Meet the Malfoys

Hermione braced herself for an onslaught of questions and snide remarks, but the Malfoys continued to remain silent, their haughty demeanor unperturbed. Not wanting to waste another moment, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, revealing an old pocket watch.

"Is that the portkey? Where are we going?" Draco demanded, irritation creeping into his voice. Ignoring his question, Hermione carefully set the portkey on the glass table. Draco seemed miffed with this cold treatment but refrained from bickering in his parents’ presence.

“Whose house is this? Will this not leave a trail if anyone comes looking for us?” questioned Narcissa with concern. 

“It belongs to my parents; the neighbors are in Spain and I have deactivated the alarms and cameras when I created the portkey.”

Narcissa raised an eyebrow not having understood a word, she asked “You created the portkey?”

“Yes, I did, it’s illegal, of course—I couldn’t just stroll into the Ministry and ask for one from the Department of Magical Transportation” taunted Hermione.

Her manners took over, and she softened her tone “It would have raised suspicion—after all why would a Hogwarts student needs a portkey to a muggle house? So, I made one…by reading a book. I created it at Hogwarts to avoid the Ministry trace.”

If the Malfoys were surprised, they didn’t show it. Hermione added “I am sorry about the...” she pointed at Narcissa’s cheek, “I…I panicked, I thought you might hurt me, it has been a very difficult evening.” She glanced at Draco when she said this, which caused him to frown. Narcissa didn’t acknowledge the apology, leaving Hermione to flush with embarrassment.

“This one, however, was procured by Kingsley. It will take us to France, and since it belongs to his family, I believe it’s safe to use without leaving any trace,” she explained, pointing at the pocket watch which was now glowing vibrant blue and humming with energy. The unusual group gathered around the object, their elbows almost brushing against one another as they leaned in closer.

“Three…” muttered Hermione, one eye still on her watch, “two…one…”

It happened immediately, their feet left the ground and they were thrust forward. Draco could feel Granger press against him, her shoulder banging into his, as she squeezed her eyes shut, their fingers were stuck to the portkey, pulling them forward…

Both Draco and Hermione stumbled into each other, collapsing onto the ground. The older Malfoys however landed gracefully, their feet finding solid ground, not even a hair out of place. They had arrived in a clearing surrounded by tall trees, the clouds parted overhead, to illuminate them with the soft light of early dawn.

“It is a short walk to the parking lot, we are at the edge of the forest” Hermione said, starting eastwards. The others followed closely behind, carefully avoiding the overgrown roots of the trees. As they walked, the trees parted to reveal an empty campsite, where a lone black car stood sentinel, its dark windows gleaming ominously.

Narcissa cast a cautious glance at her husband, who wore a similarly concerned expression as he eyed the oddly shaped object.

“You’ll need to change into muggle clothing for now since we’ll be passing through muggle France. Perhaps I could transform your robes for you?” Hermione offered.

The Malfoys looked affronted, “Why can’t you just apparate us into the house instead?” asked Lucius, his gaze fixed on the car as if it might spring to life and attack them.

Hermione, visibly flustered by this question, replied “Well… I just learned to apparate and I have never done side-along before…and I didn’t want to splinch anyone. It is just easier if we drove to the house with the wards and all.”

“You couldn’t have just set the portkey to the final destination?” scoffed Draco.

Hermione shot back at him “And risk it being traced directly to the safe house? If anyone at the Ministry looks into this portkey, they won’t get further than this forest!”

“May I ask what you mean by ‘drive’… you can’t be referring to that?” Narcissa said, pointing at the car a few paces away.

“Well yes, that is our ride to the house, I will drive us there. It is called a ‘car’ or rather this one is called an SUV, I think. It is a muggle mode of transportation” explained Hermione.

“I am not getting in that death trap, it looks ominous” complained Draco.

“It’s not! It’s a brand-new car, very high-end, if I may add. Plus, I have insurance and everything, and I’m a safe driver! I practiced the whole of last summer.”

“I’ve seen you ride a broom in flying class, Granger. I don’t fancy my chances in that thing with you driving it,” he replied coolly.

“It is not the same! You’re getting into the car, or Godric help me, I’ll stun you and carry you along like a sack of potatoes!” She rummaged through her beaded handbag; Draco saw warily as her arm disappeared into it up to her elbow.

“How the ruddy hell…”

“Undetectable Extension Charm” she explained as she pulled out the car keys. The doors unlocked with a beep, causing the Malfoys to jump a little in surprise. Hermione hid a sly smile, and marched towards the vehicle.

