ron to meet him while he was out running errands for Hermione. They met at a pub in Diagon Alley and Harry told Ron about his encounter with Malfoy.
"What do I do Ron? Malfoy came to the store. What next? Do they apparate into the bathroom while I'm showering? The bedroom when I'm in bed with--?"
"Please do not finish that sentence." Ron mumbled, as he gulped another sip.
"How do I get this guy off of my back?"
"Well..." Ron replied, tossing some coins at the barmaid, before he turned to Harry. "We go visit Malfoy. Find out what's this business about him being Coogle's message boy. I'll kick his ass and leave a mark so he'll be the resident example not to fuck with Harry Potter."
"We can't just walk in there and kick his ass, Ron. Malfoy's at the Ministry." Harry muttered. " We'll get stunned and sent to Azkaban. Plus that place creeps me out. That building is where Sirius died. I'm not going back there, ever."
A silence loomed between the two after Harry mentioned his godfather. Ron honestly had no idea how to deal with the death of Sirius when it came to Harry. So instead he pondered how they would be able to beat the shit out of Malfoy.
"No he's not Ministry. He's at the Manor. Even Aurors have days off Harry."
"How do you know?"
"Hello, father and stuck up brother named Percy are Aurors. And I like, followed him once."
"What?"
"He was sleeping with my little sister! I was going to kill him but I was drunk and forgot my wand."
Harry chuckled and looked at Ron. "So we're going to Malfoy Manor and do what exactly? I'm sure he won't invite us in for tea."
"Oh, he'll let us in."
"How Ron? Why would he?" Harry frowned.
"He'll want to be Coogle's little teacher's pet. We'll tell him we're there to discuss your recruitment. And then we'll kick his ass."
"That might actually work Ronald."
"What can I say, I'm a genius."
Harry stood up. "Let's not go overboard. Are you ready for the ass kicking?"
"Maybe even take one of his expensive vases." Ron goofed.
And the two men set off to Malfoy manor.
***************************************************
Two huge iron gates stood in front of Hermione as she pushed the call button in next to it. In the distance a large massive mansion stood, cold and gray. She frowned at the dreary sight and pushed the button again.
A deep voice came on the speaker. "Malfoy Manor."
Hermione cleared her throat. "Yes, I'm here to see Draco Malfoy."
"Who's calling?"
"Hermione Potter."
"Hermione?!" a voice yelped into the speaker. "Oh sh-"
The speaker went dead.
She groaned as the gates buzzed open. She knew that voice anywhere. Ron. Which meant Harry was with him. Which meant they were doing something stupid, which meant she was about to walk in on something crazy. Not to mention a million questions from Harry about why she was here.
She walked up the drive and the front door swung open. Harry stepped out, his eyes narrowed as his wife approached him. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm about to ask you the same thing." She snapped back. Harry looked back inside the house, before shutting the door behind him.
"Nothing. Just visiting Malfoy."
Hermione crooked an eye. "Right…where's Ron?"
"Inside." Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. Ron was inside smacking Malfoy around. They had arrived 30 minutes before and ambushed Malfoy as soon as he opened the door.
"Doing what, Harry?" she asked as she approached the door, pushing Harry out of the way.
"Kipping…" Shit. He just said the first excuse that came to his mind. Too bad it was probably the dumbest thing he ever heard himself say.
Hermione glared at him before pushing past him and shoving her way in the door. Harry ran after her, but she was already near the front foyer. Draco lay on the floor in magical binds while Ron towered over him, his fists clenched.
"RONALD!"
Ron jumped back and looked over to Harry who was standing behind a livid Hermione. Harry watched his wife run over to Draco's side, her wand drawn. Draco moaned and lifted his eyes to her.
Ron stepped back, away from the direction of her wand and over next to Harry.
"What did you do?!" Hermione screeched, waving her wand to heal Draco and release him from the binds.
"Oh he's exaggerating! I hadn't hurt him that much!" Ron protested standing behind Harry for a shield.
"We barely hit him at all!" Harry countered.
His wife shot a nasty look at him as Draco began to sit up by himself. He pushed up off the floor and touched his jaw, it was slightly sore. He looked at Hermione and the two goons who attacked him.
"All of you get the hell out of my house!"
Ron clenched his fists again, ready to charge but Harry held him back. Hermione pulled herself up and stood in between Draco and her husband and friend. "Draco, listen, I don't know what happened here, but-"
"Your psychotic husband and his stupid sidekick…" Ron went to charge again but Harry pushed him back. "...Burst into my home and attacked me. Why are you here, why are ANY of you here?! I can have you in Azkaban for this!"
Harry frowned and pulled Hermione to him. "Look, maybe we should start over from the beginning."
Malfoy was still sore despite Hermione healing him; he winced and ran a slender hand through his disheveled blonde locks. "You break into my home and accost me and now you expect me to listen? You've gone off your rocker."
