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Chapter Text

Love is stronger than everything.

Sun rays gently caressed the bed. It was one of those early summer days when the light was so pure and bright. Narcissa held her miracle daughter, whose eyes shone like pure jewels, and her son, whose hair was as pure as the summer light. Despite her difficult delivery, she was not feeling the pain as she was absorbed in the pure bliss of having in her arms her perfect twins after years of hardship. Her husband was beside her, a loving hand on her shoulder, as she was fondly caressing her daughter’s cheeks. Life was perfect, and their joy was immense. 

However, the joyful moments came to a crashing end in the form of a devastating thunderstorm. At the end of Summer, storms were coming every night. Summer rain is nearly poetic, but summer storms are dark and brutal, tearing the heart away.

Servus Snape sat across the winter garden table; next to him, wriggling in his chair, was Sirius Black. Although estranged by divergence of opinion, Narcissa was trying to maintain a close relationship with her Black cousin and her sister Andromeda. She would often invite them when her Husband was not home. She did not like lying to him, but she could not sacrifice her family over some purity 'concept.'

Snape hated Black as the honorary member of the clan that bullied him all his tenure at Hogwart, but it seems fate had a peculiar way of tying destinies together.

"Narcissa," Snape started in a barely audible tone. "the oracles…they are clear," he stammered before being cut off by the woman sitting across him. She knew the prophecy regarding the One who would kill the Darklord.

"I know, dear, but Draco cannot be. He was born too early," she proceeded scooping her son from his cradle as the babe was fussing. Snape opened his mouth again, to be cut by Narcisa, presenting the blond infant to him, "Hold your godson, Severus! I need to pick up Diana."

Seeing the inefficiency of his former Hogwarts classmate, Sirius tried his luck: "Please cousin, it is not about Draco." He continued, "The Seer; she saw something else." Snape took the opportunity to clear his throat before reciting: 

Born on Saint James fires month as the heathen dancing. Stronger as the huntress, she will carry the most powerful wizard’s offspring.

The room fell into a cold silence with only the sound of the storm as a background soundtrack. 

The blond witch was petrified as if a mandragora scream had frozen her expression in a distressed mask.

“What does it mean?” she pleaded as if she suddenly realized, and a strangled sob erupted from her perfectly painted lips. “They cannot do that to us, to me,” she rectified. “Everything is so perfect. She is my daughter.” 

“ I am so sorry, dearest Cousin. It can only be her; she is the only one fitting the description,” Black added sadly. 

“No! No! someone else might be !” She cut, hastily calling the house elves to bring the Wizarding birth records. Suddenly, propulsed out of the silence, Snape reached toward his friend. 

“Narcissa, you should trust us. We already looked, Diana is the only pure-blood babe born in June.”

Time was suspended as tears ran down like diamonds rivers on her cheeks. Sirius was looking at the young Draco sleeping peacefully. He was unable to be a witness of that dire agony. Severus was still holding her hands as she stood abruptly. “I need to tell Lucius.” 

“No!” both men shouted at the same time. 

“The less people involved, the better. We must keep this information away from him as much as possible.” By saying him, Sirius was referring to the Darklord himself, as his shadow was looming over them. 

In between her sobs, the dark haired potion master last spoke. “I have plan” 

__________________________________

Few things happened after that night. Severus encouraged Narcissa to write a few letters, addressing the situation to him, Andromeda, and Sirius. Those letters had to be kept in a secret location for each of the recipients. She proceeded, still under Severus' command, to obliviate all of them, including Diana's father, Lucius. 

Now the only remaining person entrusted with her daughter's secret, she fled as fast as she could. Lucius was worried at first. Why would she want to leave so close after giving birth to their boy? However, Lucius ignored that his wife was a skilled manipulator. She brushed it off, saying that the house elves could take care of their son perfectly well for a couple of days while she was visiting her relatives in the Scottish countryside. 

Narcissa wanted to laugh at the simplicity of convincing her husband with her lies. He mostly thought he was in charge of their relationship, but she knew otherwise. 

When she woke up in the middle of the night to obliviate him, Narcissa felt her heart sink. She did not want to deprive, her husband of the joy of having a daughter, but she felt that destiny was too powerful. She had left Lucius a letter on his nightstand, explaining that she had left in the wee morning hours as her trip to Scotland would be draining for her. She was not going to Scotland to visit her relatives.

On a beautiful late summer night, she crossed the English Channel with her daughter securely clenched to her breast. The portkey journey was rough, as it was a black market portkey. She reached her destination, a small village in the southwest of France. There, she reunited with an old friend of hers whom she met during a semester abroad in "Beaux Batons." Her friend, Isolde, was now married to an Irish muggle and was living peacefully in a small village nested into the picturesque French landscape. She handed over her girl to her friend. She explained that the babe was the daughter of one of her relatives for which she could not reveal their identity. She added that the babe birth would cause scandal for her family and that she needed a foster home. Isolde and her husband had trouble conceiving, and the fair little girl was a beacon of hope for the couple.

Narcissa did not stay too long, letting the couple fussing over her precious little bundle. She knew that her little jewel was safe, but despair grew in her chest about the selfishness of her act. She deprived her son of his twin, the husband of his daughter, and herself of watching Diana grow as a beautiful human. Devastated by the situation and exhausted by her travel, she found solace in the forever snowed picks of the Pyrenees in the small castle she owned. 

Chapter Text

Diana grew up in a bucolic landscape, surrounded by parents who adored her. She knew from a young age two valuable things: Her parents, as much as she loved them, were not her birth parents.
It was obvious. Her adopted mother was a short southern lady with dark curly hair, olive skin, and dark eyes. Her adopted dad, being Irish, had strawberry blond locks with deep green eyes, the same color as the moss. However, it was someday complicated for her as the other kids at the muggle school were often cruel. They called her the phantom as her complexion was fair, her hair almost white, her eyes grey as a summer storm and her overall silhouette very lean. For that reason, Diana engulfed herself in her solitude, often reading books during the breaks and hardly talking to anyone.
She knew; she was not like the other kids because her mom told her. The Mediterranean woman was a witch and had confided in her adopted daughter that she was a witch too. Isolde, Diana's adopted mother, made sure to read all the wizarding tales. She explained to the young Arctic blond that her destiny would be to become a great member of the wizarding world. Outside of this little something added ( not so little, according to her mother), Diana had a standard childhood. She often played outside, making friends with the local ravens, feeding them, and giving them names. She loved the calm of the oak tree forest behind her house, where she often scavenged herbs and barks for her mother's remedies.
Every year, Saint-James fires marked her birthday month. Diana and her parents visited a family friend's manor called “La Gaité Castle". The beautiful British witch that owned the castle had long black hair and deep black eyes. She was very proper and well-educated, like a well-off lady from the old times. She offered tea and sweet pastries.
She was always curious about the young girl's well-being and daily life. On Diana's eleventh anniversary, whose anniversary marked her entry into the wizarding world, the beautiful British witch, now called "Aunt Cissa", offered her a beautiful albino Raven as a familiar. Diana would always recall that day.
"Aunt Cissa, Why choose a raven as a familiar?" the young witch asked. "Do you think Beaux-Batons would accept a raven?"
The older woman's eyes shone with a mischievous glow. "Yes, my dear niece, ravens are clever, sometimes as clever as humans", she politely laughed, "Perse Neige would be the best companion for you!"
Her mother added, “Ravens are as reliable as owls and their bond is often stronger than with any other familiar.”Diana looked at her raven. The bird had snow-white feathers like her hair and an intelligent gaze.
At the end of the summer, Diana and Percy (Perse-neige in short) entered the halls of Beaux-Batons school. The beautiful castle in the Pyrenees mountains shone like a fairytale castle. For the first time in her life, she was at ease. Even if her natural solitary nature remained, she made a couple of friends—notably, the school's most famous vela, Fleur Delacour. The beautiful and noble girl was a few years older than her.
Diana remembered their first meeting as one of her most humiliating moves. Mesmerized by the vela's beauty, her first words fell from her lips without realizing it. “I think I fell in love, and I cannot explain it. You look like a dream.” Shy by nature, Diana did not understand what was happening to her until a crystalline laugh broke her thought. “I am part vela that might be the reason. I am Fleur. Nice to meet you.” “I am Diana. Nice to meet you, and sorry.” They both laughed.
From there, as simple as this weird meeting went, the two girls started a friendship. Fleur was an excellent student, highly skilled in duels and potions. They both share a passion for potions. Life continued its course in an uneventful manner for the young French witch, surrounded by friends and family and of course, Percy was staying with her almost hundred percent of the time. Who knew that ravens were so attached to humans?

Chapter Text

“Young Master.” “My Little Prince.” “The Malfoy heir.”

Draco grew up in privileges and with a golden spoon in his mouth. He knew it so well. 

Being the sole heir of the wizarding England's wealthiest family helped. 

As a kid, he could only start thinking of what he desired, and his mother would have already provided it. She was showering him with presents and praises. He got the newest broom on the market before everyone else, even though he was not of age to fly. He received the original version of "Hogwart an History."

He was tutored by the greatest wizards; some say that even Newt Scamander taught him. It was not true, by the way. How can a lowly Hufflepuff be allowed to step foot in the Malfoy ancient estate? 

While his mom was overprotective of him, his dad was his greatest admiration. For him, he was the paradigm of the wizarding elite: rich, athletic, pureblood, and so very powerful. Once his dad was home from the ministry, he narrated Draco for all the complicated wizarding laws he enacted. The young boy was mesmerized. His dad was adamant about the purity of the blood. An obsession Draco would realize years later was borderline pathologic. 

He remembered his dad saying: 

“Today, this idiot of Weasley brought up again about muggle rights in our panel discussion. How can we consider such vile and low-ranking creatures to have rights? They are closer to the house elf than to us. What do you think, my dear?”

His mother smiled politely, “My dearest, do not stress yourself for such vile topics.” She signaled to the house elf to bring more wine to her husband, and she stood from the table. 

“Dears, I will get some sleep because I will have to leave early tomorrow.” 

Lucius sighed inelegantly. “Why do you always have to visit your relatives in Scotland? Why are you never bringing Draco with you?” 

Breaking the distance from her husband, she placed a delicate kiss on Lucius's cheeks. 

“My Love, we talked about it several times. My cousin Darcy lost countless kids. I do not want to upset her by bringing my precious little prince.” While saying this, she reached Draco, pushing to the table next to him, yet another present. 

“I brought you a nice book, my dragon, so you do not miss me so much.” 

After her departure, the same silence was falling over him. His dad would leave to work, and Draco would be alone. Growing up, he could interact briefly with other kids during some tutored sessions. His mom thought it would do him good to socialize. 

However, Draco was well aware of his status. He knew that even within Pureblood Elite, he was elite. This deep-rooted feeling resulted in him not having friends rather than minions. Perfect examples were Goyle and Crabbe. 

At eleven, like all the wizard kids, Draco received his Hogwarts letter. The boy did not feel excited as this event was bound to happen. Being a bit blazé, he strolled on Diagonal Alley with his mom to get the supplies and still being rather blazé, he embarked on the Hogwarts Express. The train was full of young kids. Someone already lost their familiar in the wagon. Before leaving, his dad had entrusted Draco with two missions:

• Staying away from mudblood kids and refraining from engaging with half blood 
• Befriending Harry Potter

Focused on his mission and eager to please his dad, Draco had tried to talk to Potter before embarking. On the train, he had searched for him. However, he did not find him in the chaos. Time was playing against him. Draco was starting to despair when he saw the brown-haired kid entering the castle. Rushing forward, he bumped into Potter's friends. Seeing that the friend was a Weasley, and not being at ease to approach Potter, he did the only thing he was good at. Taking his most condescending voice, he pronounced: “Ugly red hair, you must be Weasly! Potter, if I were you, I would choose your entourage better!” 

Potter looked confused and a bit shocked from such a first meeting. Before Draco could open his mouth again, the “chosen” one spoke,” He is my friend. I choose who I want to hang out with, and I believe I would not choose you.”

Everyone started to laugh at this public humiliation. It was the first time in Draco’s life that someone talked to him like this. Infuriated, he spat, “You do not know who my father is!” 

Ready to add more venom to the conversation, he was cut short by McGonagall's thick Scottish accent, “I am sure you have something very interesting to discuss, Mr Malfoy, but it would have to wait.”

Humiliated twice in five minutes, Draco was fulminating. Above all, he knew that he had failed his mission. How could he sustain a friendship with such a bad start? He would have to explain to his father that the young Potter was already too corrupted. 

Chapter Text

Sorted in Slytherin as expected, Draco thought his years at Hogwarts would be a simple formality. He had been tutored all his life. He was the heir to the Malfoy house. He was pure blood and a brilliant one. He knew that a bright path was waiting for him at Slytherin. However, failing to befriend the Potter boy should have been his warning. 

He always looked up to his father but always knew the high standards his dad had for him, especially when entering Hogwarts. In addition to the Potter fiasco, Draco failed the test for the Quidditch team. However, the biggest failure was that the first place in the ranking, naturally reserved for him, was occupied by another. She was not an ordinary person. She was a muggle-born: a muggle-born and a girl! How humiliating. 

At first, Draco could not believe it. The bushy-haired girl was a muggle, a dirty blood, and an underspecies, and she did not have tutors. How could she know all of that? Her little hand was always raised and ready to answer. She was getting the highest grades, always studying in the library. 

One day during the spring term, Draco was lurking outside the dinner hall when he heard a bright laugh. Getting closer to the noise, he saw her with friends. They were not ordinary friends: she was holding the shoulder of the red-haired Weaslebee. He could not believe it. Now, his disbelief became anger. He hated her because she was a filthy mulblood, and she was better than him. The honey-brown girl was good at school, a hard worker, and had friends who loved her. His anger became a burning rage. He wanted to crush the light in her eyes and make her cry until her eyes became red. 

She represented his failure. A failure his dad was reminding him of in every letter. It was funny how fast the proud dad became a bully for him. He dreaded every owl and every vacation. To crown it all, his mother was often away, and the only way to talk to her was via letters. 

He remembers one day writing to her over the third year: "Dear Mother, 

I have been well, and I thank you for the presents attached to your last letter. 

I wanted to let you know that I will be joining at the winter ball, as you requested. 

We won the match with the team in Quidditch. Potter was devastated, but I preferred Weasley's face. 

Regarding academics, I ranked first in potions, but in duel class, I am 3rd. Potter is first as he is cheating, and the second is this ugly mudblood, I talk to you about it in our previous letter. I want to make her cry, but I am following your advice to ignore her.

Yours truly, 

D."

A couple of days later, he sent another letter: 

“ Dear Mum, 

She hit me in the face! Can you imagine? I wrote to father that such a mean act should be reprimanded. 

I hate her, mother, and I apologize for not following your advice any longer.

Your son, 

D.”

Over the third year, Draco took pleasure in torturing her and calling her names. He totally forgot the purpose of the bullying; it was not to feel less of a failure. He wanted her attention, and he wanted her to know her place. Weirdly, she was a strong specimen. She cried, but she held her stand, always challenging him or, if not glaring at him with contempt. He hated even more her contempt. The bright witch could not be bought or subdued like all the others, and he hated it. 

Chapter Text

The air was bustling with an odd energy. The first day of school used to be exciting and a bit stressful at most. However, Diana felt it in the air that something was unusual. She was attending her first class when the school steward, Mrs Petronille, came to pick her up; she said with her very high-pitched voice: “Mademoiselle Diana Randal, vous êtes attendue dans le bureau de Mademoiselle Maxime.”

“Mademoiselle Diana Randal, you are expected in Mademoiselle Maxime's office.”

Diana, confused but well-educated, followed the tiny little steward in the silvery corridors. Beaux-Batton's head office looked like a fifteenth-century Renaissance salon with a coffered ceiling and rich tapestries. The abnormally tall headmistress sat in a ridiculously tiny velvet chair. Her plume was writing notes while the woman sipped a glass of what looked like whiskey. Without raising her gaze, she spoke, “ Mademoiselle Randall?”

“Oui, Madame Maxime, c’est bien moi” (Yes, Mrs Maxime, it’s me)

Mrs Maxime choked on her whiskey before rectifying, “Mademoiselle Maxime, ma chère, je suis encore une jouvencelle.” (Mademoiselle Maxime, dearest, I am still a youngling.)

The young witch could not refrain from a strange look to the headmistress. The headmistress looked older than her mom, but seems to be a bit delusional. Diana silenced herself to comment on anything. The “young” Headmistress spoke again: “Mademoiselle vous avez été sélectionnée pour participer à un échange universitaire sans précédent. Vous accompagnerez la compagnie Beaux-Bâton Outre-manche. Vous avez une chance immense de faire partie des privilégiés. Vos excellents résultats, votre conduite exemplaire ainsi que l'indéfectible amitié de votre chère Fleur, vous permette cette opportunité en or.” 

“Miss, you have been selected to take part in an unprecedented university exchange. You will be accompanying the Beaux-Bâton company across the Channel. You are extremely lucky to be one of the lucky ones. Your excellent results, your exemplary conduct, and the unwavering friendship of your dear Fleur will give you this golden opportunity.”

 Mrs Maxime started to look for a paper on her tiny desk. “Voilà” (Here) she said “Tous les papiers sont en ordre, vos parents sont prévenus, nous partons demain.”

“All the paperwork is in order, and your parents are informed. We leave tomorrow.” 

Diana had no time to process. She merely managed to utter, “Mais… Madame! Mademoiselle Pardon!” The old witch gestured her wand toward the door, and Diana’s feet walked themselves toward the exit. 

As soon as she was out of the headmistress's office, she ran to her friend Fleur. Out of breath, she found her strolling in the Chateau’s garden. “Fleur!” she shouted.

“Diana, Why do you look like a ghost?” the vela said playfully. 

“I was with Mrs Maxime… Sorry Mademoiselle Maxime. She told me we are leaving tomorrow for Hoghead ?” Fleur crystalline laughter resonated in the luxuriant gardens. 

“Hogwarts! Yes, I know, but I have to admit, I was made aware yesterday. We are going for the Trizarding contest. It has not happened in years. It is so exciting!

Three main champions would be chosen from three different wizarding schools. They would compete in three rounds. I am looking forward to it !” 

Diana was less excited than her friend, to say the least. She looked at Fleur, whose eyes were gleaming with excitement. 

“ I would have preferred staying here. I love the mountains and the people here. I am not ready to leave.”

“It will be fine! I promise! I will be with you all the time, and you will be making new friends”

Diana faked a smile. She was not worried about making friends. 

The icy blond witch had been alone before. She was worried about her family. She knew her birth parents were from Great Britain. What if they try to contact her? What if she had siblings? Or worse. She tried to occult all the anxiety that was raging in her heart. She could not sleep that night. 

The carriage ride was shaky, to say the least. Diana had never traveled in the Beaux-Baton carriage, and she now understood her peer called it the salad spinner. A bit nauseous but still alive, She set foot for the first time on British soil. In this month of September, the air was chill, and the sky was low with grey clouds. The Scottish countryside napped in a light fog, and the rain made the vegetation glistery slightly. Hogwarts Castle had nothing in common with Beaux-Baton. It had a rustic aspect with brownstones and many towers. On the inside, the tapestry and the hall fire made it warmer than its exterior, but she missed her home. 

Mademoiselle Maxime insisted on a full-blown demonstration. All the girls had to wear the ceremonial silk uniform and beret from the usual cotton uniform.

Gabrielle, Fleur's little sister, had to open the cortege while the rest of the students blew magical blue butterflies within the room.

Diana was already tired of such a ceremony, but to her great relief, it lasted only during the opening ceremony. After the discourse and the welcomes, the Beaux-Button company found their rooms and their schedule. A normal school schedule for which each exchange student Beaux-Batton and Drumstang would be mixed with their Hogwart counterparts. 

The young witch was excited to attend the potions class. 

They were taught by the famous Mr. Snape. Her excitement quickly transformed into fear as she attended her first class. The man was severe, to say the least. His dark features were perpetually frozen into a frown.

Diana was hiding behind her desk when he directed his contempt to some Drumstang boys a few rows in front. Turning her face, she saw her neighbor doing the exact same. Nervously laughing, she extended her hand; "I am Diana, nice to meet you.” 

The other girl's eyes met Diana’s." I am Parvati! Nice to meet you, and sorry that it is those circumstances.” 

“Is it always like this?” The Beaux-Baton witch spoke again. 

“No usually, Mr. Snape is way more detached. I believe the increased teenage population put him on edge.” Diana chuckles at her new friend's sassy remark. Their little hidden conversation abruptly finished when both girls saw black dragon leather shoes in their vision. 

“Are we playing hide and seek? Are you both fourth year, or shall I bring you back to the first-year class?” 

The two witches stood from their hiding spot, and Diana noticed the professor's slightly dazzled look when he spotted her icy blond hair. 

“Mrs. Parvati, I will deduct 5 points for Gryffindor. And for you Miss?”

“Diana Randal!” She promptly added. “Sir, my classmate was merely enquiring about my well-being. I got weak, and she was helping me…” 

The stern professor cut her in an instant. “ Mrs Parvati, bring Mrs Randal to Mrs Ponfrey. Next time, I would appreciate your full attention during the class.”

