Chapter 8
Draco
On the second day after full moon, a Saturday, two eagle owls arrived once more during breakfast, this time both of them were carrying packages.
Draco’s was full of pumpkin pie, which he knew the elves loved to bake in October. While Granger was opening hers, he took one piece for himself and then let the rest of the package go around for the others to take some.
When Granger lifted the lid off her package, she stared for a moment, then dissolved into a fit of giggles. Everyone paused and stared at her, which didn’t exactly help her to calm down. “It’s an inside joke,” she managed to say after a moment.
“You have inside jokes with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy?” Weasley asked in disbelieve.
“I do now.” Still grinning she reached into the package and held up a camera. Draco knew that one. It was rather new, his father had bought it shortly before things had gone downhill. It had been an expensive one and there was no need to develop any film. You just took the photo and a fully developed moving picture came out.
“Why do they send you a camera?” Potter asked, still staring. Weasley, too, was staring, but still managed to shovel cake into his mouth without looking. That required some kind of talent, Draco supposed.
“Remember when you and Crooks were cuddled up together two nights ago?” She asked brightly. Draco nodded, knowing exactly what she was referring to. “Well, after finishing my essay, I decided to thank your parents for sending the runes book and I may have mentioned that you two are adorable together and I wish I had a camera so I could send them a photo. Now I have a camera.” She smiled sweetly at him.
“Good luck, mate,” Neville grinned into his tea before Luna chimed in. “I think that’s great! We can make photos together and always have a reminder of our last year in Hogwarts!”
She looked so excited that Draco had to smile. He had become quite fond of her and he supposed if it made her happy, he wouldn’t mind being on some doubtlessly silly pictures.
“You know, next time you’ll just write something like you wish you had a gold bar.”
Draco chuckled. “I doubt they have gold bars in the house, Weasley. That’s what vaults are for.”
“You’re being ridiculous, Ronald. They didn’t send the camera because I wanted one but because they understandably want some photos. But I agree with Luna, it would be nice to have some photos for ourselves, too.”
She smiled at Draco and again he wondered how he ever could have been so blind as to think she wasn’t beautiful. He pushed that thought away, though. He was a former Death Eater, and should be grateful to be her friend. More was not an option.
xxx
“You actually told my parents Crooks and I were adorable?”
“As a matter of fact … yes.”
He shook his head, grinning. He had known they’d become quite familiar in their letters, but he was pretty sure that not even those who’d been friends with him all his life, like Pansy, Greg, Blaise, Daphne and Theo, would have said something like that to his parents.
They were sitting in their room and had just finished their homework. Hermione and some of the others would go to Hogsmeade later and he would go to McNair to work on the potion. While he would have liked to see something else than the Hogwarts grounds for once, he didn’t mind too much. He enjoyed working with his teacher and although they hadn’t had a breakthrough yet, he had learned a lot already.
“Do you need anything from Hogsmeade?
He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, I’m good, thanks. Well, maybe something from Honeydukes. Surprise me. Nothing sour, though.”
She smiled while and took the money he handed her. “So, your sweet tooth is back.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Good.” She sounded genuinely happy, but suddenly raised the camera and took a photo.
“Hey! A little warning?”
Laughing, she shook he head and took the picture that came out of the camera, looking at it with a smile before holding it out for him. “Nope, I think that’s exactly the kind of picture your parents want to see.”
Draco looked down at the photo and was surprised at how carefree he looked. Begrudgingly, he had to agree.
Hermione
He had given her enough money to fill a mid-sized bag with sweets and that she did. Hermione had had the impression that lately his appetite had returned and he didn’t just eat because everyone was pressuring him to, at least not anymore, but it was nice to have some kind of proof.
“Woah, do you think he’s going to share?” Ron asked, eying the bag, as she emerged from the shop.
Hermione rolled her eyes. “I guess this is more than he can eat and so far, he has always shared, if it’s too much for him alone, hasn’t he, Ronald?”
“Yeah, he has.” Ron was silent for a moment, then he said something Hermione really hadn’t expected, and neither had Harry and Ginny apparently, who made up the rest of their little group. “It’s not fair that he isn’t even allowed to come to Hogsmeade. I mean, he turned out to be a pretty decent bloke, didn’t he?”
Hermione couldn’t help but smile at her friend. Ron was stubborn and could hold a grudge longer than anyone else she knew, but in the end, he did have his heart in the right place. “Yes, but at least he enjoys working with McNair, so I’m pretty sure his day isn’t all bad.”
Ron made a face. “I guess you’re right, even if I don’t understand why anyone would take extra potions lessons, on Saturday nonetheless.”
“Of course you wouldn’t.”
Narcissa Malfoy
Lucius didn’t even notice her entering his study. He sat at his desk and thoughtfully looked at a letter he had received earlier.
From behind, she put her hands on his shoulders and gently started to massage them. He leaned ever so slightly into her touch.
“Anything new?”
“Yes. I’d give you the letter, but I don’t want you to stop.”
She chuckled. “Just hold it up a little.”
He did and she leaned forward to read.
It was from Hermione Granger. While Narcissa was currently having a conversation with her about history and customs, something she was rather curious about, she knew the letters with her husband were often about politics and practical use of magic. And that’s how this one started as well, but when she continued, Narcissa’s hands stopped moving and lay still on Lucius’ shoulders. He then knew that he had reached the part that had made him pause as well.