“Now, shall I transfigure your clothes into something more suitable” she asked. The Malfoys nodded reluctantly seeing there was no point arguing with her. Transfiguration had always been her strong subject but this time she truly outdid herself. The Malfoys now resembled a regular French family clad in fashionable muggle wear.

Hermione guided them into the car, helping them strap on the seat belts. Draco, who was seated in the front passenger seat, kept fidgeting with the belt which pressed uncomfortably against his neck,

“How fast does this thing go…this ‘kaar’? As fast as the Nimbus range?” he asked watching Granger put in the key and press a button under the wheel, causing the engine to roar to life.

“Salazar, what in name of…” cursed Narcissa her eyes grew wide.

Hermione focused on adjusting her mirrors and summoned a map from the glove compartment. “Honestly, I don’t know how fast it is in comparison to brooms but it is definitely safer. Here hold this” she said to Draco and handed him a printed map.

Draco looked at the map and wondered how on earth is one to read this complicated chart.

Hermione sat nervously, her fingers gripping the steering wheel as Draco exchanged nervous glances with his parents. “You can do this!” she muttered quietly under her breath, trying to sound more confident than she felt. With a deep breath, she pressed the accelerator, and the car lurched forward.

“Whoa!” Draco yelped as they took a sharp turn, speeding down the road. As she navigated a bend to merge into the main road, she caught Lucius’s reflection in the mirror, his raised eyebrow a clear indication of his disapproval.

*******

The car was gliding through the sunlit French countryside, as they merged with wider roads, more vehicles appeared on either side. Draco gripped the seat belt tightly, throwing furtive looks at the oddly shaped cars around them.

“Just relax, I promise I can drive!” she reassured, glancing at Draco’s odd expression. In the back seat, Narcissa and Lucius struggled to maintain their air of indifference, even they couldn’t fully hide their curiosity of how this muggle contraption was moving.

“Where are we? In which part of France” asked Narcissa.

“We are in Auvergne, in the South of France” replied Hermione. “I’ve rented a house further down in the countryside, it’s secluded and adequately furnished for you. I’ve also stocked it with months’ worth of supplies. You and your family will be comfortable there Mrs. Malfoy.”

“So, a muggle house?” scoffed Lucius and continued to peer out of the windows.

“But we know nothing about living in a muggle house. Why couldn’t you have rented a magical residence instead?” asked Narcissa. Hermione sighed; she hadn’t yet revealed the entire plan.

“Well, like Kingsley mentioned anyone in the magical world would recognize you or could be tortured for information. A muggle house is the safest and unexpected option. Also… I will be staying you with the whole time, and I know all about muggle appliances and such.”

“What?” yelled Draco. “Kingsley said the protector would take us to the safehouse—nothing was mentioned about you staying behind!”

“Oh, shut up Malfoy” Hermione was furious, Merlin, she had forgotten how much she detested him. “It is not like we have to share a room. The place is big enough for us to ignore each other —or maybe you can sleep in the shed outside.”

“Aren’t you going to miss your scarhead and weasel? How did they react to you spending the summer with us” sneered Draco.

“Didn’t you hear what Kingsley said! Nobody knows about this, not even Harry and Ron. You are a horrible boy really, to even mention Ron and Harry at this moment when you let Death Eaters into the castle. A werewolf… your friends were in the dungeons… and you let a werewolf in! And you feel no remorse for it.”

“Shut up, you don’t know anything! You act like this honorable miss perfect; you have no idea what I have been through” yelled Draco.

“You know what, I am perfectly fine not knowing about it” she replied, her face red with anger, her gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead. She did terribly miss her friends, and tears were prickling in her eyes. Last night, she had spoken to Harry and Ron and explained why she needed to leave the country. She had lied that she needs to keep her parents safe and that would escape to Mallorca. Ron had understood her need to prioritize her family's safety, but Harry's hurt expression kept haunting her. 

Only if they knew why she was doing this mission for Kingsley, Ron was going to have a fit, and Harry would probably not talk to her ever again. She sniffed and wiped away a lone tear that had escaped from her eyes. 

Narcissa and Lucius exchanged a knowing look but remained silent. They recognized that having Harry Potter’s best friend in their custody was a valuable insurance if they needed one.

*******

They drove for nearly three hours in silence, Hermione kept tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, frequently glanced at the map and checked her mirrors. The road narrowed, winding through lush countryside, with verdant trees lining both sides. Unable to bear the quiet any longer, she finally said, “We should stop for some coffee and pastries. I bet everyone’s hungry.”