Murmurs echoed in the classroom as Parvati led Diana to the infirmary. 

“Thank you for trying to save me !” The dark-haired witch beamed and reflected:” I never saw him that disturbed before, or maybe with Harry. Mr Snape might really hate teenagers.” 

Diana dismissed the remark, and the pair happily chit-chatted, forgetting to reach Mrs Pomfrey. 

Diana started to believe Fleur that “everything would go well.” Parvati introduced her to her twin sister. While Parvati was lively and talkative, sometimes a bit cheeky, Padma was calm and collected, but she was always there to listen and help. The twins were lovely company for Diana, and she felt that her year would not be that terrible in the end.

Chapter Text

The selection of the champions was completed. The school knew that Fleur Delacour would be representing Beaux-Baton, Victor Krum would represent Drumstag, Cedric Digory for Hogward, and Saint Potter. As the years passed, Draco hated the Gryfondor superstar more and more. He achieved to be included as the fourth champion of the wizarding tournament even if he was not of age.

To top it off, the boy who lived was allegedly going out with the annoying brown-haired girl from all his dreams. Draco was now fourteen and was very accustomed to intense wet dreams. The dreams were inhabited by Granger herself. He hated to admit it she was not suitable, but his hormone-filled brain could not help it. 

When the Daily Prophet published the article about the champions' love life, he was agitated all day. He blamed it on Potter and used the justification to hex first years. Little did he know that would be only a mere detail in the future as a much bigger storm formed. 
After the first task, in which Potter nearly finished grilled barbecue style in front of the audience, came the infamous Yule ball.

Draco could pride himself on being exempted from dance lessons as Mrs. McGonagall had judged his level sufficient. Among the several choices of girls, he selected Pansy to be his partner at the ball. The blond wizard hoped it would make his father proud and secretly hoped that Pansy could keep him company till the late hours of the night. He was not really interested in her. She was decently looking but had a terrible personality. The Slytherin girl was known to be petty and childish, but Draco could not fail again. He had to get this ball right. 

On the Yule evening, as a gentleman, he came to pick her up in front of the Slytherin dormitory. She looked great in a long emerald green shift dress with heavy makeup and impressive silver jewelry. Her heavy look contrasted with his plain white robes, which his mother sent him. 

“How do I look ?” She said while twirling. 

“You look ravishing,” he said with a slightly formal tone. To be very frank, he did not really care about her outfit or her make-up. 

They strolled toward the main hall. Draco could not ignore the stares of the other students, but it was not in their direction. He saw Saint Potter with one of the twins: Parvama or maybe Parmi. He never remembered their name. He also saw Weasley in the most ridiculous robe when he heard Pansy chucking.

“I am sure none of them could convince the bushy haired girl to go with them. I am sure she might be crying at the library.” Pansy venom was short-lived when the brightest witch of the age appeared in a dazzling periwinkle dress.  Her hair was pinned in an elegant updo, with some wild curls escaping. The dress was flowy yet fitting, the color making her eyes shine. He could not stop looking at her, and even more when this brute of Krum reached his hand toward her.

“Wow ! she landed the Bulgarian superstar. Either she is better in bed than I thought, or she is doing his homework.” Pansy said with disdain while dragging Draco to the dining hall. The school converted the hall into a winter wonderland-inspired scene. The enchanted ceiling was replicating the snowing weather from the outside. However, all Draco was thinking about was Granger in her fabulous dress. A mix of jealousy hit him in the face when the couple started waltzing. Draco had put himself in auto-pilot mode, completely forgetting his dance partner and staring without stopping at the girl in the periwinkle dress. Hermione was certainly laughing with Viktor and his terrible dance moves.  Her smile was constantly adorning her pretty face. What Draco found fascinating was her small hand cusping the Bulgarian arm. His eyes were burning. How could she be so happy,  when he was so miserable? He decided to remediate his growing hopelessness by doing what he was always doing: ruining the girl's night. Striding toward her, he was stopped mid-track, by her high-pitched voice: “....Maybe you are jealous that I am having fun tonight Ronald.” 

For the only time in his life, he felt thankful for the Weaselbee sense of the timing.  After her altercation with the ugly red hair, she departed the main hall with her bulky Bulgarian. Draco felt the need to follow them, maybe misplaced curiosity. His heart was beating so fast in his chest. Sneaking behind a pillar, he saw Hermione tiptoeing to kiss the Quidditch champion's cheek while hugging him fearlessly. Draco kept staring at the scene like a moth attracted to a flame. A fire started to burn within him, ravaging his interior: Jalousy! 

For the first time, he was not jealous of her but about the others being close to her.

Chapter Text

Diana did not want to attend the ball. She had made a couple of friends over the winter terms, but like all teenagers, she felt so self-conscious to be dancing in front of such a big crowd. Above all, she was also terrified by the idea of being picked by a random guy to go to the dance. At fourteen, the Arctic blonde was not really acquainted with boys. She mainly had women friends Beaux-Baton obliged. Talking about her friend, Fleur was overjoyed to go to the ball. The beautiful and bright witch had no trouble finding a date. 

“What would you wear?” she said to Diana, jogging to match her pace. 

“ Oww, you know I am not sure if I will attend. I do not have a dance partner, and I am terrified, to be honest with you.” The young witch said, staring at her feet. 

“ I will be your dance partner,” Fleur beamed brightly. 

“Dear, you cannot. You have this guy. André, no Alexander. I do not remember.” Diana tried to find a way out of this conversation, but the vela was stubborn. “I need to make a good impression, of course, I am a champion. However, as soon as the music starts, I will be in your arms mon amour.” She said, batting her lashes. 

“Oh my!” Diana scoffed. “You haven’t forgotten when we first met, didn't you? I am not in love anymore with you, as you are forcing me to socialize.” They both laughed. Diana was feeling a bit better. 

The first snow started to coat the Scottish countryside as Diana prepared for the ball. She had kept her icy hair loose and opted for a flowy burgundy silk dress. Fleur was ecstatic. She opened the ball with her dance partner Samuel (Diana had to ask 10 times to remember). 

The young witch was patiently waiting for her friend to finish her dance when her attention got caught by something moving next to the bar. She looked at Professor McGonagall slow dancing with a very annoyed Snape. Visibly, the bar was vulnerable. Approaching slowly, Diana thought she saw double: Two red-haired boys were visibly spiking the punch with god knows what liquor.

She cleared her throat loudly, “This is not the punch! This is the ice bucket dedicated to cooling the drinks down but go ahead. You both look very dedicated to the task.”

One of the twins turned abruptly to face her,” how long have we been visible?”

Diana replied sternly. “A good 20min Why?”

“You see George! It was a bad idea,” The first one said when his brother started to drag him away. 

“Mcgonagall incoming! Abort mission! Retreat !” Murmured the guy called Goerge. They started to retreat slowly, but instead of letting Diana on the side, they dragged her toward the exit. 

She could only stutter, “What…re.. doing?”

The unnamed twins whispered in her ear: "Go with the flow, please. By the way, I am Fred .” 

The weird trio exited the room promptly, successfully escaping from McGonagall, who had turned her attention to some third-year's behavior.

Exiting the main hall, both brothers started running toward the stairs still dragging Diana with them. While running, Fred shout at her: “Let’s go to a real party!” 

They dragged her into what seemed to be Gryffindor's common room. 

It looked like a cozy space when not packed with drunken students. 

“Welcome to our soirée, Mademoiselle….” Said George.

“Diana, I am Diana” She laughed nervously. 

She was still processing what was going on. 

“Butterbeer for the Beau-Batton Mademoiselle!” Fred pipped while placing a glass in her hand. “Cheers!” the crowd clamored. She could see Padma already sipping her beer and discussing it with some of their friends. 

 “Hey there!” The Gryffindor girl said while hugging her. “I can see that you met Gryffondor's other set of twins. Well, they are slightly more troublemakers than Parvati and I.”

Diana could not help laughing again, maybe it was the Gryffondor's hall or the bright energy of Fred and George that warmed her heart. In the end, she did not regret having joined the ball. 

The night extended itself till the early hours of the morning. Diana got to know Fred and Goerge a bit better. 

At four in the morning, perched on a window, the twins decided to smoke. (Diana had refused. she hated the smell of smoke) 

“So Mademoiselle,” added Fred, “How are you liking Hogwart so far?”

“Please call me Diana,” she said shyly. Diana was not accustomed to late-night discussions with boys. She felt out of place but enjoyed the twins' presence and happiness. 

“Diana!” said the other twin.“What an odd name!” 

“It is not,” said the girl fakely offended. “It is the Roman goddess of the moon. In Greek, she is called Artemis.” 

“You sound like Hermione!” Grunted Fred.

“Come on” Diana answered in a patronizing tone, “You asked, so I answer. Parvati told me that your grades in magic history were not that high, I am just helping. I am a good soul.”

She smirked. 

“A good soul indeed,” added Fred, laughing slightly.

“Now my turn, Gentleman. Would you care to explain to me the strategy behind your failed coup?”

“Well, Mrs Goddess of the Moon,” both said at the same time. “It is Jinx! brother!” Screamed euphorically, Fred.

 “No, it is not, Jinx on you!” reproached Goerge. 

The pair argued for a couple of minutes until George resumed. 

“Well, take a comfortable seat, a tea, and let me explain to you our Grand coup.”

She learned that Fred was the mastermind behind all their coup and Goerge was an operating agent. She could not stop laughing at their endless jokes. The morning ended in the vapor of Goerge cigarettes, and Diana felt at home for the first time since her arrival back in September. 

Chapter Text

The fourth year ended in a brutal and gruesome way. Draco had written to her about Cedric. How still he was, his beautiful features petrified in death. The young wizard was particularly affected by Cedric’s father's scream of agony. Draco detailed the horrified crowd and Potter’s shocked expression. The young wizard repeated, “He is back!” 

In his letter, her son asked if the dark lord had truly came back. She could not reply to him because she knew that he was back. Her blood ran cold. She was scared for her son and daughter, who she knew was studying abroad at Hogwarts. 

After Cedric’s tragic death, Hogwarts decided to offer emotional support as well as summoning the parents. Narcissa made sure to make an appointment with the Headmaster during school hours so she would not cross her son and daughter. Diana knew her by a different name. For the young witch, she was Aunt Cissa. 

Entering Dumbeldor's office felt odd. She knew him when he was only a teacher. The Headmaster was seated in front of a massive cherry tree desk. He greeted her with a genuine smile, which also felt odd.

“Narcissa, It has been a long time. How have you been faring?”

“Thank you for inquiring about it, Albus. I have been well, yet the latest news is occupying my thoughts.” She replied sincerely. 

“I can imagine, and I would like to apologize for the trouble it caused. Although, I have to confess that my intention was not to discuss the matter.” 

Narcissa searched the old wizard's face. Dumbledore has always been an enigma, and this time was no different. 

“Albus, respectfully, I am not sure which subject you wish to discuss with me.”

“You Daughter.” the powerful wizard replied nonchalantly. Mrs Malfoy felt the earth crumble below her feet. Nausea reached her mouth, and sweat pearled from her front. 

“What do you mean? I do not have a daughter.” She stammered. 

“Do not play your games with me Narcissa. Your secret is safe with me. Diana’s name was added to Hogwart's repository when she turned eleven. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised at first when I could not see her joining in the first year. I figured you were behind it.”

Narcisa was astounded at how the headmaster had seen through her. He was really the greatest wizard of the century. 

“Diana needs to stay safe, Albus. I hide her from the world for good reasons, and I intend it to remain this way. I would appreciate your discretion on the matter.”

“Certainly! However, in the light of the recent allegations, I believe Hogward would be a safer place for her than Beau-Baton.”

Narcissa scoffed in annoyance, “You cannot be serious, Albus. If the rumors are true, my daughter would be at the center of the storm. I refuse, Hogwarts is not safe for her.”

Dumbledore marked a deep pause, “I am aware of her destiny. I can assure you that she would be safe under our care at Hogwarts. If it would ease your mind, I am willing to take an unbreakable vow.” 

Seeing the Headmaster that determined, Narcissa could not help asking. “It will, but why Hogwarts?”

“This place is old; some say that Merlin himself selected the place as an early place of settlement for wizards. The wards are the strongest in Europe. Diana will be safe here.”

“She cannot quit Beau-Baton in that manner,” Narcissa thought aloud. 

“She will transfer here under our Potion scholarship, as she is already a brilliant student. It might take a bit of time to convince the French ministry for the transfer. I recall them slow toward administrative work.” He chuckled while eating a chocolate frog. “We will be able to host her in a year from now, for the start of her sixth year.”

“Right,” Narcissa commented dryly. She had no choice. As usual with her, she needed to take a decision quickly following her gut, she added: 

“Then let’s proceed for the unbreakable vow.” 

She was not sure it was the best decision. However, having the wisest wizard of his time agree to an unbreakable vow with her comforted her in her choice. 

Now laughing openly, the Headmaster remarked, “You will never stop to surprise me Narcissa. I recall you as a young girl. Your priorities were clear from the start, and how you maneuver in the dark keeps me in awe!”  

Chapter Text

When year six came, Diana was a bit different. When she reached France after her year abroad at Hogwart, she received a strange letter from the British school. Her astounding skills in potions lent her a selective apprenticeship with the best teachers in the British institution. The formalities would take a year, but she would be ready to attend Hogwarts for her last three years of education and pass the prestigious NEWT there. 

At first, the young witch was skeptical; she made friends at Hogwarts, and she started liking the place, but this move would determine her future career. She wrote to Fleur, who was interning at Gringotts. The Vela encouraged her to press for the opportunity. Firstly, Hogwart was THE best wizarding school in the world, and secondly, they would reunite on British soil. The beautiful Fleur fell head over heels for one of the Weasley brothers, Bill. She had received the information over the summer, not by Fleur, but by Fred and George, who had taken the habit of writing to her. They had grown closer after the Yule ball party and regularly met for butterbeer or sweets. She had also deepened her relationship with Parvati and Padma. When she wrote to them that she would potentially attend Hogwarts in the sixth year, the twins sent her a Gryffindor scarf with a note: “We are waiting for you.”

All those reasons finally helped her to decide, and on an early summer morning, she was waiting in front of Dumblerdor’s office.

As a privilege for joining in the sixth year, the blond had the exclusive rights of a private session with the sorting hat. The young witch knew where her destiny lay. She had consulted with Fleur over the summer, and her friends had recommended she aim for Gryffindor. In addition, she knew that Fred and George were from Gryffindor. Although the twins had finished their studies, she knew from the Yule party in the fourth year that Griffondor was a great house. She also wrote to Aunt Cissa, whom she knew had studied at Hogwarts. However, the noble witch was not keen on giving her details, and she politely avoided Diana’s questions in all her letters. 

A loud guttural noise interrupted her from her train of thought. She had forgotten that she was in Dumbeldor's office. 

The sorting hat was talking to her. “I see, a bit lost in your thought, missy. You are a cunning young miss but too shy to align your scheme. Slytherin would be a great house to help you develop your skills.”

Panicked, she murmured to the hat, “I want to be in Gryffindor! I have friends there already.”

The hat replied.“I see! You are attached to your friends! Is it a true feeling or are you just scared to be alone?”

Her pannick transformed into impatience. The bloody hat was taking pleasure in torturing her, maybe because of their private session. “Fine!” she exhaled in annoyance, “I am a teenager, coming from another country, I am a socially awkward person, so I would love to be in a familiar place surrounded by friends.” 

“I see,” said the hat, “then I would ask you one last question. In times of peril, what is the most important glory or survival?” 

Without hesitating, she replied to the annoying question. “Survival, and hopefully survival of my loved ones.” 

The hat laughed “Well! You would be a weird Gryffindor, but GRYFFINDOR.” he proclaimed. 

Dumbledore was scribbling something on his desk, and without looking at her, he said, “I see that this old sorting hat had some trouble with you.”

The young witch looked in his direction, "we had an interesting discussion, but I am happy with my new house.”

“Gryffindor.” enunciated the Headmaster “Intriguing choice for you, Miss Randal! Your books will wait for you in the dorm room. Mrs Granger, the prefect, would guide you during your first days. Welcome to Hogwarts!” 

Diana was excited about the challenges ahead, little did she know that the road ahead would be a winding path. 

Chapter Text

Draco had spent the most horrific summer of his life. He thought that Cedric's death would be the most traumatic event of his teenage years, but he was so far from the truth. As soon as the Dark Lord came back, the Death Eater militia started to organize again.

The denial of the ministry helped the creation of a dense network of sympathizers. Draco’s dad, Lucius, was one of the most esteemed members, stirring the Dark Lord’s strategy in the heart of the ministry. In addition, his crazy aunt, Bella, escaped Azkaban during a grand coup organized by Voldemort's henchmen. Draco's house was now rooming with strange people: murderers, criminals, rare animal smugglers, rapists, and sociopaths from all corners of the earth. He tried to stay locked in his room, hidden away from that grotesque crowd. His mom had begged Lucius to take him to France with her, but the Malfoy patriarch had refused categorically. Draco heard his mom cry, “My dear, I implore you on my knees! He is a child! We cannot let this happen…” A silencing spell cut her pleads. When she emerged from the room, her eyes injected with blood and her face distorted in a forced smile, she reached out to him to pet his hair tenderly. 

“My dearest, I am so sorry if you heard us. Everything is fine.” His mother forced a smile. “Do you remember your occlumency lessons with Mr Snape?” 

“Of course, Mother.” He said in a tone that betrayed his distress. 

“You will need it, my love.”She concluded. He did not know what to expect, but the summer between the fifth and sixth years became his personal burning hell. 

On a stormy morning, he was woken up by his aunt. She was screaming some nonsense, dragging him across the castle. Draco had learned that we should not resist her, as when he did, he was rewarded with some sick torture. Cruciatus spells, poisoned dagger, and invasive mind games had left countless scars in his frail body and mind. However, that day was different from the others. In the wee hours of the day, the air was cold, and a weird dampness accompanied it. Bellatrix was dragging him into the wood behind his castle. He knew the area as we had played there as young kids. However, he did not recognize the place. The forest looked sick. In the middle of the summer, the trees were left bare without a single leaf, and the grass looked more like dirt than anything. 

A crowd of masked death eaters gathered in the middle of the clearing. Bella threw him on the floor between them, and he landed on the feet of a strange man. He was not wearing a mask, and he glanced at Draco with some small reptile eyes.

“I can see Lucius that your kid takes after you. He looks as much of a coward as his dad. How fascinating?” The man laughed hysterically, and the rest of the crowd soon joined him.

“My lord…” a small voice said. Draco knew it was his dad.

“Enough! Lucius!” Aggressively cut DarkLord. “My dearest Bella, did you bring our amusement for the night?” Draco started to panic. Was he the amusement? His fears were confirmed when his aunt dragged him back to his feet. 

“Bring the Mudblood!” Bella shouted. A pit in his stomach formed. He thought about the annoying Griffondor that was occupying all his thoughts. On a whim, he blocked his thoughts of her, his fear for her, and all his feelings for her. When a brunette woman appeared, his heart beat so fast in his chest. He realized with relief that the woman was not Granger. She was shorter, her hair straight, and her skin was white as the snow.

“Today, by blood, my dear Draco, you would tie your destiny to ours. You will be the vessel of Dumbledore's downfall. Shall you fail, the consequence will be dire. Now complete the vow and embrace the darkness.” the Dark Lord recited solemnly. 

“Kill her! Kill her!” chanted his aunt. Draco did not remember anything after this point.

The rest of the night went in a blur. He heard the young woman plead for her life, but a fire was burning in his soul. He felt the blood running on his hands and his mouth. The blood was not his. Draco saw the life leaving the girl’s frail body leaving only an empty corpse. He felt so hollow.

Some painted images were dancing in his eyes, but he could no longer see or feel.His soul would be forever stained by the atrocious murder he committed. He was only sixteen and already an assassin. A deep feeling started routing in him. He should be proud of becoming the Dark Lord's youngest servant, but an uneasiness installed itself within his bones. He was not worthy anymore. He was a criminal, and his heart was as black as the eyes of Voldemort. For the rest of the summer, he heard her scream. In his dream, he was killing Granger: Her eyes were full of tears, and her lips were full of blood. Dark magic was contaminating his tissue and mind, and his body was only an eerie vessel of shadows.

He hated himself, even more than before. He was no longer a failure by his father's standards, but he did not understand why his heart was so hollow. 

Chapter Text

Hermione started her sixth year on a packed schedule. The Dark Lord was back, and everyone knew it. She had to care for Harry and help him uncover the truth about defeating the dark wizard. This year, she was also Prefect responsible for a new sixth year called Diana Randal. The discrepancy between her two main tasks made her laugh. On one side, she had to help her best friend save the world. On the other, she had to do orientation work for new students. The latter had proven more complicated. Her role as a prefect was exhausting. She had to mother the first years, and chase the fourth years, who started fooling around in corridors late at night. The easiest part of her prefect work was guiding around the new Beau-Batton transfer: Diana. 

