Face to face
Hermione felt her heart stop as she came face to face with Draco Malfoy in the Flu Room. It was an unexpected presence that took her by surprise. It had been years since she had last seen Draco's face, and that memory was filled with emotionally charged moments and changes.
The image of Draco at the trial, standing next to his parents, became vivid in Hermione's mind. She remembered clearly how their paths had crossed at that crucial moment. Draco had been acquitted of his charges, and there were two main reasons for that. The first was his refusal to acknowledge Harry when they were captured at Malfoy Manor. The second was that unexpected moment in the battle, when everyone saw Draco run to throw his wand at Harry when he realized he was still alive.
The trial dragged on for several days until the Wizengamot made the decision to impose a year's house arrest on Draco. Thanks to Harry's testimony, his mother Narcissa also avoided prison, as she had not officially taken the Dark Mark, although they were indefinitely locked out of their family vault at Gringodds. However, there was nothing that could be done for the Malfoy patriarch, Lucius, who faced numerous charges and was sent directly to Azkaban.
In those years, the pallor of Draco's skin showed a sickly appearance and his body looked thinner than normal. The dark circles under his eyes contrasted terribly with his gray gaze, and his face showed a tired expression. But now, in front of Hermione, Draco was much taller than she remembered. Though he was still thin and pale, he looked stronger. His fine features had become more pronounced, giving him a more mature appearance. His platinum hair was no longer carefully coiffed, he now wore a more casual style. Although he still wore black robes, they now flattered him, giving him a mysterious look.
Draco's gray eyes scrutinized her coolly. She felt unable to look away, instead, she lifted her chin higher, trying to project false confidence.
"Granger, I'm sure you remember Draco," Theo said calmly, but there was a tinge of caution in his words.
"Granger," Draco uttered. Hermione hadn't expected him to insult her, but she noticed that her last name on Draco's lips lacked mockery or contempt.
Hermione responded with determination, reciprocating the brief greeting with a nod. "Malfoy," she said, making it clear that she acknowledged his presence, but showing no hostility in her response.
"Did you find what you were looking for, Granger?" asked Theo.
Hermione didn't miss Draco's curious look. Before she could respond, she was interrupted.
"Draco, Hermione has been doing some research on curses related to confiscated jewels. I think your experience and knowledge could be of great help in this matter" Luna mentioned, glancing at Theo and then Hermione, looking for a nod of approval.
Theo nodded slightly, though Hermione couldn't disagree more. Again he overlooked the blonde's comment. Draco, for his part, issued no response to that.
""Anyway, I have to go," Hermione said, walking past Draco. She faintly felt the minty scent emanating from the blond. "Theo, I really appreciate the help. Your library is spectacular and I was able to find the information I needed." She grabbed a handful of Flu powder and walked over to the fireplace.
"Anytime, Granger," Theo replied.
"You can call me Hermione," she said with a smile. "Luna, see you Sunday at the usual place."
"See you, Mione," Luna replied enthusiastically.
Hermione cast one last glance at Draco, who was watching her every move intently, before disappearing through the net and reappearing in her living room.
After materializing in her home through the fireplace, Hermione stood for a few moments in silence, letting the familiarity of her surroundings comfort her. She dusted the travel dust off her robes and stepped into the living room.
As she plopped down on the comfortable couch, her mind flashed back to the encounter with Draco. Although she had tried to maintain a façade of safety, she couldn't deny that his presence hadn't affected her. She remembered the tumultuous days of her youth, when Draco was her classmate at Hogwarts and enjoyed teasing her for being a Muggleborn, when he enjoyed making life miserable for Harry, Ron and her, when a few years later they found themselves on opposite sides in the war. Much had changed since then, but the memories and tensions still lingered.
What was Draco Malfoy doing in England?
As far as she knew he had not completed his education at Hogwarts, in fact, The Prophet had published an article about the Malfoy family, mentioning that Draco was allowed to study and take his EXTASIS in his confinement and that after the year of arrest he traveled to France not to return.