She received no response, Draco was still sulking, but she needed the caffeine having barely slept. Spotting a quaint café by the roadside, she parked the car and led the reluctant Malfoys to a small table in the garden. The host greeted them in rapid French, handing them menus and asking how they would like their coffee.

Hermione surprised everyone by replying in fluent French, letting the host know they needed a few minutes to decide. Lucius glanced at the menu with evident disdain. “I suppose the croissants look… adequate,” he admitted.

“Croissants sound delightful,” Hermione replied. “I’ll order a few for us to share.”

Draco rolled his eyes, “You are not hosting a tea party Granger. I would like to try a cherry Danish. It’ll probably be awful, but at least it has cherries.”

“I am just trying to be helpful Malfoy” she shot back. “Fine, you can have your Danish”

She called the barista over and placed their order. Locals began to gather near the counter, some glancing curiously at the Malfoys. Hermione couldn’t help but notice how the Malfoys resembled fashion catalogue models, with their straight blonde hair, light-colored eyes, and smooth, unblemished skin.

“Voila!” the barista announced, placing a tray laden with coffee and pastries before them.

Narcissa thanked the barista and Hermione immediately dug into a croissant. They sipped their coffee in silence, the only sound being the satisfying crunch of pastries.

“How do you plan to pay for this food? We haven’t got any muggle money” Lucius asked.

“Oh well, I have that covered” Hermione replied, pulling a small metal card from her bag and handing it to the barista.

“This is quite improper; the proper protocol is for the older wizard to pay for the meal,”

“Oh, you are paying alright!” beamed Hermione, and hinted that she will settle the accounts once everything was over.

“What did you just give to the server?” Draco asked, unable to contain his curiosity. Hermione was taken aback by his civility but answered nonetheless. “It’s a credit card. muggles don’t carry cash often; they just swipe these cards.”

The barista returned with the sleek black card, the machine beeped, she handed over a printed receipt. The Malfoys watched this with utmost surprise and Draco eyed the muggle card with envy.

Hermione picked up a few bottles of water and some crisps from the counter for the road. Narcissa examined the bottle of sparkling water with skepticism. As she twisted off the cap, the gentle fizz surprised her, and she took a cautious sip, her eyes widening at the effervescence. “It’s… quite different,” she admitted, momentarily forgetting her pureblood manners.

Lucius turned his nose in the other direction, unwilling to even entertain the notion of trying anything muggle.

*******

They drove for couple of hours, the roads starting narrowing down as they ventured into the countryside. The packets of crisps lay unopened as the Malfoys looked warily at the muggle snacks.  

“We should stop for lunch someplace” complained Draco, clearly feeling peckish.

Hermione glanced at her watch, they still had quite some distance to cover but her stomach grumbled in agreement, and her legs were beginning to ache from the long drive. They spotted a sign for a cafe, and took a dirt road and parked just outside the establishment. A wooden sign welcomed them to the cafe, it read “Charmed Kitchen” in French. The group quickly agreed to make a stop there for lunch.

“Wait, I don’t like this place. The name is… well it is unusual” said Hermione noting the absence of other cars in the parking lot, which made her feel even more suspicious. The café door had a brass knocker shaped as a dragon which prompted Draco to reluctantly agree with her.

“It looks fine, we will just have a sandwich or salad and move along” said Narcissa.

It was small and dimly lit, it smelled of freshly brewed coffee and smoked meat. A gum-chewing waitress shuffled over and upon spotting their car outside, she promptly ushered them to a table farthest from the door.

Draco slid into a seat beside Lucius, leaving Hermione with her back to the door, causing her to glance over her shoulder frequently as if she had a nervous twitch. The waitress handed them menus printed on muggle paper, and Hermione studied her with furrowed brows.

After they ordered a couple of sandwiches and salads, the waitress disappeared behind the counter. She soon returned with clean glasses and poured water for the group before retreating to read her magazine or something, seemingly oblivious to their presence.

Two men entered the café and settled at a table near the entrance. The larger of the two was a burly blond man, while the other, facing the Malfoys, had mousey hair and an unusual eye color. They waved at the waitress and placed their orders in hushed whispers.

A few moments later, the waitress returned with their salads. As she leaned across the table to set down a plate, Hermione caught a glimpse of something in her pocket. She stiffened in her seat and exchanged a nervous glance with Narcissa, who had noticed the wand as well.

“We have company” whispered Narcissa and Lucius discreetly drew his wand, concealing it within the long sleeves of his jacket.

“What’s going on?” Draco asked, his voice low.