The witch was pleasant. Their conversation around potions was lovely, and Diana was a great library friend. Since the start of the class, both witches often crossed paths there. Diana seemed to appreciate its calm.  The new transfer student and Hermione shared some silent moments studying together. In the beginning, Hermione did not notice the blond witch, but one day, during a very exhausting session, Diana offered her some calming tea, which worked wonderfully. From that day, once the two shared intense working sessions, they often brought tea to share. 

During one of those occurrences, Diana asked: 

“How have you been lately?” looking a bit confused, Hermione looked at her library companion. Diana was looking at her, waiting to receive an answer. No one had asked in a long time to Hermione: "How has she been?" Everyone expected her to be ok, and she never thought about having to answer this question. 

“I am ok. I am just tired from all the pressure from school. I guess.”

“I can imagine,” said the blond. “ also war seems to be upon us, and we are so young to live that. It is unfair!” Hermione saw fear in Diana’s eyes. 

“Why did you accept to study at Hogwarts? The Dark Lord is in the UK, so it is not necessarily a good choice.” Added Hermione, surprised by her bluntness. 

“I will not stop my own life for a war.” Diana smiled shyly "As per what my parents told me before I left, it seems that this castle has the strongest ward in Europe. I am still scared. Very scared. I will not lie to you, I am not sleeping well at night. However, we should carry on and try to protect our future.” 

Hermione reflected on her fellow Gryffindor's comment. She seems resigned and scared, but within her, a strong will to live seems to be burning. She was in the right house, Hermione thought.

Outside of the library meeting, the two girls attended the same potion-making class. Professor Slughorn, their new professor, seems to be at least less cruel than Professor Snape. Hermione lamented the loss of Snape as a potion master, as his knowledge was legendary. However, she quickly started to like Slughorn. The ancient wizard loved showing off to his students, so most of the potions they learned were dangerous and intriguing. 

During one of their first classes, the professor let them smell Amortentia. Hermione was confused when, among her beloved parchment smell, she distinguished peppermint. Her torment was only starting. The professor pulled out from his sleeves a vial of liquid luck and set a challenge. The first student to produce a perfect living Death Draught would win the vial and the teacher's admiration. She did not consider herself a “know-it-all”, as her classmates liked to call her. She was a fierce competitor in the academic realm. Why could Quidditch players call themself competitors, and she could not call herself a competitor in academics? 

The challenge started. The Draught was complicated to brew as the timing was crucial. In a weak moment, the young witch turned to her classmate. Diana was frowning, her icy blond hair hastily tied into a messy bun. As usual, Ron looked a bit lost, his cheeks slightly red. In front of her, and to her great surprise, Harry seemed relaxed. Looking at his workstation, she noticed that he was not following the receipt. 

“Harry, the school manual is saying that you should crush the ingredients,” she added in an annoyed tone. “My book is saying that I should squeeze it. It is not all about the rules! Hermione!” He teased. She wanted to push his face to his cauldron, but she was too busy with her mixture.

She stirred and stirred, but the mix was slimy and smelled like rotten eggs. Hermione was so appalled because she could not stand losing. Losing meant questioning her title as the brightest witch of her year.

 Her hopes shattered completely when the professor stopped to inspect her mix. “Mrs Granger, I heard you could do better than this. It is the same for you, Mr Malfoy, and Mrs Randal." Hermione did not look at the others. She was too ashamed. 

Her cheeks were flushed in annoyance when the last stroke broke her spirit. “Ah, Mr Potter!” pipped the Potion master “What wonderful work you did! I think we have a winner.” Hermione gritted her teeth, she wanted to hex her best friend. When he winked at her, that was her clue. She stormed out of the classroom to cool down her annoyance as the class had consumed her last bit of patience. What an awful day. 

Chapter Text

Draco had started his semester in an awful banality. It felt so strange going back to class after the summer. His arm was burning from the freshly tattooed skin, and his head was still full of the screams from that night. However, the year started as usual: the Welcome ceremony for the new kids and the same long and useless discourse about unity. This year's special was “Voldemort did not come back.” What a horrendous lie! If those young kids had seen what he had seen, they would have cried in their mothers' skirts. 

The blond wizard felt that every day, his heart was hardening in his chest. He had to occlude his feelings, his fears, and complete his mission. 

Almost mechanically, he attended his classes, and even the potion class, his favorite, felt dull. 

This year, Snape was replaced by Slughorn. Slughorn was a renowned potion master, but his style was questionable. In a true Slytherin fashion, he favored the best students and completely abandoned less gifted students to their fate.

He hosted the unfamous “Slughorn Club” reserved for all the future stars of the wizarding world. 

Above all, Slughorn was more lenient in teaching borderline legal potions. 

For instance, the first class topic was all about Amortentia. A very questionable potion that all young witches revered as the “True love potion”. In reality, none of them knew that his potion was merely highlighting an obsession and intensifying it. What a bunch of brainless dumbasses. 

Overall he had his fair share of fooling around with girls over the years. Pansy was his principal source of entertainment, or maybe he was her source of entertainment. He was not sure. This year, Draco refrained from meeting with his usual late-night dates as duty was more important than amusement. In addition,  he always found girls dull. Outside of being a nice way to relieve his stress, he did not engage in relationships with them. He was even more re-ensured of his conviction when he saw the girls act so frivolously for such a dumb potion. 

Draco realized that he was staring into the void. His cauldron was full of the death draught, which started to solidify like a rock. What bad news, he was out of the shitty competition the old professor had put in place. When the man had announced the price of obtaining the “liquid luck potion”, Draco felt his interest rising again. He could win it to fulfill his mission in the best way. It would have been a perfect plan. He had to win it, but he knew that death draught was not an easy task. He tried his best as a brilliant potion student; it shouldn't have been a problem for him. What had he dissociated at that exact moment?

His shame washed his features, and above all, he was pissed. The winner was beaming. It was none other than Saint Potter. He was whispering something to Hermione. She looked as annoyed as Draco, and after Potter whispered, she stormed out of the classroom. 

The young Slytherin saw an opportunity. She would be alone outside of the classroom, and he needed to evacuate his stress. She was the perfect victim of one of his famous tantrums.

Everything happened very fast. He swiftly left his desk after the teacher dismissed them and followed her on the first floor's damp corridors. She had a sour expression on her face and,  her hair was out of control. Draco prepared his composed expression and his best smirk. 

“How come the Great Granger is running away with her tail between her legs?” 

Without waiting for her reply, he continued, “Is it Maybe because she failed to prepare such an easy potion.” 

He sneered looking at the bitterness in her eyes. She was about to reply when a flash of platinum blond blinded him and a melodious voice called: “Hermione! Wait ! You forgot your book.”

Draco analyzed the voice. It was unlike the only platinum blonde he knew, AKA Luna. This voice was firm with a slight drawl. He already hated its proprietor for interrupting him.

When he turned his gaze, he was surprised to see an arctic blond witch with the most annoying grey stare. To top it off, she was dressed in an ill-fitted Grifondor uniform. Irritated, Draco needed to dismiss the new intruder. “I can see that you have a new friend Hermione. Is she as Dumb as all the others? Where did you find her in the trash?”

Hermione ire was now visible. Maybe this time, he would receive a push in his face or a slap. He was so looking forward to it. However, his disappointment was intense when the blond insect came into his view. Those annoying grey eyes!

“Who are you?” 

She added in a nonchalant tone. How can she not know him? He was the Slytherin Prince, the Malfoy heir, and a Brilliant Student. He was about to reply with a disrespectful comment, but the girl spoke again. 

“You know what, dear, later. I have a class to attend.” 

She turned to Hermione, who was still drowning in her bitterness “Let’s go! We shall not be late.” As easy as that she turned, grabbing Hermione by the elbow, and disappeared in the school corridors. 

What just happened? That vile Griffondor did not know who he was, cut him while calling him dear, and ran away with his stress reliever. 

When he got back to his room, he let his anger overflow. He crashed his whole room imagining that the furniture was Hermione and the Ugly grey-eyed girl. He had to find who she was and avenge himself. No one was allowed to treat him that way! 

Chapter Text

Hermione followed Diana up in the corridors. She was not really sure of what had just happened. Her emotions were still all over the place: Her failing a class assignment, the Draco Malfoy ferret harassing her again, and Diana’s bizarre rescue. 

Thinking about it, Diana had pulled the rug out from under Draco at an off-putting speed. How can the blond witch not be affected by Draco's Harsh words? 

Hermione was overthinking again. Her brain was restless, and on top of that feeling, she felt annoyed. The bright witch grew closer to Diana over the weeks, but Hermione did not like that her fellow Griffondor felt the need to defend her. She saved the day various times, and by all means, she was not a damsel in distress. 

 Diana was walking in silence in front of her. She did not seem affected by the altercation. Curious and in the search for an answer, Hermione asked.

“You did not have to protect me that way. Why did you do this?” 

Diana turned toward her with a blank expression. 

“Defending you? I might have done it, but it was not fully intentional. I mainly wanted to go to the next class with my friend. This punk seems to be annoying you, so I just stated the obvious.”

Hermione was still mad, but Diana's nonchalance smoothed her nerves. 

“I see, but please know I do not need a knight to defend myself against this guy.”

Diana smiled and added, “This jerk, you mean?”  

“Yes!” the brightest witch laughed “To be frank, he has been like that all this life. I mean, since I know him. Did you know that one day, he got transformed into a ferret? I also punched him in the face. Great memories !”

“You punched him in the face?” the arctic blond witch pipped surprised

“Yes, he was bullying me once again for some obscure reasons. He bullied me and my friends all our lives.” Draco has been a pain, ever since the first year. He made consistently Hermione's life impossible, always there to push her down or remind her of her dirty blood status. 

“Ok. What a lovely gentleman!” her friend said with an ironic tone.

 “I am glad we did not have time to get acquainted. I will make sure not to get acquainted with him in the future. I do not have time for bullies. I endured too much as a magical kid in a muggle school.” 

Diana grew silent. Hermione knew too well what that silence meant. She had been bullied by Draco and his clique for so many years now. She knew how draining it was. 

She was more confident now, and Harry and Ron were always there to support her, but she recalled the days she had to hide in the hallway not to cross him or anyone from the Slytherin house. The fear she felt when he approached her to throw poison at her face: The laugh of everyone around and the overarching feeling of loneliness. She could only empathize with the French witch. 

“He is a pain and not worth to be known. But, you have me now, and I know you are also friends with Parvati and Padma, so do not trouble yourself too much.” 

“I will not, no worries. All those years, you know Fleur trained me. She seems calm and noble, but she has a feisty personality. Some days, Fleur scares me to be very frank. I used to be a very shy little bird, but she taught me to stand up for myself. She is an amazing friend.”

Hermione smiled, Diana's friendship with Fleur was as strong as hers with Ron and Harry. 

Thinking of her friends washed away her morning anger. Once the two girls entered their next class, Arithmancy, Hermione was back to her normal self. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Later that week, the anticipated Gryffindor VS Slytherin derby took place in Hogwarts Quidditch stadium. At the beginning of autumn, the air was freezing and the fog veiled the mountains in a melancholy shroud. Hermione did not want to attend the match.

She would be better off with a tea reading in the library. However, the peer pressure was intense. She had engraved in her brain Harry puppies eyes when he asked her to attend. Ron had also requested her to attend, telling her to cheer for him.

She could not admit it to herself, but all those years, she had a growing crush on the red hair. He looked awkward and had a bad temper, but he was also fiercely loyal and a kind friend. He also saved her countless times not hesitating to put his life on the line to protect her. He was like those literary heroes who started as an outcast, saved the day, and got the girl. She thought, did she want to be that girl? A trophy rather than an equal partner? 

She was overthinking again. Gosh, she hated it! She knew that her brain would not stop until she focused on something else. 

All squeezed on the Gryffindor stand, Hermione was looking for Harry and Ron on the field. 

Next to her, Neville was eating what resembled popcorn. Luna, although Ravenclaw had come to cheer for Gryffindor. Diana was seated further away, bundled between Parvati and Padma, laughing at the Slytherin keeper who received the Quaffle in the face.

She also noted the ferret on the fields. She knew something was going on with him as his annoying self seemed off. He had a dark circles under his eyes, and he did not bully her as intensely as he used to. 

During this match, the Slytherin seeker seems to be only looking at Diana. How odd!

His stormy grey eyes glared at the blond witch. Hermione did not have to be the brightest witch of her age to know he held a grudge against her friend. Diana did not seem to care or at least was completely ignoring him. 

Draco's lack of attention gave the chance to the Gryffindor team to launch their offensive. 

Ron as the team keeper, seems to be leading the dance. Hermione had attended countless matches but still refused to understand that stupid game. When Ron beamed with pride, she understood that Griffondor had won. The Slytherin team left the field promptly amid their defeat. Hermione couldn't stop thinking about how Draco looked at Diana. She felt concern for her friend and hoped the ferret would not torment her. Looking at the field, Ron and the team were still celebrating. This excitement foreshadowed the long night of festivity Hermoine would have to attend. She could say goodbye for good for the tea and her book. 

Chapter Text

Diana had sat for the Quidditch game sandwiched between Padma and Parvati. Since the girls meeting during the fourth-year exchange, the trio had developed a nice dynamic. Diana liked the cheerful Parvati and the calm yet sweet Padma. They had a lot of fun during the match, laughing at the keeper and gossiping about the teams. Diana also saw Hermione seated close to them. Her expression was oscillating between gloomy and extra bored. Nonetheless, the blond witch waved cheerfully at her friend, who waved back with a forced smile. Diana was not passionate about Quidditch, to say the least, but with good company and snacks, the terribly damp Scottish weather was acceptable. 

She had asked Neville, one of the Gryffindor boys, to share some of his snacks with her. 

Next to them was also sitting Luna, whose hair was so close in color to hers. 

“I am happy to see someone with the same hair color as me. We could pass for twins.” Diana launched cheerfully at Luna in the middle of a gossip conversation she was having with Padma.

“Indeed,” said the Ravenclaw witch. “ I very much like your hair. It looks like fresh snow.”

It was an unusual response, but Diana liked her honesty. 

“By the way, Diana, any explanation why Malfoy is looking at you with such a strong intensity?” Playfully added Parvati. 

Diana saw Malfoy looking at her with the scariest death stare she had ever seen. Frankly, she did not care. She vowed to avoid him, and she intended to keep her promises. If he wanted to stare at her, then good for him. She wanted out of such childish behavior. 

“I saw! He is bitter because I did not recognize his majesty when we first got acquainted.”

She sighed. 

“How could you not recognize him?” Said Luna in a surprised tone. Diana thought it was ironic at first. She would later understand that Luna was not a fan of irony. 

 After laughing together, the girls changed the conversation to discuss Ron's probable romantic endeavor with Lavender. Still, Diana could not put a finger on the weird feeling Luna’s comment had on her. 

—------------------

To the delight of the Gryffindor House, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and the team had won the match. This victory ignited the Gryffindor's fiery spirit, and everyone was ready to celebrate the victory. 

When Diana reached the common room, Ron was already suspiciously red as if the butterbeers were actually Oden. 

Diana was not born yesterday. This party would have everyone drunk in the next 30 min at best. 

Looking for familiar faces, Diana saw that Parvatil was busy flirting with Seamus, which was odd, but both were already pretty drunk. Padma had left for her beauty sleep. Judging by Ron aggressively snogging Lavender, she also guessed that Hermione would have left horrified. 

Feeling desperate, Diana sat in a small corner far from the drunken crowd but close enough to see the situation unfolding in front of her eyes. 

She did not want to go to sleep. It was her first official common room party (not counting the one she got dragged into in her fourth year) Yet she felt a bit lonely not knowing how to approach new people. 

She was nearly dying of despair when someone tapped on her shoulder. 

“Well Hello, dear goddess of the moon!” Without turning, she knew it was either Fred or Goerge. Since her meeting with the twins during the fourth year, the two kept calling her the goddess of the moon. She had more opportunity to see them as Fleur was infatuated with Bill, one of their brothers. 

“Which one am I talking to?” She responded playfully 

“Madam, you wound me! not recognizing my fabulous self.” The Weasly boy said.  

“George, You are Geroge.”She finally said.

“Ding Ding. Hundred points for Gryffindor.” He replied while sitting next to her. 

“What brings you here? I thought you left the school to pursue a professional endeavor.”

“I did, indeed. However,” George said, pointing to his brother. “This young fella is taken with a certain Quidditch player: Angelina. We sneaked in a couple of hours ago. Did you know there are some secret getaways from Hogsmeade?”

“So you are here for love?” Diana replied pleasantly

“I am, and I also missed the fun of Gryffindor parties. Although I have to say, I just saw Ron snogging with this blond girl, and I am a bit appalled. I do not want to see that spectacle.” He added in a falsy disgusted tone. 

“Come on! Cut him some slack. He looks like having fun.” She smiled, although she thought that as she was being sober, the whole drunk flirty felt a bit awkward to her. 

“He does,” George remarked. "All of them are having fun. They are all bloody drunk.”

“You are not partaking in flirting with some people?” She launched abruptly, which she regretted almost immediately. 

“No. To be frank, I would rather stay as a spectator and tell people tomorrow morning how dumb they acted.” A comfortable silence fell between the two. Diana really liked the twins' company. Although they were equals in looks, Fred was more outgoing than George, and George was more composed. Just like Padma and Parvati, she thought. George was sweet and funny but could look more wary of others. She would say that her few moments with George always had been pleasant. He also had a certain melancholy that interested the girl. She felt close to him because she also had a certain longing. Being an adopted kid was not always easy. She loved her parents, but she knew deep down that her biological parents, for whatever reason, had decided to let her go. Someday, she felt melancholic about how things could have been if those hypothetical people had cherished her like their daughter. She feared to be let go and clung to her friends like glue. Fleur knew it and had insured her over one of their late-night talks that she would never let go. Diana trusted her friend with all of her heart, but she knew deep down that nothing was written in the stone. She had left her thoughts running wild, and her stomach slowly dropped with worry when George talked again. 

“What is happening in your head?” he said in a light tone, but his eyes had a cloud of worry. 

“Nothing, nothing.” Diana brushed it off. 

“I think I am just tired. I also get homesick sometimes, and I miss my adoptive parents.” She realized that she had referred to her parents as adoptive. She now felt wary of explaining to the Weasley twin. She felt surprised when he did not ask.

“I do sometimes.” He confessed. “I mean, I do feel homesick. Weirdly, I am not homesick from the Burrow where my family is. I would feel homesick of a place I do not know. It is odd, is it?” 

“It’s not.” Diana added, “I understand. Have you found that place?” 

George took a couple of seconds to think before adding: “ I am not sure. I feel at home when I am with Fred.” He took a couple of additional seconds and then argued: “Ok it sounds a bit creepy, but he is my other half. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes, I would love him to be less him. You know what I mean.” Diana chuckled at that as she knew Fred to be a very intense person. 

“However, he is my comfort zone and the person I can call home.” 

Diana felt grateful to have such a moment with George. She felt that he often presented his funny self to others, but never his serious and sentimental self. The blond witch took it as a gift and she felt honored that someone could open up to her.

“That's wonderful,” she breathed. “I wish I could have experienced that” She paused. “Someone to call home.”

“You will,” he said while grabbing her hands. It was an unusually bold move. His eyes gazed at her with an unusual glow. All of a sudden, she felt warmth spreading in her body and her cheeks becoming red. Her heart was rising as the moment seemed stuck in time. 

However, as fast as it came, the red-haired boy added: “Or I will lend you my home AKA Fred. He can be exhausting and frankly completely crazy.”

Still, a bit affected, Diana laughed, but more as a polite automatism. 

George and Diana spent the rest of the night sipping on butter beer chatting about life, and occasionally gossiping about other people. The night ended around 6 am when the fire had died down in the hearth. She kissed goodbye (on the cheeks) to her night companion as he carried a  sleeping/drunk Fred in the Hogwarts corridors to their secret passage to the exterior. Tired but Happy, Diana gazed at the sunrise from her window, storing the memories of that night and the feeling of her beating heart. 

Chapter Text

After the defeat, Draco changed himself rapidly to attend his second mission. The second mission was: “Acting as Voldemort's minion, finding a way to breach Hogwart security and additionally killing the strongest wizard of the century.”

Draco thought to himself, it was such a great mission, and above all very easy. He would be home for summer holidays to share teas and useless ceremonies with his mama. Sighing , he straightened his shirt. Since that dreadful summer, he was only dressing in a shirt and suit. It was not for style but rather to conceal the dark stain on his arm. Being a minion was okay, but staining his arm with such a horrible tattoo was annoying the young boy. 

He realized that he was automatically walking toward the room of requirements to take care of the bloody cabinet. As Hogwart wards were too strong for a full-blown invasion, the Dark lord found an ingenious way to breach the castle defenses. 

Repairing the old vanishing cabinet would allow the death eater to use its twin in Borgin and Brukes as a gateway. However, for the time being, the young Slytherin was not efficient. The pressure was immense on him. He received letters every day from his parents and his aunt. He slept a little, plagued by nightmares from the last. He barely ate as the food tasted like dust. Most of his night, he roomed in the castles like a ghost: aimless and restless. 

