Change of Heart
Hermione jerked out of bed as she heard Draco call her name from outside in the hallway. “Hermione!”
“Coming, coming.” She murmured. Hermione gasped as the door nearly swung into her head.
“Good gracious, witch.” Draco stood before her, throwing his potions bag over his shoulder. “I have a test run with Potter now.”
She widened her eyes. “Good luck.” She leaned forwards to place a kiss on his chest. “Sweep those empty barns with passion.”
Draco grinned before he Disapparated. “See you soon, love.”
***
Hermione sipped on her tea, wincing at the lack of sugar as Theo leaned against his chair, his eyes closed at the early hour.
“Potter’s an evil one for calling a drill session this early.”
Hermione peered at him from the top of her cup. “It’s almost as if our vacation into Beccles is unfortunately for work.”
Theo huffed, his dark eyes opening to regard Hermione. “And when will you go on a real vacation?”
“Maybe when my Minister term is over.”
He laughed quietly. “Where would you go?”
“Italy maybe; I’ve always wanted to go there.”
“With that ring on your finger, I’m almost debating if Draco’s made you into a romantic.”
Hermione gave Theo a small smile and wiggled her fingers. “It’s preposterous, isn’t it? That we’d all end up here?”
Theo gave her a maniacal grin. “That man’s been possessive of you since first year, Granger. I’m surprised he hasn’t pounced you before now.”
Hermione snorted. “He was engaged to Astoria.”
“You know what that was.” Theo leaned forwards. “Honestly, I’m glad the universe saved him before that became official. I’m not sure what would’ve happened if he had gone through that.”
Hermione pursed her lips. “Hm.”
Theo stood from the table and stretched, his arms reaching far above his head. “And now little Miss Granger has the Malfoy ring on her finger.”
Hermione twirled the ring on her finger. “I’m not supposed to get him a matching Granger one right?”
Theo’s laughter followed him out of the kitchen.
There was a small scratching that came from the window, and Hermione turned to see Ron’s owl scratching against the glass. “Oh, Pigwidgeon.” She opened the window, and the bird swooped in to perch on the edge of her chair. Hermione wriggled a letter from his claws, and fed him a biscuit as she inspected the letter. It was addressed to Pax.
“Pax?” She called out loud, which sent Pigwidgeon on his way out of the window.
“Miss Granger!” Babbled Pax who Apparated into the kitchen, followed by Cricket.
Hermione smiled at the small elf. “You have mail!” She handed to letter over to Pax who looked at the paper confused.
Cricket reached over to open the envelope. “He can’t read.” She explained. “Oh look! It’s from Mr. Weasley’s son—Hugo!”
Pax’s face lit up as he held the paper up to his face. “Hugo!”
“What did he send you, Pax?” Hermione asked bemused. Pax turned his paper around to show Hermione a stick figure drawing of him and Hugo holding hands, a small sun scribbled into the corner of the page. “Oh, look at that! It looks like the two of you are friends.”
Pax was elated as he squealed and sauntered out of the kitchen, closely followed by Cricket.
***
Hermione picked up her teacup and downed the rest of it’s contents. She had to check up on the potions that had been brewing overnight and then would test their potencies to make sure they were strong enough to combat whatever the potion smugglers would throw at them.
Hermione was halfway to the potions lab Draco kept at the back of the manor before a blue shimmer sparkled in front of her, and she was nearly toppled by a peacock Patronus. What wizard would have a peacock as a—her thoughts were interrupted as Draco’s voice echoed through the hallway.
“Granger get—for fuck’s sake Potter—get Kingsley over here; Potter’s wand’s fucked. Get Pans and Blaise to the manor; our barn wasn’t empty and there’s a whole operation going on here. They know we’re here. Shit, just get the Aurors, useless—”
“GRANGER!” Hermione turned as Theo came barrelling down the hallway. “Did you get his—”
“I did!” She yelled and turned on her heel to run in the opposite direction.
“Granger where are you going—” Theo yelled as he caught up with her.
“I have to get the rest of the stabilizing potions—Merlin knows what they’ll do to Harry and Draco once they find them. Get a Patronus to Blaise and Pansy, I don’t know what they’d need with them but just get them here.” Hermione pulled open the heavy potion lab doors and ran to the back, summoning a bag.
Theo watched her as she carefully placed vials of the potions into her tote bag. “You can’t go alone.”
“I’ve done worse, Theo. The rest of the Aurors will need you to direct them around once they get here, and someone has to explain to Kingsley and your friends what’s going on. Tell them to get a move on—if they ask which barn was next on the training list, the map is in my room.”
“Hermione—”
“I’ll see you soon Theo.” She said and Disapparated.
***
Hermione appeared before a grey barn that seemed so worn down that she was confused about how the entire thing hadn’t collapsed. She transfigured her robes into a deep black and began her quiet descent into the barn.
She had been expecting a fight—there wasn’t so much as a peep from within the barn. She slowly walked into a corridor—there were small rooms built into the side of the barn, and Hermione bit her lip and debated if she wanted to risk opening up the doors.
