Chapter 3
1 year ago
It was early Monday morning. The Sun was just beginning to rise over the rooftops of London. The Ministry of Magic was preparing for the start of the week. In the grand lobby, all you could hear was the gurgling of the magical fountain and the old administrator's automatic feather scribbling in the distance. There is still a good half an hour left before Ministry’s emerald green lobby will be flooded by hundreds of wizards and witches who have come to work with a network of magical fireplaces.
Suddenly peaceful stillness was broken by a roaring wave of green flames from one of the fireplaces and angry footsteps echoing towards the Minister of Magic's office.
“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?” displeased feminine voice shouted as soon as a person laudly opened vintage doors to the Minister’s office.
“Miss Granger! You can’ just…!” the shrill voice of the secretary followed the woman. “Mister Shacklebolt, I tried to stop her!”
“It’s fine, leave us, Dorothy” said the Minister calmly in his rich low voice. “ Close the door and sit, Hermione” he waved to the chair across his desk.
“ Oh no.. I’m not sitting, Kingsley.. WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE? I THOUGHT I CAN TRUST YOU! It’s not enough that you don't trust me because of all post-war ptsd bullshit and I have to work under Harry's supervision, give you reports of my EVERY mission…and when suddenly, when I’m in one in the fucking France, I hear the news that… YOU ASSIGN ME A FUCKING FERRET DRACO MALFOY?!” Hermione shouted as she slammed her palms on the Mnister's desk.
Her eyes burned as flames and you could see how she was shaking from anger. Hermione just came back from the mission in Normandy. Her Auror uniform was dirty, her hair fuzzy and you could even see a few bloody and old bandages through woman’s torn shirt. War never truely ended for her.
“Don’t forget with who you’re speaking, Granger. I said sit down. God damn it” now Shacklebolt said angrily and stood up himself.
A few minutes both of them stood in silence and stared one another in the eyes. At last Hermione sat on the old chair. Kingsley sighted heavily.
“You know the best what they’ve done to me in that Mantion..” young witch whispered. Extreme tiredness and lack of sleep had begun to turn Hermione's anger into sadness and a sense of hopelessness. As Hermione spoke she could’ve sworn that she felt the word “Mudblood” carved by Bellatrix Lestrange on her hand started to burn.
She took deep breath and closed her soar eyes. She can’t be weak. She can’t show it to anyone, especially Kingsley Shacklebolt because she will loose her job. She worked so hard to be here, to convince everyone, even Harry himself that her worst days are over and she want to fight again. To catch and destroy everyone who coused Wizarting World so much pain..
“When I will meet him?” Granger asked as she opened her eyes and looked to the Minister of Magic.
“I now it’s hard Granger. But you also know how much he knows. He can help us to end all of this. As much as I hate to admit this, but Draco Malfoy can be the best informant we can have now. And he will show us how to enter and destroy the Malfoy Manor with everything and everyone in it. For now, go home, Granger, rest. You look like shit”. Kingsley said and waved to the door “I’m gonna meet you after a few days”
Hermione sighted, stood up and went to the door. She stoped for the second before she left.
“ How do you know that he’ll not sapotage us after we literally saved his ass?”
“ It’s simple, Hermione. As time comes, he will give us the Unbreakable Vow”