June. The return
LONDON. HEATHROW AIRPORT. DAY
Throughout the flight, Hermione felt the envious glances of other passengers. The plane was full, and two empty seats next to her allowed her to get comfortable. She had spent almost the entire twenty hours of the flight with her face turned to the porthole — it was painful to look at the empty seats where her parents were supposed to sit.
A small queue at passport control, a quick check of documents, and the girl goes to the luggage waiting area. She felt sad that no one would meet her. “Perhaps I should have told the guys that I'm coming back”, — Hermione thought and then froze when she saw Kingsley Shacklebolt right in front of her.
Hermione flew to Australia a week after the battle at Hogwarts and spent a month there. It seemed to her that she had recovered a little from the tension in which she had spent the last year — the sense of security had been irretrievably lost since Dumbledore's death. But the first meeting with the tenacious gaze of the Shacklebolt stirred up panic and terror inside her. The tension in the Acting Minister of Magic's eyes was replaced by surprise, and then a sincere smile appeared on his face.
- Hermione, what a surprise! Ah, a flight from Australia. I didn't know you were coming back today.
Hearing this, a thin man turned to Hermione and Kingsley. He was carefully examining everyone leaving passport control before. He looked at the girl curiously, and she remembered that she had met him a few years ago. The Ministry then provided a car for the Weasley family, Harry and Hermione to take them from the Burrow to King's Cross. Hermione remembered the driver, as he showed great restraint when Crookshanks tore free from the carrier during loading and scrambled free, claws clawing at his leg.
- Daniel Savage, Hermione Granger,— Kingsley introduced them. — Daniel recently took office as the head of the prison system transformation project. And I broke away for half an hour to help him deal with the Muggle world.
- Nice to meet you, Hermione, — Savage smiled gently at the girl. — I never thought I'd regret not choosing Muggle studies at Hogwarts. But this ironport is more complicated than the floors of the Ministry of Magic.
- Airport, — Hermione and Kingsley corrected him at the same time, and smiled at each other.
At that moment, the sliding doors that let people out of passport control opened, and Hermione saw, in slow motion, Draco Malfoy walking through them. Time seemed to stop, and a smile froze on her face.
They had seen each other more than a month ago, and both in the Room of Requirement and in Malfoy Manor, their classmate looked like a pale shadow of himself. From the former arrogance of a boy from a rich and powerful family, a hunted look and sunken eyes remained. Now something has changed. He stopped being painfully thin. A little tanned. Slightly wider at the shoulders. But the main thing is his look. There was no fear or anger in him anymore, but there was... something else. There was fire in his eyes, but Hermione couldn’t determine the emotion.
He looked back at her, but didn’t stop, continuing to walk towards them. Some crazy part of Hermione, realizing why Savage and Shacklebolt had come to Heathrow, wanted to shout: "Run!". Savage twitched nearby, but Kingsley's hand stopped the movement, reminding him that they were in a place full of Muggles. At this time, Draco Malfoy came close and stopped in front of them. And he was still looking at Hermione.
- Mr. Malfoy, — Savage said to him. — It will be better for everyone if you come with us voluntarily and without excesses.
- I'll go," the young man nodded. — If you answer one question.
- Of course.
- What is she doing here?
Hermione felt heat in her cheeks. She raised her head and looked defiantly at Malfoy. But there was still no mockery or contempt in him. It was just a question.
- Hermione arrived on another flight five minutes ago, and accidentally met us," Shacklebolt explained calmly.
- Fine. Then she can go do her business, and I am ready to follow you.
- But why are you arresting him...
- Granger, — Malfoy barked, and it seemed to her that all the people in the hall looked at them. Only a few people, really, but still unpleasant. — Neither I nor I'm sure these representatives of the Ministry of Magic need your help. I definitely don't need your protection, patronage and compassion. Go where you were going. This isn't your suitcase, by the way?
A lone red suitcase floated on the conveyor belt next to them, making its third round — all the other passengers on her flight had already successfully received their luggage. Hermione ran after him, and when she took him off the tape, she saw the retreating backs of Savage, Shacklebolt and Malfoy. Kingsley turned around, waved to her, and then hurried after the others.