Where were they?
Hermione took a deep breath and took a step forward to reach for the doorknob.
“Hermione!”
She jolted. Harry. Hermione turned and saw him a few meters behind her. He motioned with his hand, and she nearly sobbed with relief.
“Harry, are you alright?” She grabbed onto the front of his robes and viewed him up and down.
“I’m fine, ‘Mione. Come in through here.” He reached behind her and turned the doorknob, motioning for her to enter.
Hermione squinted as she entered the bright room, still holding onto Harry. A dark-haired wizard stood by the window. “Harry, who’s—”
The wizard turned and Hermione gasped in realization. “Stefen?” Stefen from Borgin and Burkes, Stefen who had seen glimpses of her mind while she had been practicing occlumency. Stefen who had sold her the potions that had helped her to numb out her memories. “What—”
“Miss Granger.” Draco sat in a chair at the back of the room.
“Draco!” She gasped and moved forwards. “Merlin, Draco your Patronus scared me—Theo’s running around at the Manor getting everyone ready!” She exhaled. Draco stood abruptly and grabbed her robes when she was within arm’s length distance. “Draco, you’re—”
Hermione was effectively tossed into the chair. “What—”
Anger was etched into his face. Draco raised his hand and cast an incarcerous to her legs, effectively sticking them to the floor.
“What the hell, Draco!” She yelled, attempting to get out of the chair.
Draco gave a hiss and looked at his hand, his pinky ring glinting against the light.
He had to be under some hex. Hermione took the opportunity to slip the ring he had given her into her back pocket; the last thing she needed was Draco cutting her hand off to get his ring back. While Stefen drew his wand out, she also slipped a vial of potion into her pocket. It was only a matter of time before they took her bag from her.
Draco continued to look questioningly at his hand, and Stefen made his way to stand in front of Hermione.
“Harry, please.” She begged, but Harry’s face, she realized, had a pleasant grin plastered on. He seemed to be looking past her head. “Draco—Draco, please.”
Draco looked up from his hand and narrowed his eyes at her. He crouched, now eye level with her. Draco picked up her left hand, now bare, cradling it for a moment before dropping it as if disgusted. “What do you want?”
“What happened to you?” She turned to Stefen who was watching on bemused. “What did you do to them?” She screamed, struggling against her chair. “Let me go!”
“Poor, Hermione.” Stefen sighed. “You haven’t figured it out yet?”
“Let me go you maniac.” She hissed.
“I will soon. You see your friends here,” He clapped Draco on the shoulder. “Took a little potion. Within an hour, all of the proper pureblood regulations that they have grown up with—” He looked back at Harry. “—Or should have grown up with, have been instilled in them.” He nudged Draco. “Tell her what that means.”
Draco, still crouching, looked at her, his grey eyes gone so dark Hermione was almost unsure of who was looking back at her. “It means, Miss Granger, that this little façade we had going on is now effectively over. In fact, your duties for the Wizarding World are now at an end. As Stefen doesn’t want to kill you, you will simply move away. Leave London, leave England, hell, get out of this continent for all I care—this potion will ensure you comply. You’ll announce your leave so no one will come after you, and the Daily Prophet will never see Hermione Granger again.”
“Draco, what—” Hermione voiced, her throat closing up on her.
“Everything will be as it should be. Bit by bit, all of the mudbloods like you will vanish. We’ll start with London, and then England, and continue to move through Europe.” He stood, towering over her as Hermione craned her neck to look at him. He smiled down at her. “And the Malfoy line will continue to reign as a pureblood line for generations to come.”
Stefen laughed. “With Granger as your wife, you’d probably have squibs for children, Malfoy.” He said and Draco smirked.
Tears pricked Hermione’s eyes. “You practically proposed to me—Draco you gave me your ring.”
Draco’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. “I would never do such a thing.” He scoffed and turned towards the window. “You think that sleeping with you—a little mudblood like you, Granger—would leave you entitled to be betrothed to me? What purpose would you have in my life?” His voice turned vicious. “The entitlement you have to even place yourself into the wizarding community is beside me.”
“Harry, please.” Hermione gasped, hoping that he’d understand, that some small part of him would break through.
“This is what has to be done.” Is all Harry said as he turned to leave the room. “I need to get back to the manor to calm the Aurors now.”
“No—no, Harry you can’t leave—”
“It’ll all be over soon darling.” Stefen said, pulling her bag off her shoulder and chuckling as he peeked inside. “You won’t be needing these.” He strode over to a small table and opened a crate—a crate filled with vials and vials of potions. “This is what you’ll be having today.”
“Get the fuck away from me—” Hermione struggled once more in her bonds, trying to pull on her magic, but to no avail did it surface.
“Bottom’s up Granger.” Stefen said, pressing the vial to her mouth. He yanked her hair back—so hard she could’ve sworn even Draco winced—and tipped the vial down her throat.
Hermione groaned as the potion went straight to her head. Stars freckled her vision and Stefen began to speak—something about moving, and Draco, and an announcement—and her vision went dark.