“In her last letter,” he explained, “she said that she wasn’t quite sure what to do after Hogwarts. I told her that she could take a few months to figure it out, to travel or whatever. I was quite certain the Ministry did compensate her for what she did during the War.”
“I would have thought so, too.”
“Well, this is what she answered.”
They didn’t directly compensate me, but I guess I cannot complain. Kingsley Shacklebolt sent some healers and mind-healers to Australia to see if they could help my parents. I modified their memories before Harry, Ronald and I left to search for the Horcruxes. They don’t remember they have a daughter and I planted the wish to live in Australia into their minds. So they sold their house and what else they had and left. That way I could be sure Voldemort could not get to them. Unfortunately, the healers couldn’t do anything without risking to permanently damage their minds, so I decided against trying, I didn’t want to harm them further. But the Minister did make the Ministry pay for the healers’ salary and expenses and I’m sure that wasn’t cheap.
Narcissa shook her head. “That’s terrible.”
“They’re Muggles.”
“Do you really care about that at that point? They’re her parents. Imagine Draco taking our memories of him to protect us.”
“I know.” He looked thoughtful. She gave him time, her hands still on his shoulders, but not moving at all. She knew him through and through. She knew the conclusion he would come to. “It’s possible to restore their memories without harming them.”
“I know,” Narcissa said quietly.
“But no healer will do it.”
“I know that, too.”
Sighing, he opened a drawer to take out a fresh piece of parchment.
Draco
He was extremely grateful that Granger had made it a habit to tutor him on Muggle Studies in advance. Each weekend, they looked up what would be discussed in the next lesson and she would give him the background information he needed to be able to understand the respective topic. Since then, it was far less frustrating and he even enjoyed the subject.
However, when he came into their room after Muggle Studies this time, he found her crying and immediately put his bag down before sitting down on her bed next to her. “What happened?” He asked worriedly and after a moment’s hesitation, put an arm around her. She leaned onto him a little and he waited patiently until she had calmed down enough to tell him. And tell him she did, about her parents, what she had done to keep them safe and about what the healers had said.
He was shocked. He couldn’t imagine losing his own parents like that. He didn’t know, if he would have had it in him to do something like that.
While he was still trying to figure out what to say, she took a letter from the nightstand next to her and handed it to him. He immediately recognised his father’s handwriting.
Miss Granger,
I am sorry you found yourself in a situation in which you saw no other solution than doing what you did, but I am not sure I fully agree with you regarding your point about the healers’ payments. The Order, Dumbledore, Shacklebolt and whoever else was in charge of this uncoordinated group of idealists, should have made sure that your parents were safe before you had to make a decision like that. Therefore, I don’t consider Shacklebolt sending healers to Australia a compensation, but the very least he could do.
That said, it is untrue that nothing can be done. Your parents’ memories can be restored without risking further harm. The healers would not tell you, because neither of them would be willing to risk their license and freedom and quite possibly they don’t even know. The spell I am talking about is rather simple, but it is blood magic and therefore illegal. With your permission, I will travel with you to Australia, on my expense, once the house arrest is lifted and perform relevant spell myself. I assure you it is well withing my capability.
Please burn this letter after reading, I do not want it to fall into the wrong hands by any chance. You may, of course, talk to Draco, but I trust that you will not repeat my offer to anyone else.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
“Do you think he could really do it?” She looked at Draco, eyes still wet, but so hopeful that he couldn’t help but pull her into another hug.
“He wouldn’t write that he could, if that wasn’t the case, I can promise you that. Father may not be the most modest person you’ll ever meet, but he is well aware of his own abilities, which are considerate, and he’d never claim to be able to do something just to make himself look foolish by failing. The way he worded that letter, he’s certain that he can do it.”
She looked thoughtful, then nodded against his shoulder. He was still holding her. “But wouldn’t he risk Azkaban with that?”
Draco smirked. “Why? Except for you, me, him and mother nobody will know. I’m pretty sure he won’t buy the Portkey to get to Australia from any official source, so nobody will even be able to prove that he was in Australia in the first place. I hate to say it, but he’s gotten away with worse. The only thing that stands out to me here is that he trusted you enough to make the offer in the first place, in writing nonetheless.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “That surprised me, too. There was some kind of spell on the envelope, is there a spell to prevent anyone but the proper recipient to open it?”
“There is. It’s pretty common, even, especially for lawyers and others who have a lot of confidential post. If anyone but you had tried to open the envelope, it would have burst into flames.”
“Hmm … it was still a risk to send me this letter.” That was undeniable. Draco knew she wouldn’t, but if she decided to go to the Ministry with this information, the house arrest would most certainly not be over next year.
She sat up, gave him a grateful smile, stood and walked to the fireplace, where a fire was already burning to keep the room warm now that it was autumn.
Without further ado, she threw the letter into the flames.
xxx
Lord Malfoy,
I cannot thank you enough. It would mean the world to me, if you were willing to do that.
Sincerely,
Hermione Granger
Miss Granger,
You are very welcome. If we are to become partners in crime, we can as well leave the formalities behind.
Sincerely,
Lucius
~tbc~