It was one of those nights that he heard her.  

He walked back from the room of requirements on the same night of the match. He was strolling in one of the most secluded corners of the castles when he heard a strangulated noise.

At first, he got scared that someone was following him. Moaning Myrtle could not be in that part of the castle. As he was getting closer, he realized that they were sobs.

Someone used that abandoned part of the castle as an emotional release place. Why not?

He nearly envied them. However, he quickly realized that the sobs were emitted by someone he knew: Granger. Granger, herself! 

He was struck to see her curled on the stairs. Her hair messier than ever, and her face reddened by an intense crying session. After taking the mark, he had forbidden himself to talk to her, or even think of her. Even if he hated her so much, he did not want her assassinated by the Dark Lord. She was a filthy mudblood, but she didn’t deserve to die. 

 Granger took a couple of seconds to register his presence. When she did, she hastily dried her eyes with her jumper. Sniffing loudly, she said “Go away Malfoy!” 

He should not have replied, but it was too tempting. “I will Mudblood, I do not want to disturb your self pity session.” 

She burst in the scariest nervous laugh

“Why are you always like that, Malfoy? What did I do to make it worth spending your precious time? Can you hate me in peace on your side?” His ego was boosted by that outburst. Draco felt his heart pulse in his ears. What a perfect occasion to destroy the indestructible Granger. He was full of self-containment when he answered: “My poor Granger, I enjoy tormenting you because I would love to see your eyes full of tears. Reminding you: How inferior you are! How filthy! How inutile! You are a perfect failure.”It felt so well. He was exhilarated. Maybe Draco would win over Hermione for once. He will not fail with her. He was about to strike again with worse comments when she raised her honey-brown eyes to face him. He did not expect what she would say next.

“You are a failure!” She spat. “You are a failure!  because all those years, you never got under my skin.” It was so unusual for her to react like this when Draco thought his ire would be his first answer, but he was stunned. She looked like a wounded animal, her hair in a puffy mess and her pupils completely dilated. She added with contempt: “ Where are you now? You have friends that are more like minions. Your daddy pays for everything you want, yet you never succeed in getting my tears. Those tears were caused by the very boy you called a loser.”

It was so unusual for her to react that violently, and her rawness ignited within him a deep anger. Her mentioning the Weasley boy, comparing him to his person, and making him win hurt his ego. He tasted blood in his mouth for having bited his cheeks violently.  He abruptly rushed to her, cornering her between the stairs and the wall. 

“I can start to make you cry! You will forget that tosser and cry for real.”

He was enraged when the brown-haired girl approached him a mere inch of his face. 

“I dare you !” She launched. All her sadness evaporated from her features. Draco was consumed in anger, but at the same time, a strange feeling ignited. He had lusted over for years. His hormones are not letting him sleep. However, at that exact moment, it was not lust nor anger that drove his steps. She was challenging him, and he loved challenges. All this years, to make her cry, but now a more perverse plan was blooming in his mind. He would break his heart, crush it until she could not feel anything. He did not care about blood status anymore. He wanted to tackle her challenge and, for once in his life, succeed. Very slowly, he brushed her lips with his finger. He saw her pupils dilating with stupor and her eyelashes fluting, but she did not move. She held his gaze without fear. Her lips were dry, by her crying. Even more slowly, he approached his face from her, in the same fashion as she had done minutes ago.

He felt numb when his lips touched hers. They were cold. He expected the girl to push him away and curse him for trespassing. Unexpectedly, after hesitating for a couple of seconds, she leaned on him. To his surprise, she deepened the kiss, reaching through his hair. Draco realized that the numbness was washed away by an intense lust. He had kissed many girls before, but none of them had occupied his dream like her. He matched her intensity. He felt her anger mixed with sadness in this kiss. She was telling him: “You want to play it like this? I am not surrendering!”

When they both reached for air, Draco was stunned. His hair was falling on his face hiding his burning eyes, and her cheeks were flushed. It took her a couple of seconds to regain her composure before rushing down the corridors. Draco stayed a couple of seconds in place. The cold air in this part of the castle did not calm down the heat that was burning his cheeks; he had kissed her, and she had kissed him.

It was already a complicated period for him, and because of his foolishness, he would be digging his grave even deeper. 

Chapter Text

They had kissed! When the blond Slytherin boy touched her lips, the surprise was quickly replaced by delightful bliss. When Ron kissed Lavender, in the Gryffindor common room, her heart stung painfully.

During all those years, she held Ron close to her heart. She had it very clear that Harry was like a brother to her. They both grew up in the muggle world. He understood her so well, but she never got a spark for him. On the contrary, Ron was not entirely her friend, and over the years, her crush grew stronger. They bickered like an old couple and shared a deep connection.

When Hermione got petrified in her second year, he diligently waited for her, next to the hospital bed.  They shared countless holidays, and the red-haired boy had always protected her. Ron was her first love. 

However, kissing Malfoy was different, and it got all her thoughts mixed up. The intensity she felt was exhilarating. She should have hated him for all the years he tormented her, but she could not help it: her heart was beating so fast.

After the kiss, she had escaped cowardly in the corridors. Her cheeks were crimson, her lips still feeling the intensity, and her hair in dire state.  

She ran directly to her room, making sure to avoid the Gryffindor party that was still going on.

Hidden in her four posters, she hardly slept that night. 

Her mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts. The few minutes of sleep she would get were filled with disturbing dreams. 

The next day, she attended the traditional breakfast with dark circles under her eyes. 

“Jez, someone seems to have had a good night of sleep,” Ginny aid in an ironic tone.

Ron, who was sitting next to his sister, had a small embarrassed laugh before saying: “Indeed.” 

It was followed by Ginny glaring at him. “I was not talking to you. I know too well that you had a good night, you moron. I was talking to Mrs Granger.” She purred, looking at her friend. 

“Do not get your hopes too high. I studied until late,” Hermione said,  looking at her toast. Ginny was a skilled negotiator. She knew that her gaze would betray what had happened that night. 

Diana, sitting next to Gini, added: “I was not there to give you my precious sleeping tea. You would have had a better night.”

“Do you have any other kind of tea?” Ginny launched with enthusiasm. “Like, you know, for those types of things.” 

“Which type of things?” Diana asked blankly. Hermione was relieved that the stoplight had left her. Ginny continued to grill Diana on her tea-making abilities, which distracted Hermione from her crazy thoughts. 

After the Hundred and one question asked by Ginny, Diana finally concluded: “My dear, I am a witch. I am not Merlin. I cannot make miracles.” 

To which Ginny replied playfully: “ Do not underestimate yourself! One day, you could be the master of the teas.” 

To which Diana replied: “Let’s not hope for such a terrible fate. I would have to reply to a lot of annoying questions.” 

The breakfast ended with those wise words. Hermione had nearly forgotten the previous night when Ron, now named Ron Ron, exited the hall with Lavender on his arm. 

The blond witch was beaming. She was holding Ron like a lifeline and kissing his hands like he was some demi-god. The brightest witch of her age felt like an idiot. She wanted to puke, and her eyes were filled with tears. 

She felt Harry jogging to reach her side when she was about to sob.

“Hermione! You are here. I need some advice on something.” He said while squeezing her hands. She knew that he was not really interested in talking about something. He was just there to support her. 

“Let’s talk later over a chocolate or a nice tea.” He said, smiling at her.

“That’s a very good idea. I will catch up with you later.” Hermione uttered. She had to run to the loo to splash water on her reddened face. 

Dropping Harry’s hand, she directed herself to the loo. However, on her way, her path was obstructed by the annoying blond tosser: Draco Malfoy. 

He did not say a word to her. He actually barely looked at her. He just handed her a sealed letter while crossing her. 

Hermione, whose primary goal was to stop crying, felt tears run down her cheeks. She was sad for Ron, and she was mad at herself for Draco. She wanted to stop this Soap opera situation. The school was to study and not be dragged around by useless boys. 

In the 1st-floor toilet, she took the executive decision to stop that mess. She would read Draco's letter and put an end to that nonsense for once. 

When she opened the missive, only a few elegant words calligraphed: 

“We need to talk. Arboretum 6 PM Today.”

She was determined to end things once by meeting with her nemesis in the Arboretum.

Chapter Text

Draco knew she would be right on time. He was not surprised when at 6 PM to the dot, the brown haired witch appeared. She was dressed in her regular uniform. Her hair gathered in a loose bun. The young witch looked weirdly determined, ready to get a mountain down. 

Draco was not afraid. He was the one who decided to call on this meeting. After the kiss, he spent the night wide awake, repeating the scene in his brain. The Slytherin Prince should not be dragged into such a low affair, yet he could not help it. He also had vouched to break her heart, but going back to his dorm, he realized that it was a terrible idea. Draco could be associated with a low life form like Granger, yet he wanted to see her. He wrote the letter on a whim and realized only after giving her what he had done. 

Deep down, he felt that he had to see her. He had to kill the thought growing like weeds in his brain. He could not associate himself with a mudblood. He also imagined all the scenarios in which the Dark Lord would find out and ask him for punishment to kill the Gryffindor princess. Draco was terrified. He remembered Hermione's doppelganger he had to kill brutally. To be fair, he did not remember killing her as he lost consciousness, but he remembered the odor of the blood left on his hands. His hands felt stained forever, and the tattoo on his arm was a testimonial for that. All the occluding would not hide this visceral fear he experienced daily. However, for that meeting, he decided to hide his feelings behind a mask of indifference. 

“Here I am. What do you want?” Hermione broke the heavy silence. Her words echoed in the empty greenhouse. Draco was so lost in his thoughts that he had forgotten that the witch was there staring at him in disbelief.

“Right,” he uttered. 

“In theory, I would not have asked for a meeting with one of my sexual partners, but you are a mudblood, and I needed to clear the air between us.”

Dumbass! he thought directly after speaking. How could he be that stupid? Calling her “sexual partner”, after a kiss. He wanted to bang his head on the wall. He was getting so nervous that hiding his feelings became unbearable. 

Slowly, he raised his eyes toward the Gryffindor witch. Her face was blank, and her eyes widened by the surprise of his comment. Feeling that he could not stop on that statement, the blond wizard continued: 

“Let’s say, nothing happened, ok? Let's keep hating each other or even ignoring each other. I do not want to have anything to do with you.” He said harshly enough and hoped she would not react badly. She was still in a state of shock, her gaze locked in his. 

She took five horrible seconds to reply to him.

“For once, I agree. It was a mistake, and I hope it will never happen again.” She replied in a neutral tone. 

Now, it was his turn to be stunned by her reply. She actually agreed and did not comment on his awkward opening.

“Right.” He breathed.

“Right.” She replied sharply.“Then, goodbye.” The brown-haired girl said while turning our heels to the exit. 

“We are exiting through the same door. To be the greatest witch of your age, you are pretty dense.” He whispered, but he knew she heard him when she launched an exasperated puff.

Nonetheless, she promptly exited the room, leaving the young wizard once again lost in his thoughts. 

Draco's heart was pounding in his chest. He did not understand why. A powerful wariness was clinging to his bones. He had corrected the course. He could be back in his role of the “perfect pure blood.” The kiss would be an old story, and he would bury it in his brain for the rest of his life. However, the Malfoy heir could not bury it in his brain. He still felt her lips on his and her body between his arms. His heart ached with pain, and he did not understand why. 

All the pain and the anger he had suppressed resurfaced like a tsunami of emotion. He was suffocating, and his only thought was to find relief. However, he was on the floor of the greenhouse crouched to find his breath. 

He hated himself for being that weak, unable to manage his emotions, and for having his heart pinched by a girl like Hermione. 

After his shameful collapse in the greenhouse; he spent his night thinking about their meeting. He should be happy, but he hated the coldness of her reaction as if their kiss had meant nothing to her. He should be happy about her indifference as she was not suited for him, but he wanted her to suffer like he was suffering. He should be happy, but he was bitter, and he could not stop thinking. 

Her being away from him also represented her safety. Voldmort message to him was clear: He had killed a muggle-born so resemblant to Hermione that no doubts were admitted. 

If he would get close to the honey-eyed witch, he would condemn her to her doom. Although Malfoy had killed, he was not an assassin and could not bear the thought of being responsible for Granger's death. 

The next day, as usual, Draco left his dormitory to inspect the bloody vanishing cabinet. In the wee hours of the morning, the air was cool and enchanted with a glistering mist. The dark corridors felt like welcoming company for the young wizard, whose brain was mentally exhausted. In spite of his mental fog, Draco knew he was being followed. Potter seems to be obsessed with him. Draco thought it would be such bad timing to bump into the Saint Potter now. The youngest death eater increased his pace making sure to hide from alcove to alcove. Reaching one of the darkest corners, he could finally breathe when his vision registered some ruffled sounds and a crystalline voice enumerated: “Checkmate.” 

Draco knew he was utterly screwed, to remain polite. 

Chapter Text

Hermione was so proud of herself. Before reaching the arboretum, she had panicked a little, but she remembered her goal: No distractions and, above all, no distractions with Draco Lucius Malfoy. 

She arrived at 6 PM at the dot, and she was not surprised to see the blond wizard already passing there. 

He was his nonchalant and annoying self, but Hermione could sense some apprehension when he uttered his first words. Everything felt so awkward, and she was delightfully surprised to learn that Malfoy had the same intentions as hers. He wanted to stop this masquerade and avoid any displeasing consequences. 

To his long monologue, Hermione quietly agreed and promptly left. She did not feel relieved when she exited the greenhouse. She rather felt agitated, and it was not because the Slytherin Prince had taken the opportunity to slander her while she left the meeting point. 

Hermione knew how to read people. She was a bloody swot, a nerd, a bookworm, but she knew how to analyze people like an open book. Malfoy had been his arrogant self, but she detected his stormy grey eyes a pitch of disappointment, maybe even sadness. 

Based on that observation, she had to understand the hidden word the wizard was not pronouncing to her. 

Hermione had also to admit to herself, that her fling with Malfoy felt like an unfinished business. She wanted more of him, but she was neither ready to admit to herself nor ready to admit to him. Thus, as rationally as she could, she decided to track the Slytherin boy and take her turn demanding explanations. Obviously, he had sent a beautifully written letter to ask for her time in the Arboretum. Hermione felt that this modus operandi was not suited to her more informal style. She would research his whereabouts and then follow him. What was convenient for her was that Harry had developed a weird obsession with Malfoy. The research part then became simpler than she thought. 

“I see him walking alone in the castle early in the morning or late at night.” reflected Harry with his green eyes narrowed on the marauder's map. 

“What do you think he is doing?” Candidly asked Hermione. She hated manipulating Harry that way, but the bright witch needed to locate Malfoy and corner him alone. 

“I am not sure exactly, but something sketchy. Something for his bigoted dad or worse….”

The boy who lived explained. Harry had seen the dark lord killing Cedric, and since that instant, his usually vivid green eyes had turned pale. 

“Ok, maybe it is linked to our encounter with him this summer in Diagonal Alley?” Added Ron joining the conversation. Her former crush managed to detangle himself from the blond glue. 

“You know what?” said Hermione while snatching the map from Harry’s hands. 

“I will take the next night shift.” 

“No,” Harry sharply replied. “We do not know how dangerous he is. He could be armed or worse.”

“Harry is right,” Ron added. 

“Firstly, Ronald, I saved you both countless times rather than you saving me. This proves the point that I can take care of myself alone. Secondly, Harry, you had countless night shifts, and nothing happened to you. I would love to have you guys trusting me in this. Plus Harry, you will use some sleep. You look awful! For you, Ron, you have your blond sweetheart to tend to.” The last word tasted bitter in her mouth, but she was happy with her tirade. She left the two boys open-mouthed on the Gryffindor’s common room sofa. 

Research check..now came tailing Malfoy. 

—--------------------------------

On a chill autumn morning, she was ready to find Malfoy. Like a skilled hunter, she had prepared her plan. She would sneak out of the dormitory when the first lights did not penetrate the sky. She would hide in an isolated alcove until locating her prey on the map. She knew the prefect and teacher surveillance routes, and she had a joker in her pocket thanks to Harry’s map. After several hours of waiting in the cold morning air, Malfoy showed up on the map. Ready for the action, Hermione launched her tailing strategy. In the darkness, she followed him from alcove to alcove. He most likely felt he was being followed as his pace increased. However, Hermione was clever enough to redirect his path to corner him in one of the remote alcoves. She knew that the place was calm and most importantly outside of the regular prefect routes. Hidden in the shadow, she smirked in success as she managed to stalk the Malfoy heir with flying colors. 

“Checkmates.” She whispered in the Slytherin ear. 

Malfoy reacted like anyone who got cornered in the early morning hours in a remote alcove of an ancestral castle. 

“FUCK!” he shouted while crumbling to the floor. Hermione remarked, however, that the blond wizard had his wand up. “EXPELIARMUS.” He shouted again, this time facing her. He was in his usual attire: a crisp white shirt and simple black trousers. On the contrary to his posh outfit, his hair looked messy, and his grey eyes were darkened by the jump scare. 

“Protego.” she launched before his spell reached her. While casting her spell, Malfoy had time to stand up again. He was facing her with a murderous expression. 

“WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU? YOU BLOODY LUNATIC. YOU ARE LUCKY. I DID NOT AVAD YOU ON THE SPOT. I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!” he yelled while pushing Hermione to the nearest wall. His eyes were still dark, and his fists were ready to punch something, most likely her face. Hermione braced for the impact. She closed her eyes and thought that maybe Harry was right: Malfoy was dangerous. However, the punch never came. When the young witch opened her eyes, Malfoy was crunched on the floor with his hands buried in his hair. He was panting loudly like he was in pain. She knew PTSD symptoms when she saw them.

 Harry was basically plagued with them. 

“Hey. hey.” She murmured while reaching down to touch him. He was so weak that he did not have the strength to push her touch away. “Breath Malfoy! look into my eyes.” He raised his gaze toward her. All the grey had melted like mercury. 

“Good!” She breathed. “Now, hold your breath, five seconds.” which he did. 

“You are doing great, Draco.” It was the first time she uttered his first name. She knew how to calm panic attacks, as she had helped Harry countless times. 

Couple of minutes passed, and Hermione knew things were back to normal when the storm in Malfoy's eyes came back to life. 

“Are you doing this often?” She asked like a doctor to their patient. 

“Whatever! Granger! It is too early in the morning to play the crazy physician with me. Get lost! I am going back to bed.”

“No! You will not escape like this, you moron. I helped you! You owe me 5 minutes of your time.” She quickly added while blocking his path. 

“Make it fast!” He grunted. 

After he pronounced those words, the young witch forgot why she followed him. Like a moth to a flame, her attention got struck by Malfoy grey eyes and the intimate moment they had just lived.

Without an additional word, she launched herself to kiss him fiercely. Bold move! Her well-prepared discourse was completely forgotten. Kissing him was actually a panic move. It could happen to all the best strategists. 

The taste of his lips came back to her memory, and they tasted divine. However, Malfoy was not on the same page, as he immediately violently pushed her. 

Hermione felt her heart drop from the rejection, but Malfoy's gaze was telling another story. 

“I cannot do this.” He painfully whispered, looking at her with the most intense stare. She knew he was fighting himself not to continue. He avoided looking at her swollen lips. “Please leave before I regret it. LEAVE! RIGHT FUCKING NOW! 

Defeated and slightly scared, Hermione turned and started running away. She could feel the tears running down her cheeks. She had to admit, deep down, that she wanted to kiss Draco Malfoy and maybe more than that.

Chapter Text

Hermione had trouble recovering from her previous encounter with Malfoy. She was even more confused than before. She thought she was just a bloody fool, and if she had stayed with the explanation in the arboretum, none of this would have happened. 

Her ego was bruised,  and she had to admit that now she was a bit scared of the blond Slytherin. The brown-haired witch had never seen him like this. 

Weirdly, his panic attack was not unusual, as Harry had some regularly, Ron had horrifying nightmares, and she also often felt overly anxious.

What troubled her was his contradicting behavior. He had rejected her, but his eyes and his body language meant something else. Hermione knew she had to let go, but she was too stubborn to understand what Malfoy was sincerely thinking. 

The weeks went by and she did not get to cross paths with Malfoy. He was avoiding her. The only time she heard from him was during one of the “Slughorn Club” meetings when the old professor inquired about him. 

“Mr Zabini,” Slughorn piped. “May I inquire about your friend, Mr Malfoy, whereabouts? He seems to be shunning our meetings.”

“Mr. Slughorn.” answered the Slytherin wizard with his aristocratic accent. “I assure you that it is not Mr Malfoy's intention. He very much appreciated your soirées. However, I admit that his family duties became somehow a priority over the last months. Far be it from me to partake in gossip, but I heard about his dear mother's unstable health.” 

As soon as Zabinis ended his sentence, Harry scoffed. Hermione could have sworn she heard her best friends muttering: “Death eater scum.” 

“Oh that’s unfortunate,” lamented the potion master. “I wish for dear Narcissa to regain her health fast.” It was now Diana’s turn to nearly choke on her soup. Hermione thought that Malfoy was not only her little secret obsession. Diana and Harry both seem to have some unfinished business with him. She felt dumb having thought she was the only one having an oddly special relationship with the Malfoy heir. 