Draco dropped his Occlumency barriers and glared at his friend, exhaling all the air he had been holding in his lungs since he saw Hermione Granger walk through the door....
"Can you explain why you didn't let me know you had invited her?" asked Draco indignantly.
Theo smiled mischievously, aware that he was lying and enjoying Draco's discomfort. "Honestly, it was a sudden thing and it completely slipped my mind," he replied. Luna interrupted with a smile, "It wasn't that big of a deal."
"Right, of course. You obviously didn't notice the look on Granger's face when she saw me. She looked as if she'd seen the Dark Lord himself," Draco replied sarcastically.
"I'm rather disappointed that I didn't witness any magical confrontations, not a single curse. How sad," Theo added mockingly.
"Go to hell, Theo," Draco retorted, frustrated and angry.
"Oh, come on, don't get mad. You're taking after the old Lucius," he said, causing more irritation in Draco..
"That's right, you're just as full of Nargles as Hermione."
Then, to change the subject and lighten the mood, Luna asked, "How is Scorpius, is he excited to come?"
"Scorpius is very excited," Draco replied. "He's been asking my mother about the manor, but he's terrified at the thought of traveling so far away."
It was a well-kept secret that Draco had a young son. He had kept Scorpius out of the public eye to protect him from the burden of being the son of a former Death Eater. Only his closest friends knew of his return to the magical world. However, Draco was aware that it was inevitable that, in a few days, his photograph would appear in The Prophet accompanied by some sensationalist article..
He had learned from the lessons of his past and was determined to protect Scorpius from the stigmas and prejudices that had troubled his own life. He had taken steps to keep his identity and Scorpius' existence a secret, at least until now. She found comfort in the fact that the dark magic that had once haunted Malfoy Manor had been completely eradicated. He did not want his son to be surrounded by that negative energy. However, he also understood the importance of securing the protections surrounding Malfoy Manor.
Since his father's imprisonment, Draco had officially assumed the role of head of the Malfoy family, and it was his responsibility to activate and maintain the family defenses. That was the reason he had traveled a few days earlier, leaving his mother in charge of Scorpius, something that had become quite common in recent years.
After his wife's tragic death, Narcissa had agreed to move to France to help him with his son's education. Draco suspected that, in addition to supporting him, his mother also preferred not to be alone at Malfoy Manor, although she would never openly admit it..
"No one knows I'm back yet, do they?" asked Draco with some trepidation.
"Blaise is on a business trip in Italy and Pansy is still on vacation in New York, but I'd advise you to send her an owl as soon as possible, because you know she doesn't like to be the last to know," his friend replied.
"Kingsley hasn't announced anything about your return to the Ministry yet," Luna mentioned. "Or at least I haven't heard that Harry is aware of it."
"At least I'll be able to enjoy the surprise on Potter's face when he sees me there," Draco said with a smile, anticipating the moment.
"No doubt there will be many surprises," Theo added knowingly, aware that Draco was also included in that list of surprised people.
After a magnificent dinner and saying goodbye to the couple, Draco moved back to his mansion in France and appeared in the living room, where he found his mother waiting up for him, wrapped in her luxurious robe.
"My dragon," the elegant woman said as she reached over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "How did it go?"
"I have successfully restored the protections, mother. You didn't have to wait up for me," Draco replied.
"You know how nervous I was that you wanted to go back to England," she replied angrily.
"You go back every weekend," she added wearily as she leaned back in an armchair.
"It's completely different, and you know how people keep talking about me behind my back? Merlin knows how they'll react to your arrival!".
Draco watched as his mother's eyes threatened to tear up, but she turned her face away so as not to show her vulnerability. Her face, so serene that it barely showed the passage of time, contracted into a pitiful expression. The last thing he wanted was to distress her. She had been the first to defend him to the world, always trying to protect him. From his childhood, when his father, Lucius, lectured him, to when he took the Mark as punishment and she helped him on his mission. She also protected him during the torturous training with his aunt, risking her life by lying to the Dark Lord to ensure his survival.
Draco took his mother's pale hands between his own to reassure her. "I'm not a little boy anymore, mother. I will defend myself and, just as you did for me, I will protect Scorpius."