“This is a wizarding cafe. We have to leave…now” whispered Hermione urgently. Behind them, the two men made identical movements but Lucius was ready. The three wizards quickly drew their wands, and Lucius shouted, “Protego”

The protective shield shattered the tiled walls and sent plates flying from the counter. Hermione swiftly drew her wand, and a twin “Stupefy!” echoed through the café. Narcissa noticed the waitress attempting to cast a spell with trembling hands and screamed, “Petrificus Totalus!”

The waitress collapsed like a statue, landing with a crunch among the debris of broken china and tiles.

Draco, a few seconds late in realizing what was going on, lunged across the table to shut the café door and drew the curtains.

Lucius stepped over the debris to the wizards lying on the floor, he turned over the shorter wizard with this foot whose eyes moved rapidly between the Malfoys.

“How did they find us? What are we going to do?” asked Narcissa, her voice pitched higher than usual.

Hermione snatched up a newspaper that lay strewn across the counter. “Le Monde du Magique,” she said, tossing it at Draco, who caught it deftly. “It is the morning edition. Looks like you’re famous now.”

Draco opened the pages and immediately spotted the Malfoys under a large “WANTED: Dead or Alive” sign for the murder of Albus Dumbledore. Beads of nervous sweat trickled down his spine. Fuck Rita Skeeter!

“Do you think she sent an owl?” Narcissa was slightly hysterical now.

“I don’t think she got around to that. We should kill them. They would have killed us; they would have had a good go at us,” said Lucius.

Hermione shuddered and took a step backwards. “We should just wipe their memories. It is better like that. If we killed them, it’d be obvious that Death Eaters were here.”

Lucius regarded Hermione, then turned his gaze to his wife. “Memory charms can be broken.”

“We should test them with Veritaserum,” Narcissa suggested. “If they haven’t informed anyone, we can simply wipe their memories. She’s right; it’s the better option.” She nodded toward Hermione in agreement.

Narcissa dug into her pockets and fetched a tiny trunk, she cast a spell to enlarge it, and unlocked the fourth lock.

Hermione stood over the trunk, which had seven locks, the key was fitted in the fourth slot. Inside, she found an array of potions, vials of ingredients, and a large cauldron.

Narcissa handed a small vial of clear liquid to Lucius. “A few drops should do,” she instructed. After confirming that no owl had been sent, Lucius pointed his wand at the tall wizard’s forehead and said ‘Obliviate’. At once, his eyes became unfocused and dreamy. Narcissa repeated the same spell on the others.

Meanwhile, Draco cast a quick reparo on the broken tiles and the café was restored to its previous condition. He heaved the wizards back to their booth and propped them up facing each other. Hermione vanished the food they had ordered and propped the waitress against the counter.

They pulled back the curtains and carefully exited the café, glancing around to see if the wizards had any backup. Once inside the car, Narcissa handed a small vial to Hermione “Here drink this, it is a calming draught, your hands are shaking.”

Hermione was grateful for this gesture and quickly drank the potion as they sped out onto the main road. She kept glancing in the mirrors, checking for any signs of being followed, taking unexpected turns now and then to shake off any imaginary pursuers. 

*******

Draco was shaking now, so he clenched his fists to control it. He summoned his occlumency shields, and within seconds his eyes turned slate grey and his face relaxed into indifference. What if the Dark Lord had found them in that cafe? Shit, they would have all been dead in matter of hours. he glanced at his parents in the back seats, and spotted the occluded eyes. Granger however appeared visibly shaken, few strands of hair had escaped from her plait, her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. 

“Granger… how did you know something was wrong with the café?” asked Draco.

Hermione neck snapped to the side, she narrowed her eyes and asked “How did you know?”

Draco hesitated before answering, “I think I saw the tail of the dragon knocker move slightly…but I dismissed it as a trick of the light.”

“I thought the name was odd. And the fact that there were no other cars during lunch time,” explained Hermione. He nodded they both had spotted something magical about that cafe. 

Narcissa remained unusually quiet, and Lucius reached over to take her hand, gently rubbing circles on her knuckles and they exchanged a slight reassuring smile.

“I think we could read the café sign because it was magical. We need to be more cautious now, if our names have made it into international newspapers, it means the Dark Lord has already branded us traitors,” said Lucius, in a serious tone.  

He glanced at his son, “We should have trusted your instincts Draco—yours too, Miss Granger.”

Hermione caught Lucius’s gaze in the overhead mirror and nodded in acknowledgement. This harrowing incident had unexpectedly forged a strange bond among them, an understanding of how rapidly their situation could shift for the worse.

“No more stops, we don’t stop till we are safe behind wards” declared Hermione, shifting gears as the car roared down the empty road.