“Nonetheless, You are all invited to my winter soirée to celebrate Yule.” Slughorn announced with pride. He immediately turned to Diana: “Did I pronounce soirée correctly? I pride myself on being fluent in French.” 

Diana did not look like her usual nonchalant self. She seemed preoccupied, so she simply replied with a forced smile: “Your accent is delightfully British, professor, but French people love a slight accent in French, it is very distingué.” 

“You flatter me, Mrs Randal.” The old man beamed. “Please be aware that you need to bring a plus one to the soirée. The more the merrier.”

After Slughorn finished his sentence, Diana's face dropped as well as Harry’s, Gini’s, and even Hermione felt embarrassed. She did not have time to find a date. Malfoy was out of the picture, and Ron was occupied with his new girlfriend. She would have to scrap the button off the guys' list and she hated it. 

—--------------------------------------

Hermione had to do the maximum with the minimum of suitable candidates. She thought Neville would be her savior, but he announced that he had other plans. The young witch had to find the most distasteful guy: Cormac McLaggen.

Not only was Mclaggen a show-off, but also, he also had the most annoying way of tailing Hermione wherever she was going. 

On an early morning walking to potion class, the blond wizard jogged up to her: “Hey! Hey baby. I wanted to let you know to wear your periwinkle dress for the soirée. Let’s see! You did not gain too much weight, so it shall do.”

Next to her Ginny scoffed angrily, and mouthed to Hermione: “A-HOLE”

Hermione was hopeless. She had to endure this douchebag until the Slughorn party, and she hated it. 

To her great relief, the party arrived faster than she thought. 

“What should I wear?” Hermione asked Ginny, who was sitting in her bed next to her. 

“What is the goal tonight?” Asked the red-hair.

“Attend the soirée while escaping my date,” Hermione replied sternly. 

“Gotcha!” replied Ginny. “So simple make-up, and a nice simple black dress, and " she grabbed something from her closet “a crocheted cardigan. It will be sophisticated yet I do not fuck on the first night vibe.”

“Gosh Ginny!” laughed Hermione

“Girl, you asked, I provided. I will also be there, to protect you, and Harry will be there too.”

“Thank you!” Hermione replied while hugging her friends. 

The Cormac boy came to pick her up, and right away, Hermione felt an uneasy thrill when he placed his hand on her hips. 

When they reached the party, she made everything possible to reach her friend group. 

Ginny was chatting with Diana and Luna. 

“Nargles are all over you Hermione.” greeted Luna. 

“Ah! I should have not been careful.” The brown haired witch smiled. Luna was a bit special. She wore her name perfectly as some days she seems to be a bit lost between the moon and the stars. 

“What are Nargles?” Asked sincerely Diana. Luna was about to reply when Gini spoke, certainly to avoid Luna to enter in one of her hour long explanations on Nargles. 

“Diana, Where is your date?” Ginny said while sipping her alcohol free drink. 

“I do not have one.” the blond witch replied. “Well your brother volunteers himself, but I politely decline. Poor him. That’s not the party of the century”. She whispered the last part.

“Which brother?”playfully asked Hermione. 

“Georgi” Diana replied slightly blushing. 

“On a nickname basis, as I can see,”laughed Ginny.

“You are bound to many twins. How odd?” Remarked Luna. 

Luna had always had an eye for this type of thing, though Hermione. 

“Malfoy is here.” launched Harry, who, for some reason, had joined the conversation. 

“And?” rudely replied Ginny. “Do you have a plan to seduce him tonight or what?” 

Luna and Diana started to laugh at Harry's embarrassed face, but Hermione could not laugh. 

It was the first time she had seen him again after her kiss fiasco. Malfoy looked thinner than usual, and the dark circles under his eyes were darker than before. What shocked Hermione were his grey eyes. The storm was strong in them, but a veil of pain was dancing in them. He looked like a shadow as if something consumed him from inside.  As soon as he registered her presence, he averted his gaze to not look at her. Hermione wanted to reach out to him and once again ask for an explanation, but she was blocked by Cormac popping up again in front of her.  

“A drink for my date,” he sweetly said while giving her a glass of an unknown liquor. He once again placed his hand on her hips and dragged her to an isolated corner of the room. The place was an adjacent small room whose door was hidden from the main room with some curtains. Hermione wiggled to escape, but the guy was taller than her and stronger. She started to panic. She had to think fast, but the blond Gryffindor started to press himself to her. Her survival instinct started to kick in. She was alone. A guy cornered her. She did not know what the content of her drink was, but she bet it was not pumpkin juice. 

“Fuck fuck” She thought while pressing her side to find her wand. In those tense moments, she always had trouble finding her bloody wand. Hermione started to despair as her options of escaping got thinner when suddenly a guttural sound escaped from the darkness. 

“Shall I record while you rape her? Or do you want me to just watch?” asked a slight drawl. Cormac straightened himself promptly with shame and fear. 

“Who is there?” McLaggen stuttered. 

“Someone you do not want to anger, dickhead.” Malfoy added while entering Hermione vision. He looked murderous, just like during their last encounter. 

“I would advise you to go grab yourself a drink and never talk to Granger for the rest of the evening… or even for the rest of your life. Otherwise, I would report your unpleasant behavior to McGonagall. Your pathetic international Quidditch career would be ruined.” Draco spat while grabbing McLaggen by the collar. “Now, hush, leave the lady alone.”

Cormac left promptly, leaving Hermione in shock but free. When she raised her gaze toward Draco to thank him, he was already leaving the room. 

“Wait!” she stammered.

“No!” he coldly replied. 

 “Colloportus!” she launched, and the door closed itself. “I just want to thank you for driving Cormac away. He was pretty embarrassing.”

“Pretty embarrassing?” asked Malfoy in a falsy surprised tone. “He spiked your drink and most likely wanted to do unbelievable things to you, and you find that pretty embarrassing. You are a bloody fool.” He added. 

“The situation was in control.” She lied. 

“He was corning you in a dark room, and the situation was in control.” His voice was raised, but she knew he controlled himself not to lose his temper. 

“It is ok!” she replied. “Thank you! Now let’s move on.” She had done that on purpose. She knew it would annoy him at best or make him murderous at worst. The second option occurred when she was brutally pushed to the door. “Open the bloody door now or I will hurt your pretty face.” He whispered in her ear. She might have played with the fire too much. 

Chapter Text

She had stalked him in the shadows. Draco could not believe it. For his whole life, he had Granger in most of his thoughts. He had to admit, it was his little obsession. At first, it started with a powerful hatred, as she was better than in most aspects, and it was not acceptable for a Muggle-born to be better. However, with the years, Draco realized that he did not hate her that much. He actually wanted to attract her attention and feel her gaze on him. He wanted her to recognize him as an equal.

Draco did not know if the whole Voldemort interlude had modified his brain chemistry, but he knew one thing for sure: The dark lord and his group of mentally deranged people were not the people he wanted to associate with. 

However, life was not that easy, and even if he wanted to move away from the Death Eaters cult, he could not. The Dark lord had made it clear to him that failure to comply would be torture, crucio, and then death. Draco was mortified by the idea of being responsible for his parent's death or anyone’s death for that matter. 

He had to stay strong and keep his focus. When Granger had found him back and kissed him in the shadows, his heart came back to life. It felt like a breath of fresh air in the inferno he was living in. This time, she was the one who initiated the kiss, which meant for Draco that she was somehow interested in him. 

However, reality had come back to him like the coldest of the shower. If he initiated something with the witch, he would put her life in danger. Firstly, she was a muggle, and with his death eater oath, he vouched to terminate them.  Secondly, Draco remembered his idea of making her fall for him and breaking her heart. At that exact moment, he was not sure anymore of that plan and suspected that maybe the opposite could happen to him. 

“Hey Draco! Are you in dreamland? You should recommend to me the drug you are taking, It looks efficient.” added Blase in a condescending voice. 

“Cut me some slack, Mr aristocrat.” spatted Draco. “I am tired these days. My drug is called Nightmare and Insomnia. Try it. It works wonders. However, not sure your perfect skin would resist.” 

Blase only grunted while Theo, who was studying next to them, laughed mockingly. 

“Go back to studying Nott! You would need it.” Added Zabini, exasperated. “Draco.” The Italian wizard added, “You will be expected at Slughorn winter soirée. Your absence has been remarked upon. I covered for you, but I cannot do more than this.”

Draco rolled his eyes. It was the last thing he needed. 

“Ok. Thank you, Blase! Sometimes you are not that bad.”

It was now Blase's turn to roll his eyes.

_____________________

The day of the soirée, Draco felt sicker than any other day. The dark magic embedded in his arm tattoo was killing him from the inside. In addition, he refrained from sleeping too much as his dreams were plagued with horror visions of him killing Granger. Voldemort torturing his mom. His aunt, Bella, killing his mom. He also refrained from eating as all food tasted like sand. His life was like an inferno, and he was constantly drawing in fire. 

When he arrived, he had seen her: Granger. She was laughing with her friends. Draco used all his remaining energy to avoid her gaze but to stick to Professor Slughorn's discourse. 

When the discourse became unbearably mundane, Draco decided to get to the bar to find something strong to soothe his nerves. 

“Are you looking for her?” A feminine voice asked.

“What do you mean?” he replied while facing the owner of the voice. It was again the girl with the annoying grey eyes. Draco learned that her name was Diana Randal, a transfer from Beaux-Batton. 

“You creepily looked at her all night.” She added what looked like herbal tea while sipping. 

“I did not, and please refrain from talking to me. Weirdo!” He hoped that his distasteful remark would drive her away, but it was the contrary. She got closer to him; so close that she whispered in his ear. 

“If I were you, I would follow up. I saw Cormac taking her away in a pretty rude manner.” 

While pushing her away, Draco added: “I do not CARE! Why are you not gonna save her like you did last time?” 

Diana looked at her tea with a sad expression: “I am afraid, OK!  This guy is sketchy and way stronger than me. I do not know what to do.”

Draco felt the witch fear and hopelessness. What started like a normal conversation was in reality a plea for help. The young wizard had sworn to himself to not interact with Granger ever again. However, in a dire situation, he had no choice but to act. 

Abruptly giving his drink to Diana, he marched toward what he thought would be Cormac's destination. 

In the darkness, he waited for the dumb Gryffindor boy, and after a couple of minutes without a fault, Cormac entered the room. 

Draco's blood started to boil when he realized Diana had been right. Hermione was trying to escape Cormac, but the blond wizard was taller and stronger than her, which made the task difficult. He needed to calm himself before speaking to avoid killing the guy on the spot. 

“Shall I record while you rape her? Or do you want me to just watch?” he asked with a neutral tone. 

“Who is there?” McLaggen stuttered. 

“Someone you do not want to anger, dickhead.” he added while closing the gap between him and Hermine.

“I would advise you to go grab yourself a drink and never talk to Granger for the rest of the evening… or even for the rest of your life. Otherwise, I would report your unpleasant behavior to McGonagall. Your pathetic international Quidditch career would be ruined.” Draco spat while grabbing McLaggen by the collar. “Now, hush, leave the lady alone.”

After shoving Mc Laggent out of the room, Draco was trembling and trying to regain his composure. To be honest, It could have been for any lady. He found it very distasteful to corner someone like this in spite of basic etiquette rules. Even if he would have loved to stay longer with his Gryffindor crush, Draco decided to promptly leave, when he heard her voice again.

“Wait!” she stammered.

“No!” he coldly replied. 

 “Colloportus!” she launched, and the door closed itself. “I just want to thank you for driving Cormac away. He was pretty embarrassing.”

She had to lock the door. What an excellent idea, Draco thought. 

“Pretty embarrassing?” he asked. She was testing his patience. “He spiked your drink and most likely wanted to do unbelievable things to you, and you find that pretty embarrassing. You are a bloody fool.”

“The situation was in control.” She candidly added. 

“He was corning you in a dark room, and the situation was in control.” He was slowly but surely losing his shit. 

“It is ok!” she replied. “Thank you! Now. Let’s move on.” Draco's blood had boiled before, but this time the sensation was different. All the accumulated rage and tiredness resurfaced. 

He had lost the ability to occlude and to contain himself. “Open the bloody door now or I will hurt your pretty face.” He whispered in her ear. If she really wanted to play that game, he would not contain himself any longer. 

“Not until you give me some answers.” She breathed. At that exact moment, she looked so small, all her fire was gone, but she still held his gaze firmly. 

“You kissed me, but you claimed that it was a dumb mistake yet your eyes say something else. What do you want?”

Draco passed his hand in his hair. He was mad as hell, but also he could not bear having this conversation now. Life had exhausted him, and he knew that she would not take his lies as an answer. 

“You!” he blunted without realizing. Somehow it was better to tell the truth than suffer more years carrying this secret. At least, he was free of one burden. 

“I want you.” He calmly added this time. “But I will never have you. You are everything I should not have and yet I want your attention. I crave your approval.”

She kept looking at him with tears in her eyes. He did not understand why. 

“How long?” she asked with a trembling voice. 

“I do not remember.” he lied. Of course, he remembered. He wanted to tell her that he had been crushing over her for years now. He wanted to assure her that she was the only person, his bloody ego was trying to impress. However, the image of Voldemort bloomed in his mind, and fear grew again in his throat. 

“You know what? Let's forget about it. I am not a good person. I have bullied you with intense pleasure all those years. I felt happy every time you cried. Let’s just forget ok.” he said with distress in his voice. He hoped it would work. Granger was silent. 

“Absolutely not,” she added, having regained her fire. “You are not gonna be a coward! You told me the truth, now you shall face my feelings. Since that kiss, I have been reflecting, and I enjoy what we have.

“What do we have?” Draco asked genuinely. He did not understand her reasoning. 

“I like our meeting in the shadows. I want more of them” She added while blushing 

“You know that I am a piece of shit and I will drop you as soon as I do not want you anymore.” he lied, again. 

“I nearly died countless times, so a piece of shit like you will be ok”She added while launching herself to reach his lips. He thought about resisting, but his heart was too weak. He knew that one way or another, he had great risks to be dead at the end of the war. If not dead, he would be sent to Azkaban for his crimes. Ignoring all the alarms raised by his conscience, he kissed her back with all the rage he had accumulated. Draco felt that the fear and the pain had been lifted, but he knew that his heart was now on the death row. Hermione would be the executioner of his downfall. 

Chapter Text

Hermione and Draco continued their encounter in the shadows. They did not have a lot of time for more than snogging, as their encounter points kept on being busted by the prefect and professors. Outside of intimate moments, they both shared intellectual moments. Hermione loved debating with him about potions or magic creatures. She remembered one night when she launched the hippogriff topic. 

“You remember in 3rd year.” she laughed, “ Buck hated you so much.” 

“That Dumb chicken.” He commented. “And my dad did everything to kill that beast. It was embarrassing. The bruises they had found at the infirmary were actually not caused by Buck.” He sighed. 

“How come?” Hermione asked. It was one of the rare times Malfoy seemed to open up about his private life. Usually, they kissed or talked about school subjects, but rarely asked about their private lives. It was a true “fuck friends” situation. If Ginny would have known, she would have been so proud of her. 

“My dad beats me sometimes. It is quite common in pureblood households. Nott sometimes cannot go to school because his lunatic father loves breaking his bones. My father is not a lunatic. He just has high expectations that I do not fulfill for which I get reprimanded.”

“Wow! I am so sorry.” Hermione lamented. She thought that Malfoy had lived a privileged life that was far from any difficulties. It looked like appearances were often prefabricated. 

“Don’t feel sorry for me. I sometimes deserved the beatings. I was such a piece of shit. I am still a little brat.”

“You are a bit egocentric.” She admitted, “But no one deserves to be beaten, because they do not fulfill their parents' unrealistic goals.”

“Thank you for the compliments.” Malfoy ironically commented. “Pure blood world is different from anything else. You would not understand.”  

“I would not.” She conceded. “I just hope it is not happening still.”

He started to laugh like a mad man so much so that tears formed in his eyes. 

“You are so clever yet so naive. Of course, those things are still happening, but now they crucio me.” Hermione's stomach dropped. Draco had just admitted casually that he was frequently reciving  dark magic beatings. 

“But again, it would not be your problem. Let it go.” He casually admitted, still not aware of the bomb he had just dropped. A heavy silence installed itself between the two. There in the darkness, Hermione reflected for the first time. Maybe Draco had a much more complicated life than she thought, and maybe he knew something about Voldemort. Crucio's torture was only known in Death Eater circle. 

“I would have to head back.” She heard Malfoy proclaim. 

“I will also head back,” Hermione added while grabbing his wrist to kiss him. 

Draco had a pained expression on his face when her hand made contact with his wrist. However, he acted like nothing wrong happened, and promptly abandoned Hermione in the dark corridors. 

____________________

The next day in the library, the young witch had taken her traditional team with Diana. The arctic blond witch had prepared her decoction with some cardamon and cayenne to warm the hearts on those cold early spring days. 

Harry and Ron had joined her a couple of hours later. 

“It is so obvious that he took the oath,” explained Harry. “He is linked to all those weird incidents. He was in Hogsmeade when the weird necklace was given.” 

“He is a master in potion making.” Added Ron. “And it is true, he wears long sleeves. I am sure he is hiding something.” 

Hermione wanted to believe her friends, but she also had some conflicts of interest. Both Ron and Harry did not know about Malfoy. Even Gini, her best female friend, was not aware. Hermione suspected Diana to know something, as she understood from Malfoy that the blond witch had begged him to follow Cormac. 

“Ok, can we organize the evidence?” She tried to help. 

“I think he is doing something in the room of requirement, that's for sure.”Declared Harry while raising his voice a little too much.  

“We have to follow him,” added Ron. 

“Already done.” Hermione and Harry answered in unison.

“What would be the next steps then?” Asked Ron. 

The trio fell into the silence. Hermione knew what she had to do, but she felt it was terribly wrong. 

“Let me take care of it.” She finally added. “Harry. I beg you to let me have full control over the next steps. You need to trust me, and in any circumstances, you should not intervene.”

Harry remained silent a couple of seconds before adding. 

“How do I know, you are not gonna risk your life?” 

“I cannot give you any guarantee, but I promise I will be back alive. You know, I always survive.”

“Right. When are you planning to align your strategy?” Harry asked with caution. 

“Tonight,” Hermione replied in the plainest tone of voice, she could summon. 

“Right. If you are not back tomorrow morning at breakfast, I will come looking for you.” Harry bargained. 

“Deal.” She concluded. 

“Guys, I do not like the idea. It could be dangerous.” Ron commented, worried for his friend. 

“It will be, but that is the only solution for now.” Hermione was decided. Tonight, she would confront Malfoy and ask him to confess whether he was a death eater or not. 

Chapter Text

Hermione was so anxious. She hated herself because, as usual, she had taken responsibility, and she was not sure what to do. Harry and Ron were right. All the clues led to him. She was not blind, and she also had doubts. Malfoy always reacted weirdly when someone touched his wrists. He had told her that he was regularly Crucioed. Above all, his physical state reflected a strong internal turmoil not to mention the panic attack she had witnessed. 

Hermione knew deep down that something sketchy was going on, but how to confront someone like Draco Malfoy. She had seen him in various settings already, but not in the one where she accused him of being a “death eater.”

Hermione started to panic because she knew the outcome of the discussion. Death eater or not, he would become murderous, and she would not be able to control him. She hated to lose control and not be the master of the situation. 

Unlike her usual self, the bright witch decided to go with the flow and not sketch a plan beforehand. She would use the relationship they formed to get her answers. Thinking about it, it was a horrible idea because he would believe that her interest was staged. 

Hermione held her head in her hands: she was the dumbest witch alive. 

Like an execution, she slowly advanced to their rendezvous point. Draco was already there, looking very agitated. He was passing like an animal in a cage. 

“You look troubled.” He remarked. 

“I am, and you look troubled.” She replied. 

“We should stop this.” He bluntly added. “You are not safe with me. You are in danger. You know what? You should leave the school.”

“Draco, you do not make any sense.” She was stunned. Hermione had seen Draco in many scenarios but never saw a “worried” Draco. He was suffocating like a worried mother. (Hermione's mother was anxious, but nothing compared to Draco.)

“I do make sense, and I beg you to pack your stuff and leave now.” He was too serious to be a worried mother. Hermione's heart knew that this reaction confirmed her fears and Harry's hypothesis. She could swear at that moment she heard her heart shattering.

“You know something I do not know. Right?”She successfully articulated.

“No, but the prophet is saying that an attack will occur before the end of the week. You are a muggle born. You will be a target.” Draco failed to explain to her. 

“Show me your wrists.” Hermione knew that if he would be a death eater, he would be marked as one. 

“I beg your pardon?” He faltered 

“Show me your wrists.”She repeated with a strange serenity. 

“But why? You are the one not making sense now.” He was trying to escape her demand, and Hermione knew it.

“If you have nothing to hide, then let me check those.” Hermione was reaching to unbutton his cuffs. 

“NO!” He loudly reacted. A couple of seconds passed, and with a grave tone, he spoke again: “Let me do it myself.” 

