Chapter 36
Chapter 36:
Standing there with Draco in her office on what was to be their first tet-a-tet regarding the origin of her mysterious gifts, Hermione felt the universe shifting.
In no scenario in her head would she have ever thought she’d team up with Malfoy to solve a mystery of the greater good of wizarding kind, but alas. He already tried to rile her up, showing up early, his sarcastic greeting, but Hermione took it in stride, she needed him to help her with this and there was no way around it.
She considered last night her actions and this choice, whether it would have been wise to alert Harry or even Ron, they were both Aurors after all, but she knew they’d blow it out of proportion. Moreover, she considered what it would to everyone in the order. Everyone who still struggled with PTSD but wouldn’t call it as such. How Harry attributed his tremors to fatigue and Ron his nightmares to stress.
But Hermione knew better and she would not be the person to ring the alarm when no fire was found…yet. She’d tell them…if she had to. But did really have to be Malfoy she thought again as she opened the cabinet where she had locked all the original vials and note and the latest Flagon of water.
Malfoy kept a safe distance from her as she unlocked and half dozen security charms on the chest, but it didn’t help how far he was. She seemed to notice that regardless of proximity, the electricity of his being seemed to hover abuzz in the air.
He was silent, she noticed he only ever talked when spoken to, leaving the onus of conversation to her, but she noticed how his eyes caught everything, it seemed the man only communicated with micro expression, it was a bit infuriating if she had to admit, he was hard to read, the occluding she saw plane as day didn’t help.
“So, I removed everything here after this latest gift for safe keeping, feel free to inspect them as you live, but I assure I’ve cast every possible spell, and a few I had to look up to detect any traces of Dark Magic and there was none.”
With a tight smile Draco drawled, “Well, I hope you don’t mind if I double check of course?”
She nodded at him a bit insulted but also feeling tongue-tied to argue with the man whose help she needed. He’d refused to disclose more about his knowledge until she shared everything with him. She needed a drink.
Draco pulled out his wand and began to perform a series of spells, all but one of them she recognized and had cast herself, she controlled the edge to roll her eyes, but she watched as he did a bit more non-verbal magic before he looked up at her and concluded.
“Seems you were right, no Dark Magic here.”
“What a comfort, now can we please get with something that’s actually helpful? What is it that you know about Fairy Water?”
“Tsk Tsk, so impatience are you Granger?”
“Stop fucking around Malfoy and just tell me what you know, I know this is all fun to you, but there can be some serious consequences if the wrong people find this source.”
Malfoy’s expression hardened, Hermione felt no remorse, she wasn’t here to play game with the heir of Pureblood who knew more Dark Magic than most wizards and witches combined.
“Fine, all business, shall we then…It’s not a long story. The source had been lost to history both muggle and wizard kind for thousands of years. As the war dragged on, one of the helpful history buff death eaters suggested to the Dark Lord that the legend might be false after all, the that Fairy Water was still discoverable. At first, Voldemort dismissed him completely, he’s looked for it extensively during the first war. Eventually, he became desperate and in his desperation, he set out to find the Well. We searched the entire continent and even sent some Death Easters as far as South America, but he never did find it. That’s is that’s the story.”
“What do you know about?”
“I just told you”
“No, you told me what you knew about Voldemort’s knowledge and search of it. My question has been, from the start, what do you” she pointed at him, “Draco Malfoy know about Fairy Water? If my research is correct, one of your many illustrious degrees is regarding the counteracting of Dark Magic side effects, so I ask you one last time, what do you know about i?”
Draco’s face was that so silent fury, Hermione could immediately tell this was the wrong line of questioning, but in silent and still fury Hermione couldn’t help but notice that he resembled a Greek Statue. He was as pale as one, and if her memory served correctly from their collision, he was also a hard one.
They sat in awkward silence for a few seconds Hermione refusing to break eye contact and refusing to fill the silence. She showed him hers, he had to show her his.
His jaw twitched before he began speaking. “You’re a relentless Witch you know that?”
She said nothing, tenacity wasn’t something she’d apologize for.
“I happen to know a little more than the Dark Lord about it, but not much, my knowledge extends to the general location of the Well, it is thought to be within the United Kindom’s borders. It was under his nose the entire time. Before you inquire, I do not know where, but I do know that the Well has a natural protection around it stemming from the raw earth magic. It’s been said that anyone who searches for it will surely never find it even should they walk by it, the magic only allows those of future intention and accident to find it. Satisficed” he finished with a high brow.
Hermione couldn’t stop the smile that spread on her face, she knew it, she knew he’d known more than he let one. All the legend about the natural protection was also known to her, but the location tidbit was new and it was worth the risk of her game of chicken.
“Very much yes. And what do you know of the current activity of Dark Yields” When Draco’s fury returned she added. “from your studies of course.”
“Listen here Granger, I’m doing a favor, if you keep making these implications you can do this on your own. I owe you nothing.” His voice had begun to rise but his wince was notable on that last word. As if he didn’t mean?
“Draco, I didn’t mean to imply anything. I’m simply consulting with you as the current expert and professor of Defense Dark Arts.”
“My Job, Granger, is to teach my students how to defend themselves and others against the use of Dark Magic, it is not to research the current news and whereabouts of Dark Wizards, for that, you’ll have to call your Weasle Auror boyfriend or the wonderous Boy Who Lives”
Hermione noted his emphasis on her last name but his tone was something else, she marched right up to him and put her index finger near his face.
“First of all, you didn’t have to help. And second of all, he’s not my boyfriend. And third of all, you breathe one word of this to anyone and I’ll make sure it’s the last you do, Malfoy”
He stepped right into her pointed finger and she noticed that due to the high difference though it was pointed as his face, he just touched below his neck.
“Is that a threat or a promise Golden Girl?”
“Don’t call me that!”
“Why not?”
“I’m not Golden nor am I girl, and it’s both Malfoy, I keep my promises and enact on my threats. So watch it.”
Draco seemed to not heed her threats for her leaned it with a villainous smirk and shook his head.
“Oh, I’m shaking with the threat. You yourself enumerated my accolades and credentials, do you really think you can take me, Grange?”
Hermione was indignant at his blatant lack of fear, he was almost amused as if she was a child threatening to throw a tantrum. Casting a non-verbal spell Hermione transfigured his shoes into a pair of rabid rabbits that immediately tried to attach his toes, he caught so off guard that it took him a little longer than she expected to get it under control, and as he was scrambling she made to the leave the office but threw over her shoulder
“I don’t need to dual you to win, Malfoy, and you’ll do well to remember that.”
The last thing Hermione saw was Draco’s face flushed beet red with rage and loathing. She’d have to go back to luck up all the times into the cabin and protect it, but her existence was worth the cost.
Damn his help, if he wants to back out of this deal, she was more than happy to let him. His insolence had awoken something in her that’s long been dormant.
She was Hermione motherfucking Granger, though she is dinged and bruised from her battle scare, she was still capable of doing anything she set her mind to, alone or not.