Those words did little to reassure her, but Narcissa decided to change the conversation.
"He fell asleep sad that you didn't take him with you to see the manor," her mother said quickly wiping away her tears and smiling at her.
"At least one of us is excited." He said goodbye to his mother and headed towards his son's room. Opening the door quietly, she found him sleeping hugging his stuffed dragon, shivering from the cold. Ever since he was a baby, he had been in the habit of taking off his blankets while he slept. Carefully, she tucked him in and gave him a kiss on the head, feeling him stir slightly in his sleep.
"Daddy," said a sleepy voice as his son lazily opened his little eyes to look at him. "You came back."
Draco gave his son a warm smile as he stroked his delicate blond hair. "Go back to sleep, Scorp. It's very late and the children need their rest."
Will you stay until I fall asleep?" the boy looked up at him with his little blue eyes, making Draco unable to refuse his request. He lay down next to the boy and felt his little boy snuggle up to be closer to him. After a few minutes, he knew Scorpius had gone back to sleep when he heard his soft snores.
Holding back a yawn, Draco felt the tiredness in his body. Although he was not particularly comfortable, he was unable to move so as not to wake him again. As he watched Scorpius' serene face in the dimness of the room he wondered how he had gotten to this point in his life. He recalled the dark moments of his past, the difficult decisions and the consequences that had left scars on his soul, his mind began to reflect on the events of the day.
It was not in his plans to return to England, but he only did so because of the insistence in letters from the minister, who was asking him to return because the DMLE needed his expertise. Although Kingsley had not revealed details about the case in his letters to him, but he had promised to unlock his vault at Gringotts. Over the years, he had honed his skills in protections and breaking curses and had become an expert in the field. He felt it was his duty to use his knowledge to help, even if it meant facing his past and the looks of distrust and judgment that still lingered in magical society.
But there was something else driving Draco to return to England: his son Scorpius. The young boy deserved to know his family heritage and have access to the vault at Gringotts. While Draco had no great need for the treasures stored there, he understood the importance of maintaining some traditions and making sure Scorpius had a link to his lineage.
With all these reasons in mind, Draco made the decision to apply for a transfer at his job in France and return to English soil. He knew it would not be easy. Many still held resentment towards him and his family for their past as followers of Lord Voldemort. He would face looks of distrust and malicious comments, but he was willing to endure all of that for his son's sake and out of a desire to redeem himself.
Unfortunately, to his misfortune, Draco was put to the test much sooner than he expected. He had not mentally prepared himself to witness the face of the "Golden Girl" that day. Over the years, he had established a forced relationship of friendship with Luna Lovegood, but she never mentioned her friends to avoid creating a hostile environment, and he was satisfied with that. He supposed it would be inevitable to ignore the existence of the famous golden trio, but he had hoped to see them only from afar or avoid them altogether. However, he failed miserably when he came face to face with Granger, and her look of surprise mixed with panic made him involuntarily resort to Occlumency.
He expected her to yell at him, to pull out her wand and curse him, but instead, she simply waved him off. He had briefly heard that she was in his friend's library looking for information on curses, but he didn't pay much attention to what Luna said after that.
Now he found himself engrossed in thinking about how time had passed for Granger. She was a little taller than he remembered, though he could tell she was a head shorter than him, and her hair, which had once looked like a nest of owls, now formed beautiful curls. He remembered those strange pants she wore, matched with a hideous sweater that screamed "Weasley" all over it. Surely she was already married to the redhead.
As Draco delved deeper into his thoughts about Hermione Granger, he felt a mixture of emotions overwhelm him. During his time at Hogwarts, his relationship with her had always been filled with hostility. They were two polar opposites, belonging to different houses and with completely different ideals.
He represented the arrogance and prejudice of his family, while Hermione embodied the stupid bravery of her house and her pride to her blood status, not that that was relevant at this point in his life. She had matured, witnessed the cruelty and suffering caused by the ideology she once stood for.
With those last thoughts in mind, Draco finally allowed himself to surrender to restful sleep.