In a slow motion, Draco unbuttoned his cuff. He held Hermione's gaze during the whole process. She knew he was trying to read her mind. His grey eyes betrayed his distress. Hermione was hardly surprised when she noticed the snake tattoo on Draco’s pale skin. She was not sure why, but she felt moisture on her cheeks. 

“Before you ask, it occurred this summer. I was not consenting, and, yes, I know something you do not know.” He painfully said. 

“What do you know?” Hermione forced herself to keep her composure. 

“I cannot tell you in detail.” Draco’s eyes were cold.

“You will tell me, and maybe we can ask Dumbeldors’s help. He will know what to do.” 

She was desperate, as she knew Draco was not doing anything willingly. 

“It is too late. I am gonna die anyway. I do not care anymore about myself, but I care about you. I beg you to leave. Now.” He begged her, nearly falling to his knees. 

“Hogwarts is my home. Even if the school is under attack. I will stay and fight.”She would not back down against a dark lord. 

Malfoy laughed. “If you think you can do anything against them, you are mistaken. Even if you are the brightest witch of our generation, you will not resort to dark curses. They will use dark curses, and they will aim to kill you.”

“I am not leaving, Malfoy.” Hermione maintained her stand. 

“Then you will regret it. I would not be able to protect you.” Draco looked sad, more than enraged. “Hermione, let's stop all of this. It was nice while it lasted, but war is upon us, and we will fight on different sides.” 

“You can still change sides!” She cried 

“I can’t, and you know it.” Hermione's heart shattered, and she knew for a fact that Draco’s too. He was fighting to hold back tears. She was convinced. 

As a last goodbye, the Slytherin prince gently kissed her hair before uttering: “Bye, Granger.”

He left Hermione alone at night, sobbing in an abandoned corridor. She did not understand why her heart felt so heavy, and the physical pain was excruciating. 

_____________

The following morning, over breakfast, she saw Harry’s relieved face when she came to sit next to him. 

“So,” the boy initiated. 

“Nothing!” Hermione lied. “My genius plan failed.” She bitterly admitted. Her genius plan of not falling for Malfoy failed. Her plan of focusing on her studies and not having her heart broken by a jerk failed.  However, she had ethically to make Harry understand that Malfoy was a death eater, or the whole school would be in danger. 

“But, I have heard some rumors in the Slytherin common room.” she promptly added. 

“That’s where you went!” added Ron his mouth full of pudding. 

“I will not reveal my secret plans, even less to you Ron.” She puffed. 

At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was missing, which altered Harry even more. 

Hermione knew the reason for his absence, and her heart pinched. 

During the afternoon, Draco reappeared in the potion class as an important paper was due. He looked like his usual self: malnourished,  fantomatic. 

“Halloween is over. I wonder if Draco wants to dress up as a ghost.” laughed Seamus. 

“It's a bit ugly to laugh at people’s appearance. Don’t you think?” added Diana.

“Come on, it is funny. Why are you defending this freak?” The Irish boy added. 

“Maybe our senses of humor are different.” Simply replied Diana. 

Hermione was far from Diana's verbal sparring. The only thing she wanted was to reach out to Malfoy. When the class dismissed, she ran outside to chase him. Despite his poor health, he was still walking fast. She managed to reach him at a corner near the Slytherin dorms.

“Malfoy!” she cried. “Stop!”

The wizard stopped to face her. She was shocked to notice his blank stair. She knew he was occulting. 

“This is for you,” she said while handing over a letter. 

“Get lost, Mudblood.” He simply replied while crushing her letter between his hands. 

It was the last time Hermione saw Malfoy that year. 

Chapter Text

During a cold spring night, the castle seems to be buzzing with a strange energy. It was not the light and hopeful energy associated with spring. It was a dark and twisted energy that was leaving a putrid aura in the castle. Diana knew something was going on when she heard people running in the hallways. To investigate all these crowd moments, the young witch exited her dorm toward the main corridors. Her eyes grew wild when she saw countless kids flooding outside. Most of them were screaming: “We are under attack”.

Following the crowd, Diana managed to spot Hermione, who was exiting toward the patio. She had her wand firmly glued to her hand, and she was screaming some indication to the first years. 

When out of the sudden, the crowd grew silent. 

Almost in slow motion, all the kids turned their heads toward the astronomy tower. A corpse falling like a rock through the water was tumbling down.

Dumbledore had died, or was murdered. Diana had seen the Hogwarts master falling to his death from the astronomy tower. It could not be an accident. It was the first human that she witnessed die. She thought seeing death would be a devastating moment, tearing her soul, but the feeling was completely different. 

In the first second, she felt uneasy, and her stomach dropped. After a couple of minutes, the uneasiness grew to disbelief. Was she sure of what she had just witnessed? 

When Hermione, who was at her side, started to scream, Diana knew that she had not dreamed it. Everyone experiences death differently. The blond witch was just paralyzed, staring at the place of the impact. Hermione had screamed and was now panicking. Diana felt hopeless. Setting her feelings aside, she grabbed Hermione's hands in order to settle her. The blond witch had no idea what to do. She never dealt with trauma-induced panic attacks. She just knew that she had to be there for her friend. 

In between two sobs, Hermione managed to utter, “I have to find him. Make sure he is safe.”

“We will find him, my dear.” Added Diana, not being sure who he was. “We just need to get you to settle a little bit.” 

“I have to go to help.” The Gryffindor prefect pleaded. 

“No, not in that state!” Diana ordered her friend. “You are shaking! I will take care of things. Stay close to me.” She added while grabbing Hermione by the elbow. The witch had started to settle back to normal.

In the meantime, Diana managed to spot McGonagall in the crowd. Her stern expression remained, but her eyes were full of tears. 

“Professor!” the blond witch yelled. 

“Mrs Granger, Mrs Randal. Would you be kind enough to bring the youngest back to their dorm? We cannot have them witness such a spectacle. Mr Slughorn and Haggrid secured the castle. It shall be fine to re-enter.”

“Alright, Professor. One question, what will we become?” asked Diana promptly. The young witch was in survival mode, but she had seen the Dark Lord's mark in the skies. She felt a deep-rooted fear starting to bloom in her stomach, and she needed reassurance from an adult. 

“That’s not the time for questions, Mrs Randal, I am sorry. Go grab the first years, please.”

“Understood.” Simply added the witch, as she could hint that the situation was dire than she thought. 

Turning back to Hermione, Diana could witness that the witch had stopped shaking and that her eyes had regained their honey color. They had fire in them, and Diana knew it meant that her friend was determined and most probably angry.

“Can you take care of the first years, Diana. I will search for Harry and Ron,” she coldly said. 

“Yes, I will do it. Meet you in 1h at this exact spot.” Diana added while Hermione simply nodded. War had just started, and it seemed that the young witch was part of it. 

______________________________

It was just a struggle to bring back all the first years to their dorm and lock them there. They were bombarding Diana with questions: Who had died? Who were the people who breached the castle security? Will they all die?

It was an exhausted Diana who regained the meeting point 1h later. Hermione was already standing there, surrounded by Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. Harry was only seated on the floor with his head in his hands. 

“Diana!” Greeted Hermione. “Everything ok with the first years?”

“Yes, nothing to declare. They had a lot of questions, but I managed to lock them all in their dorm. The fourth years are supervising them. Why is everyone here?” asked the young witch with a hint of worry in her voice. 

“Dumbledore had been murdered by none other than Snape himself.” Spitted aggressively, Ron. “He had no mercy, and he killed him, after the useless Malfoy cornered the Headmaster.”

“How do you know this?” Asked Neville. 

“I was there.”Harry simply commented. He was in a disheveled state. His clothes were full of filth, his glasses half broken, and his face stuck in a painful expression. 

“Some Death Eaters were there. Malfoy is one of them. I feel so dumb for letting this happen.” Harry's voice broke. 

“It means that you know who is back? And attacking us?” Ginny spoke. 

“It is WAR,” declared Harry. 

The pit in Diana’s stomach grew bigger. She always knew war was an option, and was sitting there like a Damocles' sword. It seems that the sword had finally fallen on their head in the form of the headmaster's murder. 

“We should avenge Dumbeldor,” promptly added Ron. 

“Ron!” Hermione said calmly, while grabbing his shoulder. “It is war, but we should be strategic. You know it better than anyone. They are playing chess with us.”

“I think I know a way.” Solemnly added Harry, “but we need more time.”

“We will give you more time, guys.” Added Neville. “You are the golden trio, we've got your back.”

“Yes!” cheered Diana, as she had said a long time ago to Hermione, war will not stop her life. She would fight for her future, and she hoped that in the chaos, she would be able to uncover who her real parents were. 

In a very childish manner, Harry extended his hand, and all of them reached out to hold it. They were still kids entering the war without knowing if they would come out of it alive.  

Chapter Text

Over the summer, Diana decided to remain in England as Fleur's wedding was around the corner. It took her a lot of convincing to do it with her mother. 

Isolde, Diana's adopted mother, was more than a witch. She had a deep rooted connection with nature, and had become one of the most respected herbalists in western europe. That being said, Diana’s adopted mother was a caring and loving mother, but she also gave her daughter a lot of freedom. Isolde believed that kids like seeds had to fly away to root themself somewhere further in the forest. 

However, Isolde's lenient nature had grown more rigid with the Dark Lord rising. Diana knew her mother was terrified for her, and that she would prefer her back to France. However, Diana was skilled and convincing. She had begged the Weasly’s parent to write her mother a later to insure, she would be safe over the summer staying with Fleur at the Burrow. She also had McGonagal write a recommendation letter to insure she would protect Diana at Hogwart. No one could tell if those letters where forged or not, but Isolde at ploid under the amount of good arguments. 

She made her daughter promise to wear a bouquet of Rosemary and Lavender to her uniform, and always carry moon infused rose water which Diana did religiously. 

“Do you think I should wear my hair loose or tied?” Asked Gini.

Diana had arrived in the Burrow a couple of days after her birthday at the beginning of July.

She came back from a short trip to France to see her family, before leaving her mom had commented: “my little bird, keep your friends close, and do not forget your plants.” 

“I guess you can wear them loose.” Diana commented on a weary tone. 

“You feel homesick already?” Checked Ginny. 

“No no, my dear. I am just a bit worried. You know tonight everyone would be helping Harry to escape. I am worried for Fleur, Hermione, Fred and…”

“George.” Gini interrupted. “Mainly about him.”

“No, all of them!” Diana blushed. “It is a dangerous mission, and I regret I was not invited.” the young witch lamented. 

“George convinced Mad eye to not bring you. He said if  I recall properly: "She is a great potion maker but she is not a fighter.”” Ginny reacted. 

“Puff…” Stomped Diana, "He said that?"

“He did. But do not worry, I am here too. It was not a boy who convinced the Order not to bring me to the mission. It was my lovely mum.”the red hair added in a bitter tone. Diana could not help but laugh at the young girl in front of her.  She was mad at Goerge, because truth be told, she knew she would have to participate in the war, and the earlier the better. The wizard was right, she never fought in real conditions, but Diana knew she was a good asset. She was a skilled herborist like her mom, and she knew how to brew medicinal potion like a pro. She was not bad at fighting, and she was resourceful. 

“Come !” Diana told Ginny while dragging her down to the kitchen. “I will brew tea for us.”

“The special sexy tea?” Ginny added playfull. 

“Arrggg enough of this!” Replied in an equally playful tone. 

—----------------------

 Diana was offered a room with Ginny, but as the house was already crowded, both girls slept in the same bed. Diana appreciated her time with Ginny. She was strong and proud, yet she was also playful like her brother. The young witch could not imagine how life was growing up with that many brothers. She felt envious, because she had grown up alone. The closest of a sister she had was Fleur which she met when she was eleven. During one night, Ginny and Diana were sipping some lavender tea Diana had made to calm their nerves. They both knew it was the night of Harry’s transfer. 

Ginny was worried sick for her brothers and friends, but Diana knew that her worries were mostly directed toward Harry. Over the couple of days they both cohabited, Diana got to know the deep link Ginny shared with Harry. She had grown up with him, always in Ron's shadow, but she had an important admiration for the chosen one. The girl would never admit it, but she would blush every time he talked to her. 

“The forest is restless,” commented Diana. 

“Maybe it is only us. I have to check where Mum is,” replied Gini before the girls heard Mrs Weasly calling. 

“GINNY” she cried in the night. 

Both girls ran toward the front of the house. Barefoot in the grass, Diana saw GinNY  rushing to Harry, who had just landed with Hagrid. The red-haired girl was pressing him so strongly to her chest that Diana felt a bit embarrassed. 

“Where are the others?” Asked Harry. 

Mrs Weasly was about to reply when Mr Weasly landed holding a bloodied body in his arms. Diana, who stood there, knew in her heart it was George. She had felt it earlier during the night. 

“Bring him home, Arthur,” the Weasley matriarch screamed at her husband. 

“Diana, you are good with medicinal plants. Go to the apothecary reserve and bring me materials to prepare a Poultice for the wounds.” 

“Yes, Ma'am.” The young witch added. 

She ran quickly to the reserve to grab comfrey leaves for the burn and some valerian salve to cool the pain. 

When Diana reached the living room, everyone was positioned next to the sofa around George. He was lying there like a romantic painting, which internally made Diana laugh. He was trying to be funny even though he had just escaped death.

Fred was also laughing.  Diana thought George might have joked with his brother. 

“Hello Fred!” the young witch greeted, “May I access your brother?” 

“I disinfected him already and cleaned the blood,” commented Molly. “My dear, please save my son.” The older witch begged. 

“Alright,” Diana said, approaching the wizard. She had never tended to people herself. She always loved to watch her mother curing people. She always wished that one day, she could also use plants to save people. 

“Goddess of the moon,” said George, a bit groggy from the injuries. 

“Hi!” Diana replied with her voice cracking. He would live for sure, but he was badly wounded. She started to work on patching the wounds with her homemade poultice. 

George hissed from the pain. 

“Little revenge for thinking I would not be suitable to fight,” Diana muttered. 

“You are a bad goddess of the moon, you should not hurt your patient for unfounded information.” He added with pain in his voice, but a hint of mischief. 

“I am not hurting you on purpose, your wounds are deep. You can only blame yourself,” she said, feigning to smile at him. A few minutes of silence passed, and only the noise of the clock was heard. Most of the evasion squad had left to rest, and Molly was busy in the kitchen preparing tea.

“This war is not your combat, Diana. You know it. You are not forced to stay here to fight with us.” George broke the silence. 

“I know.” She simply replied, “But I will stay; otherwise, who will fix your wounds?” 

“Arhhh, you are a tough little blondy,” he laughed and then hissed again in pain. 

“Do not underestimate me.” She smiled. 

“I am not, and I will never underestimate you, Diana. Just, I might hear you a little less.” 

He added, referencing the deep cut in his ear. 

“Too late for the jokes,” she added while laughing. 

Chapter Text

Even amid a wizard war, Fleur and Bill had decided to maintain their wedding. The young couple had opted to celebrate it with close family and a couple of friends at the burrow. It would be a bucolic wedding in the English countryside. The decor was set in the Wesley garden under immaculate tents, which were meant to welcome the guests for the aperitivo and the dinner.  Fleur added some of her French culture to the wedding by importing a considerable amount of French wines. She had confided in Diana about a strategic mission: to keep Fred and George from messing around with the wine. Diana had laughed at her friend, but she knew that she was right to worry. Even if he was forced to bed rest, George plotted countless new pranks with Fred. 

Diana knew it because she had been tasked by Molly to bring George some calming tea and clean his wound. The young witch felt proud that Mrs Weasley trusted her to take care of her son. She did not know if she trusted her medical abilities or if she wanted to set her up with George. Ginny and Hermione had told Diana about Mrs Weasley's nosy behaviour and her aggressive match-making. Diana smiled to herself. She had a slight crush on George, but it seems that for the moment, the young man was still stuck with his twin Fred.

When Diana brought George’s afternoon valerian decoction, Fred was by his side. 

The twins were laughing, and they looked lost in the inner world they created for themself. 

“Can I bring tea, or will I disrupt a 'we are taking over the world' team building session?” she proclaimed while entering the twins' room. 

“You will, my dear! You will and the world will be disappointed in you forever.” Fred laughed, launching himself at her tray to steal some cookies. 

“Fred! Those cookies are not for you.They are for your brother!”Diana reprimanded the red-haired boy. 

“They taste funny. What did you put in those?” Fred replied disgustedly. 

“I have no idea, Luna baked them for George.” Diana retained her laugh as Fred was on the verge of puking. George was crying and laughing. 

“You could have told me before! Wicked witch!” Cried Fred. 

“Life is punishing you for being a thief. I am the goddess of the moon. I have other important things to deal with.” She replied while placing George’s tea on the night table. 

“I will rinse that with some of the good wine my future sister in law brought,” Fred said while exiting the room. 

“Fred !” the blond witch yelled. “Do not do things you will regret later.” Diana was about to leave when George cleared his throat. 

“Don’t you want to stay a bit with your patient?” He asked with puppy eyes. 

“For what?” Diana asked bluntly 

“I do not know. Maybe we can converse like human beings? But that’s just a silly idea.” 

He joked. 

“Ok,” Diana simply added while sitting next to him. A heavy silence started to surround us, and the young witch started to grow awkward. At first, she really enjoyed their solo moment. George was witty and funny, and they could talk forever about everything. 

However, the last few times Diana had been alone with him, she felt his gaze upon her, and her heart could not stop beating fast. Even though she was on medical duty with him, she had tried to avoid at all cost to be alone with him. 

“I wanted to ask you.” George broke the silence with a husky voice. “Would you like to go as my date to the wedding?” A couple of seconds passed, and he added:” Nothing super serious or official, but Ron will go with Hermione, Fred with Angelina, and Ginny with Harry. I will be the only one without a date.”

Diana was not born yesterday; she knew he was trying to find excuses. She was terrified about his proposal, but she thought to herself that she had to try for once in her life. 

“I will be your date for the wedding.” She added. Shyly, “I just hope you are ready to listen to my rambling all night.” 

His eyes lit up with relief. The red-haired wizard had a genuine smile before adding, “I will give you my good ear for your rambling.” Diana laughed, but her heart was still troubled by a very intense rhythm. 

__________________________

The day of the wedding was a beautiful summer day. The sun was high in the sky, and a small breeze made the summer heat like a delightful breath of sunshine. Fleur was stunning in her simple white dress. Diana could not stop crying, and she was glad George and Luna, who were sitting next to her, provided the tissues. 

The ceremony was simple yet charming. While the sun was setting, the couple was married, grasping the last ray of sunshine and the first ray of moonlight. It was so very romantic, and Diana dreamt that one day she could have such a beautiful moment with her partner. 

At the diner, she was seated at Harry and Hermione's table. Sipping on the delicate French wine Fleur had brought to England. 

“The wine is very good!” Ron added a bit of redness due to the alcohol. 

“It is divine!” Added Hermione. “The wedding was beautiful!” 

“It was !” added Diana 

“By the way, all good accepting to be my brother's date, Diana?” Ron questioned with a hint of mischief. 

“It was easier than I thought.” The young witch chuckled.

“I bet !” the red-haired boy reacted, “George is not as flamboyant as Fred.”

“Goerge is flamboyant too !” Ginny interrupted. “Fred is crazy, that's different.”

“Is he? Maybe it runs in the family.” Joked Ron 

“What are you implying?” questioned the youngest Weasley. 

“Ok, I am out of here,” Harry said while standing up to leave the table. 

Harry knew well that Ginny had a temper, and Ron's awkward comments often led to Ginny's wrath. However, as soon as Harry stood up, a strong explosion blew the tables. 

Diana could see Harry’s fast reaction. He grabbed his wand and pushed Hermione outside the tents. 

Some diabolique laughter started to invade the space. Some flashes of green and red, most likely unforgivable curses, flew around. 

In the panic, Diana could see that Harry had left with Hermione and Ron. Professor Lupin was screaming some order to the people still present in the room. Diana was stuck as if life was going in slow motion. She was not able to move or act. She knew deep down that if she stayed there, she would get killed. 

Diana felt a hand grabbing her shoulders and push her outside. When she looked up, she recognized Fred's red hair. Diana realized that his hand was bloody. She quickly understood that the boy had protected her with his own body. 

“I am sorry!” she muttered when she finally managed to exit the tent. 

“No time, my dear, no time.”He panted “GEORGI!!!!! ANGI !!” 

Another explosion rang in Diana’s ear while Fred jumped on her to protect her. She was momentarily blinded. The young witch understood who had commanded the attack once a skull appeared as a storm in the sky. She could always smell fire and blood. Next to her, Fred was still screaming to locate his brother and girlfriend. The landscape looked like a war zone. The tent was ripped open, the house was burning like a torch in the night, and Diana’s anxiety grew. She had to locate Fleur and make sure her friend was alive and well. Tears started to well in her eyes, but the young witch tried to stay strong. George was right; she was not meant for the war. 

The silence came back in the middle of the fields as the dirty work from the Death Eaters was completed. Diana could feel Fred growing agitation when she heard a feminine voice reaching out to her. 