Hermione pulled out of Harry's grasp and stepped towards Malfoy. "Look, I don't know what happened here, but we all do need to talk."
"Yes," Harry replied cutting his eyes at his wife. "Why are you here?"
"This recruiting business," she stated, looking at Draco and then at Harry. "It's assigned to you isn't it?"
Ron relaxed out of his defensive stance long enough to ask. "What's the Ministry want so bad with Harry?"
"Right, I'm not about to divulge any Ministry business with you." Draco replied as he walked over and stood by the steps of the foyer.
Harry's rage began to fume as he watched Draco sneer at Hermione. "Look Draco, I know you have an idea what this Minister Coogle is doing, why he's so adamant about me joining the Ministry. And you're going to tell me."
"Am I?" Draco growled and walked over in front of Harry. "You think you scare me? What you and your dimwitted red head did today could land you in Azkaban for assaulting an Auror. You think I'm going to risk my job and my neck by breeching confidentiality for you Potty?"
Ron couldn't control his temper and grabbed Draco by his shirt collar forcefully. His eyes became dark as he stared down Malfoy. "There are things I could do to you to make you talk. Let me do 'em Harry."
Before anyone else can speak, a voice came from the top of the stairs.
"Let him go Ron."
Everyone's eyes landed on the red head atop the stairs, her hair pulled back in a restrictive tight bun and she wore a black satin dress that cascaded to her ankles. Her red lips smiled as she practically floated down the stairway to where all the drama was happened. Ron released his grip on Malfoy and looked over at his sister, who no longer looked like a carefree Weasley. She had an aura of entitlement about her as she walked towards Draco, cutting her eye at the Trio.
"Honestly Ron, must you bully everyone?"
"Hello to you too Ginevra." Ron huffed out. Draco pulled back and stood next to Ginny as she leaned in and kissed him in front of her brother and former friends.
She gazed briefly at Draco then shifted her eyes over to the raven-haired man in front of her before saying, "Don't call me that Ron. I was in bed when I heard all this commotion. Oh…hello Harry." Her voice was seductive when she pronounced his name and Draco raised an eyebrow at this.
"Hello Ginny," Harry stated simply and he suddenly felt Hermione's anger in the atmosphere. This is not going to be good.
"Hello Ginny." Hermione spoke up.
"Oh…" Ginny wrapped her arms around Draco's neck. "Hermione…"
Draco glared at Ginny's obvious attempts to make Harry jealous or piss Hermione off, and for some reason, he didn't like it. Sure he liked to irk Potty at every turn, but Ginny was practically dry humping him to get Harry's attention. Hermione stood there not looking pleased at all.
That was exactly what Ginny wanted, but Hermione composed herself and drew in a quick breath before continuing.
"So you aren't going to help us Draco?"
"You're still on about that? Look, I was merely assigned to talk to Potter. And he was very clear about not joining the Ministry." Draco removed Ginny's arms from around his neck. "That's all I'm going to say. I reported that to the Minister."
"You're a liar." Ron snapped.
"Well if you aren't going to believe him why are you even here?" Ginny hissed, her slim body standing in front of Draco.
"Why are you here Ginny?" Ron hissed back.
"You big stupid git, I live here! How dare you and that bushy haired bitch come here and insult us!"
"Don't talk to him like that. And you're nothing more than a paid whore." Hermione snapped back.
Harry shook his head at the whole situation. He thought they would just come to talk to Draco, to manipulate him into telling. But anger got the best of Ron when Draco opened the door and Ron punched him square in the jaw. Harry had to admit, he didn't try to stop it, but knew it wasn't going to get him the info he needed. He took a deep breath and looked at Draco square in the eye.
"Please Malfoy. Something's off about this guy."
The smirk plastered across Draco's face from the insults being flung by Ginny and Hermione disappeared when he saw Harry basically pleading with him with his eyes. If someone would have asked him years ago would he ever sympathize with Harry Potter, Draco would have laughed in their face and then perform a Crucio curse on them. But now he saw a man in front of him, young but also tired, frustrated and fearful.
"I honestly have no idea Potter. I was simply told to watch you. He has something…powerful in his possession. But I'm not sure what he will use it for."
"What is it?"
Ginny stepped forward. "He said he didn't know Harry. For goodness sakes!"
"Shut up Ginny." Hermione spat at her.
"I can speak for myself, Ginny." Draco replied, still looking at Harry. Ginny's pride broke and she shrank back. As he looked away from Harry, Draco's voice dropped. "Ashes. A box of ashes."
"Ashes?" Hermione repeated, a look of confusion on her face. Suddenly her conversation in the kitchen with Ron came into her mind. When Harry said 'It's dust, Hermione...' "Oh my god!"
Ron and Harry watched as Hermione gasped and covered her mouth.
"What are you on about Hermione?" Ron asked.
She closed her eyes and turned to her husband, concentrating on him. "Ashes, he found the ashes from Voldemort's wand."