“Diana, thank god! You are ok!” It was Fleur. Her beautiful dress was stained with blood, but the blond witch still looked beautiful like those church icons. She promptly embarrassed Diana in a suffocating hug. Both of them were crying. 

“I am! Thanks to Fred. He saved my life. How are you? All this blood? Are you ok?”

Diana said in a panicked voice. 

“Not mine. The blood is not mine. I guess my dear Bill wanted to have his wife alive for our wedding night.” Fleur added sadly and then turned to Fred, who was still screaming for his brother and girlfriend.

“Fred, Angi, and Geogi are at the safe house already. Let’s go!” Fleur took the young wizard by the hand. He had not stopped panting, and he still looked like a wounded animal. He was wounded, Diana recalled. 

“Fleur, let me patch him. He will not be able to travel with this wound.” Diana commented. Her heart was still beating fast, but her brain had regained control. She knew that the next step would be training to avoid a similar fiasco. That night, she vowed to herself that she would never let anyone take the hit for her, and that she would make sure to not be a burden. 

Chapter Text

Narcissa was pacing in her office. On the desk, the horrible attack perpetrated at the Weasley residence was on the front page of the Prophet. According to the news, several guests had died during the wedding, and a couple more were badly wounded. In the article, the new Minister of Magic stated that it would be the punishment for anyone supporting mudblood and rising against the Dark Lord's wishes.  

Behind her perfectly made-up face, Narcissa was restless. She knew her daughter was there. She was in the list of the wedding invites being Fleur's best friend. The blond witch was appalled, she had to make sure Diana was alive without attracting the attention. 

She had tried to contact Isolde in a securised, but she realized that the war had broken down all the communication between Britain and the mainland.

Narcissa could not contact either McGonagal or Snape, and her dear cousin Serius had been murdered the year before by her sister. 

One last option opened to her. She had gifted an albino raven to her daughter for her 11th birthday. The bird was clever, and she knew how to locate him, as he had placed an enchanted ring on his leg. 

Narcisa smiled with delight. She was a very clever witch, and that thought she only helped her to survive the inferno, her husband had dragged her in. 

Outside of the lunatic now residing full-time on her estate, she had witnessed her son falling into a spiral of despair. Once the boy had taken the death mark, he still looked a bit like himself. She was afraid mostly for him, she thought, but he still looked like her little boy. However, over the year and after Dumbledore's death, his overall health had declined rapidly. He looked thinner than usual and was always sulking with the darkest of expressions. Narcisa could attribute Draco’s despair to the traumatic events he had to witness and live through at his young age, but she was not fooled by some obvious statement. She felt in her heart that something deeper was going on. On Draco’s birthday, the witch started an approach. 

“My dearest! What would be your wish for this year?” She asked once they were both in Narcissa's apartment. With the Dark Lord moving in, privacy was just an old souvenir in the ancestral estate. 

“Maybe a fast death,” Draco replied absentmindedly. 

“Do not joke like this with your mother, young man!” Narcissa replied irritably. If he wanted to play it like those rebel teenagers, she would not have it.

“I am not joking, mother.” He calmly added. “But if you want another idea, maybe a book on potion would do.” 

“What’s going on?”Narcissa asked while lovingly grabbing her son's hands.

“It is ok, mother, and I found it odd that after all this time, you want to have a heart-to-heart with me. Don’t you have family to visit?” He bitterly questioned. 

“Draco! What’s going on?” Narcissa knew he was petty like his father, and in that case, she should not react to his acid words. 

“I am tired. Mother, would you let me get some rest?” Draco looked horrible. He had hollow cheeks, dark circles, and Narcisa felt that his heart was broken. She allowed herself to dig deeper. For a teenager of his age, the heart topic was a sensitive matter, but she could not let go. 

“Is it about a lady?” She shyly inquired. Narcisa regretted immediately her question when Draco's shoulder seemed to drop under a thousand pounds. His eyes could not hide the sorrow that was eating his insides. However, the young boy kept his mouth firmly shut. 

He briefly looked at his mother as if he begged her to leave. Narcissa, heartbroken but compassionate, got her clue to let her son intimately deal with his internal battle. 

She felt her heart heavy, and she also felt frustrated at not being able to support him. She was a terrible mother, letting her son be drawn into a deep sorrow, and not being able to locate her daughter. 

Passing every day since the attack, next to her window, to maybe spot Diana’s albino raven to give her some news. Narcissa got rewarded when, on a stormy summer day, the raven abruptly landed in her rose garden. 

“Perce neige!” the blond witch cheered with relief. “Hope you are bringing me good news.”

The clever raven looked at her with cheekiness. Narcissa's hands were trembling when she opened the letter. 

“My dearest aunt, 

I am sorry, I could not write earlier to let you know that I was safe and sound. I was present on the night of the attack, and I got Fred wounded because of my stupidity. I was petrified with fear, and I would have most likely been killed if Fred had not launched himself to save me. Please know that I am doing fine. Despite all this, I will be returning to school this autumn. I can see from here your disgraced reaction. My dear aunt, I have made friends in Hogwarts, and war will not compromise my future. I want to continue my studies there, and Papa and Maman have already agreed. 

I would love to see you soon, and I am sorry I could not see you this year at your chateau for my birthday.   

I am sending you a big hug and some rose petals, and my mother told me they help with the sorrow. I hope you are doing well, and I wish the war is not taking a toll on you. 

Lovingly, 

D.R.”

Narcissa's anxiety got momentarily relieved until her daughter wrote that she would be returning to Hogwarts to study. She was so mad at Isolde for allowing her precious daughter to remain in peril that she almost broke her cup of tea on the wall. 

She wanted to write to the French couple to give them her peace of mind. However, all the letters from the house were monitored by the Death Eaters militia, and all the letters being sent abroad were censored by the Ministry. Narcissa was stuck in an impossible bagend. She was unable to send a letter to France to convince her friends to bring back Diana to Beau Batton, and she could not write a reply to Diana without looking suspicious. 

Heartbroken and hopeless, Narcissa did the only thing she could. 

In her garden, beautiful carnations grew like wild weeds. In her distress, Narcissa wrapped one of them around Perce Neige's claws. She hoped Diana would understand the message, and she prayed for her daughter to remain safe. 

Overall, the war had already taken so much from her, and the blond witch felt a wind of revolt growing in her heart. However, she was as patient as a wolf. She would wait until the right moment, and she would attack. Narcissa had made peace with her own death, but she would fight until her last breath to salvage her kids from that horrible nightmare. She only hoped that time would not play against her and her scheme. 

Chapter Text

As promised to her aunt Cissa, Diana resumed school at Hogwarts. It was a very strange back-to-school under the new dark lord's rule. 

The rules were strictly enforced. If students did not comply, they were punished severely. The new Headmaster, Sevrus Rogue, was a severe man and intended to keep it this way. Each night, the students had to return to their dorm in silence. It was forbidden to linger in the common rooms or to chat intensely during breaks. Focus was on studying the “revised curriculum,” a special, bigoted selection from Ombrige. 

Times were tough, but Diana could count on her newfound friends. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had left the school to pursue their quest to find a way to kill the Dark Lord. As promised, Neville, Ginny, Luna, and the rest of the crew attended Hogwarts to buy time. On top of the harsh rules, Diana and her friends had to undergo heavy scrutiny. 

Snape was suspicious, and he made sure to tail anyone who was acting a little bit out of line. Ginny and Neville were his top suspects, and Snape spent countless hours summoning them to his office. He also summoned Diana a couple of times. At first, the young witch was threatened. She dreaded being finally summoned into the infamous Snape meetings. However, she quickly found out that they were not that dreadful. He only made them sit at his desk for hours reading school material. It was a bit uncomfortable because the Headmaster refused to let them use the toilets, drink, or eat. 

They were often stuck in his office for 8-9 hours without being allowed to escape. 

It was uncomfortable, but it was not the end of the world. Professor Slughorn, who had kept his title as potion professor, was also more inclined to punishment. He also retained students for hours in his potion lab in order to produce potions for the new Dark Lord force. 

Diana started to regret her choices. Her mother was right, it would have been wiser to return to France, where the war had not started yet. 

Awake at times, the young witch contemplated her life. She had indeed made a bad choice. The young witch truly loved her friends and wanted to fight with them, but her heart was torn apart. In addition to the intense pressure she was receiving, the Death Eater dedicated to Hogwarts security bullied Diana. For them, she was “only” half blood, and she did not deserve to be here, as her blood was mixed. 

Diana was not sure about her status, as she had been adopted. Her adopted dad was a Muggle, and her adopted mother was a witch. The young witch had never asked herself about the status of her blood. Her adopted mother, Isolde, had told her that it did not really matter in the end. Her magical power was present and healthy, and it was the only thing that mattered. 

The intense scrutiny, the uneasiness of her decision, and the blood nonsense made Diana angry and rebellious. 

After the death eater attack, something had broken in her soul. She was no longer a child dreaming that the future would go smoothly. Diana had felt a deep-rooted fear that stained her insides. She thought she knew fear before, but seeing people killing others without any regret made her weary. 

Diana tried to keep a straight face, but she knew her features had hardened under the fear. She felt relieved in a way that Ginny, Neville, and the others were also undergoing such a transformation. 

The only one who maintained her composure and kept her normal behaviour was Luna. 

Luna did not change, as if the war had no grip on her psyche. She kept looking for some hidden creature, smiling at the school ghost, and wandering in the corridors alone at night. 

It was during one of these occasions that Diana’s life took a three hundred and sixty turn. 

---------------

The young witch was exiting a very intense “punishment” session. Diana only wanted one thing: to go back to her dorm to eat and sleep. The castle felt eerie at this moment of the night. The dampness of its old stone and the absolute silence made Diana uncomfortable. In the middle of the corridors, she spotted Luna barefoot, strolling carelessly very far away from the Ravenclaw dorm.

Rushing to grab her arm, Diana whispered. “Luna, dear, it is not the moment nor the place to be out. If the Carrows’ brother and sister see you, you will be punished.”

Alecto and Amycus Carrow now ran the castle's “security”, and anyone found during their watch ended up harmed, badly harmed. 

“Diana,” Luna said while reaching for Diana’s hand. “I felt that we would be reunited at that moment. The wandering soot told me you will be there with me.” 

Diana was trying very hard not to lose her temper. Luna was gentle, and her sense of wonder was beautiful, but it made her completely unconscious sometimes. 

“Luna, we need to go, NOW,” Diana whispered, but her last word was uttered loudly. As soon as her words echoed in the empty corridor, an uncomfortable chill filled the air. Some loud noise tore through the silence, and Diana could smell the bloody odor associated with the Carrow’s siblings. 

They were utterly screwed to remain polite. 

“Well, well, well.” one of the siblings launched. “Who do we have here wandering alone in the corridors?” It was Alecto who spoke. 

“Mrs Lovegood and Mrs Randal. The blondie club, it appears.” Alecto paused before approaching the two girls aggressively. 

“Sister!” Spoke Amycus. “Do you remember Mr Lovegood? How did he beg for the Dark Lord not to harm his precious little daughter?” 

Diana felt the fear grow in her. Eying Luna, she realized that her friend was calm and composed. Diana could not believe her eyes. Luna was either a very good actress and hid her fear like a pro, or she was completely insane. 

“I say, why not have this good old Lovegood begging! I will teach him a lesson to rub shoulders with the Order scums.” Alecto said while grabbing Luna by the elbow. 

“Oh my dear sister! What a wonderful idea! What will we do with Blondie number two? Collateral damage? Fun experiment?” the wizard said while rubbing his dirty palms on Diana's shoulder. The young witch was petrified and did not know how to react. 

“I would not kill someone who might know where the golden trio is !” pipped Luna. 

Diana felt stabbed in the back by such treason from Luna, but she quickly realized how strategic that statement had been. If the Carrow put some value in her, Diana would not be killed on the spot as the siblings were suggesting. Did Luna just save her life? 

“Does she?” Amycus purred in Diana’s ear. “In that case, let’s bring them both to the Manor for a friendly chat.” He laughed, pushing Diana and Luna to the nearest flow system. 

Diana looked at Luna, she still looked deadly calm. She even smiled at her. 

Diana understood that Luna had saved her life, but the dreamy witch did not save them from what awaited them at the manor. They were both thrown into a damp dungeon with little to eat and nothing to resist the harsh elements. In addition to the dire circumstances, a few days after their arrival, the torture began. It was light at first, with some physical violence and simple bullying to squeeze the truth out of her. However, one stormy day, a curly-haired witch happened. She had the craziest eyes, which represented her deranged state of mind. Bellatrix loved a good old torture session. She enjoyed sending Crucio spells to Diana, cutting her skin with various poisonous daggers. On a span of two days, the mad witch had tried the Legilimens curse countless times. 

Funny enough, Diana was immune to Legilimency because she got trained by her adopted mother and her aunt Cissa to resist it. This piece of information was missing to Bellatrix, which took the impossibility of reading Diana’s mind as a challenge. The young witch was drained of her blood and her vital energy, but her mind was occupied by a strong fire. Diana wanted to live so badly, and she was getting more and more upset at this absurd game Bellatrix and the Death Eaters were playing. Diana knew she was still a young witch, but she felt a powerful magic within her blood which she intended to use to get herself and Luna out of her. 

Chapter Text

Draco was the shadow of himself, but deep down someone was still there. His heart was shattered into pieces, but in a Frankenstein manner, he had pieced it back into a grotesque sculpture. He could not say he was not hurting, but he occluded like a madman to forget the pain and the fear. If he were honest with himself, he would have preferred to disappear from the face of the earth, but some strange feeling was keeping him alive. He hated to feel the spark still. A spark he did not know where it came from. His body was also strong. Draco was tortured daily to repent from his father's inefficiency, or to amuse his aunt. In the end, he was just pretending to suffer from all the curses to end the torture, but he was so numb that nothing felt like anything. 

Nothing felt real until Granger landed at the manor. Some snatchers had captured what they thought was the boy who lived. However, the wizard they had captured was so disfigured that they were not able to recognize him, so they had the great idea to bring Granger, Weaslbee, and what was surely Potter to the manor.

His crazy aunt summoned him to check on the boy, but Draco was not sure. Bellatrix was bloody crazy, a perfect psychopath, and Draco had trembled while he was identifying the boy. This hint left enough suspicion for the madwoman to throw the disfigured wizard to the dungeon. Draco knew that Luna and Diana were in the dungeon together with Olivander and some goblins. He had refrained from visiting them as he was so ashamed of what he had become, and he could not face his old classmate imprisoned and tortured in his home. Almost every night for two weeks, he had heard either Luna or Diana screaming in pain from Bellatrix's nightly games. Draco wanted in that instant that his mother was here to smooth his nerves and tell him everything would be ok. The spark he felt in his heart was the strongest during the screaming, and he could not understand why. 

As soon as Bellatrix evacuated Harry from the living room, she remarked that Granger was carrying a Godric Gryffindor sword.  The sword was, in theory, safely stored in Bellatrix’s gigantic vault in Gringotts. This discovery enraged Bellatrix in one of her maniac events. 

She threw Granger to the floor and started to rip her hair out, screaming at her face. 

Draco felt so numb, and he hated it. Hermione was crying in pain. Her eyes were begging him for help. His makeshift heart shattered again, and Draco could feel the warm blood dripping from it. He could also feel the blood in his mouth because he was biting his cheeks so violently that he had drawn blood. Narcissa positioned close to him, trying to hold it together, but Draco knew she felt as bad as him. His mother was just more skilled at hiding her feelings, and he sensed she was keeping a straight face to protect him. If Bellatrix saw his compassion for Hermione, she would kill him too and his mother did not want such an ending. Narcissa used all her strength to squeeze Draco's hand with the intent of stopping the boy from acting and potentially worsening the situation.

When Bellatrix pulled out her poisoned knife like it was her favorite Christmas present, Draco felt his body moving. He was a coward, but he had to act to put a stop to Granger's misery. However, it was quickly frozen in place when the Gryffindor witch started to scream. It was the most horrifying cry he had ever heard in his life. He killed before, so he knew how people's pain cries ripped one’s heart. How their eyes injected in blood and full of fear would engrave in one’s brain. However, Hermione's cries were different. His heart shattered, but it seemed that her pain was tearing out its pieces even more.  Draco realized that the sound was emitted because his crazy aunt was carving something into her arm. Blood was running splashing the wooden floor. In this surreal moment, Draco could admit that he was fascinated by the color of her blood: It was the same as his. Her pain was the same as his, her cries were the same as his, and she most probably would die like he would. Draco prayed that if she had to die, she would go peacefully, and he vowed himself to go right after her. When the cries started to be unbearable and Hermione slowly started to lose consciousness, Bellatrix announced:

“Greyback, Bring me the other little bitch. The more, the merrier. I will make a two-body work of art with my beautiful knife, and those mudblood/half mudblood things .” The witch added nearly in a trance. Greyback grumbled something to which she replied: “Of course, You would be able to play with the bodies after I am done. Now, be a good dog. Chop chop !” 

Some long minutes passed before Diana appeared in the room, dragged like a bean bag by Greyback. Draco was glad he had not made an effort to see her before. She looked disheveled, her clothes ripped and torn with some old blood-stained, and her face full of scares. However, Draco was shocked by her grey eyes. They were stormy, and she still held his gaze like a challenge. She was alive as if being alive was a gigantic thumbing in Bellatrix’'s nose. 

“Ahh! the Blondie! She is tough this one.” His crazy aunt laughed. 

Draco could see Hermione's horrified eyes when she saw Diana. Diana had a similar expression, but her eyes melted with anger.  Draco was not sure how, but he could feel Diana’s wrath. It did not feel like Granger fire. Diana’s anger was cold and violent like a storm. He could not hold the weird feeling that grew in his chest.

“Well! Let’s start, Greyback leaves us for a moment, would you? It is only for family entertainment. Cissy, do you want me to wait for the tea to brew?” Bellatrix mocked. 

A couple of minutes passed with Bellatrix hysterically laughing and dancing around the two young witches. Draco could feel his mother's anger bubbling in her chest: Cold and Violent. 

“No!” His mother replied with a cold and hard stare. Something was wrong, Draco felt. It felt wrong. He could not understand why, but his mother’s stare looked terribly familiar. 

“Because you are not part of the Malfoy family, so I reckon you should also leave!” Added Narcissa harshly. Before Bellatrix could not react, Narcissa pulled out her wand to simply pronounce: “Petrificus totalus.” 

Draco could not believe his eyes when Bellatrix fell on the floor like a dead tronc. In a horrifying calm, his mother then proceeds to obliviate his aunt and summon the free house elf: Dobby. 

“Draco, dear, do not stay like this, and help Mrs Granger to stand.” Narcissa was still very tranquil. 

His mother immediately reached Diana, who was still trembling in fear next to Hermione. 

Narcissa's eyes were full of warmth, and the anger melted in a beautiful motherly stare. The one he would have wished to receive a couple of hours before. 

“Aunt Cissa !” cried Diana falling into Draco’s mom's open arms. 

“My dearest, we do not have time,” Narcissa said sweetly embracing the blond witch. 

“If I would have known, I would have come earlier. I am so sorry, my darling. I am so sorry.” His mother said while hugging Diana even stronger than before, and cajoling her. 

Draco had no time to question his mom's behavior now. He had to tend to Granger who was still bleeding on the office floor. He murmured a couple of first-aid spells while the young witch tried to regain her bearing. The contact of her cold skin burned Draco’s skin. Her blood on the floor felt like it was screaming what a failure he was. 

The moment with Hermione was fleeting, and Draco could hear some footsteps approaching. It was Potter and the prisoner band. As predicted, the annoying red hair pushed him from Granger's side with unprecedented strength. Draco was still so moved that he did not react and fell to the floor in Granger's blood like a mannequin. He was about to spit some horrible words when Narcissa interrupted them. 

“Mr Potter. We do not have time. Take everyone and leave.” She commended. “Diana, my love, I beg you to stay away from the conflict. You suffered too much already.” She paused while kissing the crown of the witch's head. “Now chop chop! Maybe one last point. Mr Potter, please hex me in the leg and knock my son down so we can make this convincing.” 

She promptly added. Draco only had the time to scream: “No”. He was knocked out by Potter. Slumber felt oddly liberating, but the funny feeling he had felt earlier only brought unanswered questions and a strong uneasiness. 

Chapter Text

For the first time in months, Draco's sleep was not disturbed by nightmares. He could thank Potter for his spectacular spell. However, when he woke, his mind started to ignite again, and he was assaulted with questions.
Why did his mother react this way? Why did Diana call her “Aunt”? How can his mother pull such a stunt? Did they remain unnoticed? Was his mother part of the Order? Who was Diana?
Draco woke up in his bed with some ray of sunshine picking through the window. He was visibly unharmed and not restrained,d which was a good sign. Detailing the room, he remarked that his mother was drinking tea while looking outside with melancholy.
“Mother!” he said in a husky voice.
“Mon dragon!” she cried while reaching his side promptly.
Draco was still surprised at how his mother could be that composed and calm. Her make-up and hair were impeccable. Her leg was bandaged, hiding a staged injury as a testimony of her plan with Potter. He could not believe it. Above all, he needed answers now, or his psyche would implode.
“I need answers. Would you give them to me now?”Draco managed to utter. His mother searched his eyes. Her eyes were shining with an uncanny glow. Draco realized in a shock to whom his mother's eyes reminded him. Narcissa's eyes were not grey, but they had this stormy glow. They hide this strong will to live and a tempest ready to unleash itself. Draco felt stunned by this realization.
He had to ask his mom to be sure. He needed to know why those eyes bothered him so much.
“Who is she?” He asked, but he already knew who Diana was. Her grey eyes, Her white icy hair, the contempt she could have some days, the shape of her nose, the way she stood her head high, the way she mastered potion like a second nature. He always felt bothered by her. Her stare annoyed him. It annoyed him because her beautiful, stormy eyes were the same as his. Her arrogance which had angered him so much when they first met was the same as his. Her mastery of herbs and potion-making was as excellent as him. She was oddly familiar. The cold anger she had against Beatrix reminded him of the undying spark he had in himself. He could not believe it he had been so blind. She was in front of him with her head held high and her stare telling him that he was an idiot. Draco felt his stomach pitting, and he reached to grab his mom's wrist.
“WHO IS SHE?” He repeated loudly. It was too emotional at the same time. Seeing Hermione nearly dead on his floor and finding Diana. His mom had tears in her eyes. The same stare as Diana had The same spark Diana had.
“Why are you asking me?” she asked with her trembling voice. “You are a clever one, my dear. You already know.”
“She is the one you were always going to see. She is the “distance” relative, right?” He asked, feeling his heart harden.
“She is.” Narcissa could not hold back sobs.
“Why? Why didn't you tell me?” he paused. He started to lose his patience. He felt anger rising in him, and he did not at what he was angry. His mother hiding such a big secret or his mother abandoning him to see HER.
“WHY!” He spat completely unhinged. “WHO KNOWS? AM I THE ONLY ONE IN THE DARK AGAIN? THE GUY WE LEAVE BEHIND BECAUSE HE IS NOT ENOUGH TO KNOW THE TRUTH.” He could not keep the sob from coming out. He felt so broken but happy at the same time. For the first time in his life, he was not alone. He had another person to suffer with and to confide in.

“My love!” his mother tried to keep her calm. “No one knows! not even her.” He looked at his mother in silent tears that ran crazily down his cheeks.
“No one knows because no one can know. I am the only one who knows who she is. She is this family’s most precious jewel. She should be hidden like the most precious gems. I am sorry, my dragon. I am the worst mother, I have separated you for her.”

Draco felt the immense sorrow his mother had to carry on her shoulder. Narcissa had to keep this secret for all those years tearing her heart in the process. He felt like an idiot for having lost his temper. His mother had always kept an impassive mask of the perfect pure-blood wife, and he could not fathom the pain she had to endure for the family.

“There’s a prophecy.” She added between two sobs. “No one needs to know about it, or she will be in danger. Secrecy will protect her.”
“Tell me,” Draco added with the plainest voice he could summon.
“No, I carried it all those years. I cannot risk it even with you my dear.” She added sadly.
“Diana is my sister.” Draco felt weird saying it out loud.”Let me help you protect her. I am a skilled Occuluman. I can take it on me. You should not carry it alone anymore.”
“It will be too much for you. You are already a shadow of yourself. I cannot have you carrying it on your shoulder.” Narcissa lamented.
“You will. Mother. Allow me to help you! To help the family.” Draco's anger had left. Knowing that Diana existed added a new hope in his life. He was not alone anymore. He had someone with him forever. Diana would maybe not see him as a failure.
“Diana was cursed with the most horrible curse.” his mother added while regaining her chair next to the window. “She would be the mother that carries the millennia’s most powerful wizard.” Draco's heart dropped so low in his ribcage that he was not sure he kept beating.
“No!” he gasped, horrified. His mother's face was distorted in a painful expression.
“All those years, you tore the family apart, and you kept to yourself for that reason. Because of that mad man,” He remarked.
“Believe me when I say that I had no other choice. If the dark lord would have known, he would have fetched her at the youngest of the age. He is so twisted !” Narcissa looked like she tried to conjure some horrible visions out of her mind.
“Why did you accept her to attend Hogwarts? and stay in England even if we are at war ?”
Draco asked completely out of words.

“Dumbledore promised me she would be safe. He made an unbreakable vow, but now he is dead.” She bitterly added. Draco felt so guilty about being indirectly responsible for Dumbledor's death, and indirectly depriving Diana of protection.
“but he does not explain why she is staying in England ?” He reflected.
“She is like your dad. She is as stubborn as a mule. I discussed with her foster family to convince them to bring her back to France, but she managed to talk them out of it.”
His mother looked slightly annoyed at the young Gryffindor, and Draco could understand. Diana had proven to be stubborn and some days narrow-minded. He thought that’s why she was getting along so well with Granger.
“Mother, I promise that I will be there for my sister. Let me take that burden from you!” Draco was determined to not fail this mission and to make his mother happy.
“My dearest!” his mother said while hugging him. “I am not asking you to take the burden off my shoulders. I am your mother. I will endure for you both, my two precious jewels. I wish you both to reunite one day and think about me.”
“Mother!” Draco felt so helpless, but also so hopeful to one day reunite with his sister and create a link. Maybe dying was not the most obvious choice for him.
“Let’s go!” she said. “Love is more important than anything. I hope you will understand it someday.” Narcissa left Draco alone with his thoughts and this fresh revelation. He had a sister, he was not alone. He will forever march the same path as someone else: Diana Malfoy.

Chapter Text

After their great escape from the Malfoy Manor, Diana, Harry, Luna, Ron and a very injured Hermione lended on a sandy beach in the south of the country. 

Diana felt her limb sore from the intense torture, and her scars still fresh with some of them infected. However, the most important was Hermione who was still bleeding abondanly from her arm. Ron was surrounding her like a worried mother. Diana had heard from Parvati that Ron had broken up with Lavender which explained his possessive behavior with Hermione. 

Harry was helping the old Olivender to stand in order to reach the safehouse. The safe house was nested in the moorland surrounded by gentle hills of sand. Diana felt she had seen this place before. She could see some human figure rushing to their location. 

“Luna, are you ok my dear?” Diana launched. 

“I had seen better days, but I am alive. I am glad we reached the Shell cottage.” The blond ravenclaw answered. 

Shell cottage ! Fleur had mentioned the place to her in one of their letters. Diana had no time to think further once she was squeezed into a tight embrace. She recognized the person right away. The patchouli smell had given Fleur away. 

“Diana ! J'étais si inquiète. Tu ne peux pas t’imaginer.” (Diana! I was so worried ! You cannot imagine.) Fleur's tone was slightly mad. 

“Fleur, je suis navrée. Je vais bien. Hermione needs support tho, she is injured.” (Fleur, I am so sorry. I am doing well.)
Billy arrived shortly after his wife, and helped Ron to bring Hermione to the house. Diana felt heartbroken to always be a worry for Fleur. 

“Fleur!” Diana said while sprinting toward the blond. “I am sorry to be such a burden for you. I was captured one night, and Luna lied to save my life. I feel dumb. I was not careful enough.” 

“I am not mad at you, Diana. I was worried to death over those past weeks. I care for you, and I am appalled that you had to live such a traumatic experience.” Fleur said while grabbing Diana’s hand. The movement scared the Gryffindor witch as her arms were full of scars from her past encounter with Bellatrix. Diana promptly avoided Fleur grip which resulted in the French witch shock.

“What's going one?” Fleur asked with concern.

“We got tortured by Bellatrix, Fleur.” explained Luna. “Diana heavily due to her faculty to protect her mind which by the way it's impressive. Maybe you can summon the wandering soot or not, because I feel that someone is there. Oh well ! George is coming.”

Diana felt a bit weak, but in the blurriness of her gaze she could distinguish George and Fred rushing to help them. Hermione was carried by Ron and Harry. Fleur had forced Diana to lean on her. Every steps became complicated, and Diana fought hard to keep her footing. However, once George arrive, she could not even ear his voice, as the darkness invaded her vision.

—‐—------------

Diana woke up in a neatly decorated room. She understood that they had carried her back to Fleur and Bill's shell cottage. Her room had beautiful pale blue curtains giving on a rond window to the ocean. Diana could hear the waves. The sun indicated that it was early morning which meant that she had passed out for couple of hours. Sore but able to stand without fainting, Diana made her way down the stairs to what it seems was the kitchen. 

At first glance, the kitchen looked empty, but Diana could sens a presence. In a small adjacent dinning room, George was sipping tea. 

“It's muggle whiskey.” He said looking at Diana still going down the stairs.

“It's a bit early.” Diana surprised herself with a raspy voice. 

“It's tea then.” George smilled. “I told you, you were not meant for war.” He added the smile evaporated from his features.

“George, it's a bit late to give this opinion, and you cannot judge without knowing the full story.” The young witch was annoyed. She got captured by mistake. George had the arrogance to comment on something she was not responsible for. 

“Nonetheless, the results are here ! You are full of scars, and I'm not even sure that you are still sain due to the intense torture.”

Diana blood started to boil. She had to contain herself. Since her time at the Malfoy's mansion, an intense anger started to build into her stomach. She was outrage about all  this nonsense.

After a pregnant pause, she shot a death stare to George saying: “I prefer when you were funny.”

She left to the outside to calm her nerves on the never ending land. The sea breeze was cool on her skin. George was right again, but Diana had to admit that she felt proud of surviving those couple of weeks. She felt that the anger within her blood was meant for something. Seated on the sand, the blond witch contemplated the morning light, and felt grateful to be alive even if war was raging.

Lost in her thoughts, she could not hear George approaching.

“The sun will be out soon.” He spoke, surprising Diana out of her slumber. 

“I wish to be alone.” She replied coldly not looking at her.

“Hear me out Diana ! I'm sorry, my words hurted you. I still believe that you are not meant for war. I say it out of concern. Only two weeks imprisoned, and you are already bruised and cutted.” He blunted out. 

“However, I am not meant for war either. None of us are. We are just kids wandering in the shadows of the adult limbs. Again please accept my apologies for my harsh words.”

Diana turned her gaze to the red hair. His words looked sincere, as a veil of sadness clouded his looks.

After some long minutes, Diana spoked.

“It's ok. I'm not proud of my jail time but I feel I did pretty good at surviving so far. Crucio curse is like having my periods.”

She intended to joke, but George did not react.

“Do not joke with that. It fucked you up pretty good.” George added with a harsh tone.

“Yes, but I'm alive and that's all that matters to me. Luna is also alive, so it turned out ok.”

Diana commented. 

“I'll let you think what you want” added the red hair while sitting next to her. 

“I brought tea. Would you want some?” He said while giving her a cup.

“With pleasure, dear.” She said will grabbing the cup.

“Now we are back to dear?” George asked playfully.

“Do not make me regret it.” Diana joked.

Both stayed until the sun was high in the sky.

They sat in silence listening to the waves. Diana and Goerge had found a type of agreement, which made Diana smilled.

She knew that more struggle would come her way, but with Goerge by her side, she felt safe. The young witch kept on looking at the water wondering if the sea would be whispering some untold truth.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Diana was sipping tea at the shell cottage kitchen counter when Hermione arrived carrying travel gear. 

“Already leaving. Ain't you ?” Asked Diana. 

“Yes,” replied Hermione while stuffing gear into her tiny purse. 

“It is illegal to have an extension curse like this one. Non?" Diana inquired with a falsely candid tone. 

“I do not see what you are talking about?” Hermione pipped. 

“Then in that case,” Diana took a pause. “I would like to acquire such a bag.” Hermione looked somehow shocked, but she started to search in her extended bag. After long minutes, Diana looked at her friend with disbelief. Hermione pulls out a cotton tote bag with some dark character: “British museum”. 

“Here you go. It is a lovely and absolutely normal muggle grocery bag.” The brown-haired witch smiled. 

“It is indeed.” Laughed Diana. 

“What naughty business you guys are conducting here?” Interrupted Fred while grabbing an apple and sitting on the counter. 

“Girls' secrets!” Launched Hermione. 

“Girls' secrets! Come on! Hermione! You can do better than this.” The red-haired twin teased. Hermione was about to reply to Fred's teasing when Diana interrupted.  

“Fred, Where is Ginny? and Goerge for that matter?”

The young wizard sighted before adding: “The Order sent them yesterday for a quick resupply mission, according to what Goerge told me. They shall be back in a couple of hours. How nice is it to experience calm without Goerge following you around Diana and Ginny being all lovey-dovey with Mr. Potter.” Fred added to his statement with a fake sour smile. 

“Glad Ginny is not here to listen to you, Fred.” Laughed Hermione. “You would have been dead by now.” 

Diana added, in a falsy menacing tone: “ You mister, are spreading very dangerous assumptions. George and I are friends. ok?” 

“Do friends watch the sunrise every day together and embrace themself? I think not !”

Fred teased. 

“Come on!” cried Diana while getting closer to Fred to throw her counterargument. 

Hermione separated them while adding: “Sorry to interrupt the brother-in-law-sister-in-law conflict, but I am leaving in a couple of minutes, and I have to finish packing.” 

Both Diana and Fred shooted daggers at the brightest witch of her age. 

Although it felt only like teasing, Diana felt that Fred was not really teasing. It is true that she had been very close with George those days. The war intensified the feeling and magnified attractions. She could deny that her feelings toward the red-haired boy were not all purely amical. She felt safe with George, and he made her laugh and understood. Diana shakes her head as if she is shaking her though. She could not fall in love with anyone. It was war, and even if Fleur had the strength to get married, Diana was not that strong and could not fathom losing her beloved in the war. Lost in her thoughts, she just went out to the land to feel the fresh air on her face and in her hair, abandoning Fred and Hermione in the kitchen. 

_____________

The day went by slowly. The only event of the day was Hermione and her crew's departure. Hermione embraced Diana before leaving. 

“Take care! and stay alive.” She launched like a prayer. 

“You too. My dear!” Diana said, feeling her stomach pit. She had no certitude to see Hermione alive again. 

In the late hours of the night, Diana was busing herself in the kitchen preparing some herbal remedies to replenish her stock. 

Fred came to sit in silence at the counter to look at her. Diana felt a bit observed, so she started to comment on her protocol. 

“I am preparing a balm with some arnica blossoms for bruises. They are delicate, and you need to make sure the oil is not too strong.” 

Fred was sometimes reacting with some “mmhh” and “Ahh ok”. Diana felt that he wanted to be there not for herbal preparation but to be with someone. She sensed that he was missing his brother. He was also worried about his sibling out on a mission. 

Diana offered him rose tea to smooth his beating heart and help him wait in better conditions. She felt proud of herself until something crashed in the living room, breaking their comfortable silence. The “something” was someone. It was George covered with filth and dried blood. His face was like the one of a wild animal being hunted. He was panting, and his movements were herating. 

“They took her!” he cried in a husky voice. 

Fred and Diana were directly by his side. 

“Who? Who did they take Georgi?” Said Fred with all the calm he could summon. 

“GINNY” George could cry before collapsing to the floor like an unanimated mannequin.  

Fred looked completely helpless. Diana felt her “survival mode” ignite within her. 

“Ok. George, what do you remember?” She felt bad for pushing George, who was visibly shaken. 

“They talked about a prophecy or something. They are dragging her to Malfoy Manor for interrogation.” He managed to breathe. 

“We need to rescue her before it is too late,” concluded Fred. 

“Wait. Fred! We cannot take this decision. We should inform the order and your parents. We cannot go like that on a whim. They will kill us.” Diana started to panic a bit because her brain seemed to agree with Fred in leaving for a rescue mission. 

“Scourify!” launched George to clean himself. “Fred, pack your bag and find Dobby. We go now.” George said, looking like he had regained his strength in a magical manner. Diana felt they were pulling the same stunts as in the fourth year by adding alcohol to the punch. However, the stunt was not at all the same level. This one involved death or worce. 

“Guy! We cannot!” Diana tried to stop them in vain. 

“It is our baby sister, and it is my fault. I would jump into fire for her.” George added, in an uncharacteristic cold tone. 

“You do not have a plan.” Diana tried to augmentate while Fred came back into the living room with Dobby. 

“He does.” Said Goerge pointing Fred with his chin. 

“Fuck!” Said Diana holding her head. What would Hermione have done in that situation? She felt hopeless, but she could not let the boy endanger himself without her. 

“I am coming with you. You would need a healer, and I know the manor very well.” Diana finally breathed. She thought that George would react badly to her statement, but he might have been so desperate that he simply replied: “Ok!”

“What’s the plan?” Diana asked before they gathered around Dobby to teleport there. 

“Follow my flow. It is too dangerous to give you all the details if we get captured.” Fred added five seconds to teleport to the manor. Diana had vouched to herself never to come back to that horrible place but seems that destiny liked to torture her. She prayed to see the morrow, holding her lavender pouch sewed to her robe. 

Chapter Text

Diana and the twins landed in a cellar in what they guessed was the Malfoy’s manor main house. The young witch felt a surge of panic gripping her bones. She was not an oracle like some of her classmates, but she could sense it was a terrible idea. Yet she kept a straight face before asking Fred: “What’s next?”

Fred was listening to the door to make sure no one was in the corridor. He handed over a whiskey flask to Diana and Goerge. She could not believe her eyes. She had trusted the twins with her life and volunteered to help them in those dire circumstances, and Fred planned to get drunk. She wanted to face-palm herself for the horrible decision she had made recently. She felt that destiny in the same manner as a hurricane wind was hurling her forward. Diana felt the need to hide in a dark corner somewhere, but once again Diana's survival instinct kicked in. She would trust Fred's plan and exit this hell house as fast as she came in. 

When Diana raised her gaze toward the twins, she was met with two pairs of interrogating eyes. 

George tried to laugh discreetly. “You truly believe we will get drunk on such an occasion. Come one!” 

Diana whispered in an exasperated tone: “You cannot judge me for thinking that way. Your brother just pulled out a flask of whiskey.” 

“Oww, my dear! That!” said Fred while raising the flask. “That’s our masterpiece. It is called Absolut Vortex. It is our only invisibility potion. We learned from our failed attempt in the fourth year, and that sexy genius here made a batch that is chef kiss.”

Diana did not feel relieved at all, but she simply grimaced at the boys and drank the liquid. It was acrid, and the girl nearly puked. However, she had to admit that the potion had worked as she was seeing neither Fred nor Goerge. 

She only saw the cabinet door opening itself and one of the twins whispering: “Let’s go straight at the end of the hallway and into the dungeons. Diana lead the way. We follow you.”

“How can you follow me if you do not see me!” she whispered in the apparent void. 

“I'll tell you later, Mrs Moon goddess.” one of them said while pecking her cheek. 

“George!!” She could only protest. She knew it was him. Trying to regain her bearing, Diana led the way down to the dungeons which she escaped from a couple of weeks back. The air was damp and heavy with the smell of death. Diana squeezed her lavender pouch to give herself courage but could not stop her heart rate from rising uncontrollably. She stopped in front of the wooden door, and she felt the twins' energy surrounding her. 

“It’s here.” She breathed. 

“Ok then follow me. We enter. We pick her up, and we fly back. Dobbies knows the instructions. Guys do not look back if anything happens to any of us, just follow the plan.” A voice added which she knew was Fred. 

“Roger that.” Replied George

“Well, I have no other choice,” said Diana in the driest tone. 

“Showtime!” Said Goerge while pushing the wooden door. 

Diana's eyes took a couple of seconds to adapt to the light. Her nose adapted first to a pungent metallic odor: Fresh blood. When she looked at the floor, she saw a river of blood and some spare body part. The place had changed in a couple of weeks. She wanted to scream, to puke, to leave all at the same time, but she remembered that the potion she drank was not masking her voice. She also realized with horror that the place was full of hooded people with silvery masks. With the blood, the candles, and this weird crowd, Diana felt she had landed in some type of cult. Quickly, she tried to localize her friend. When Diana saw a spark of red hair in her vision, her stomach dropped so low. Ginny looked unconscious on an altar, barely dressed and full of blood. Next to her was standing a tall man in dark robes. He was the only one not wearing a mask. His face was pale as death. He had shark teeth and the meanest of the gaze. Diana understood quickly that this guy was the leader and the unfamous Darklord: Voldemort. A cold chill transpearced her bones until her vision got black. 

Diana checked herself she did not faint, but yet she could not see anything. People were shouting, and she felt a hand grabbing her to lead her toward the altar. 

“Fast!” she heard a whisper in her ear.

When they reached Ginny, she could barely touch her friends because a powerful light projected her and the twins in the air. 

She could not even understand the spell. The result was that her libration squad was surrounded by the hooded figure. 

The Dark wizard from which emanated the spell looked at them with his small evil eyes before laughing. 

“Well my friends, our entertainment has arrived.” 

Diana felt helpless as she was dragged toward the Dark Lord. The death eater holding her pushed her to bring her to her knees. The fresh blood on the floor stained her pants, and nausea reached her throat. When she locked eyes with the snake like a dark wizard, she felt as if she was falling from a cliff. She could not even scream when her body crumbled to the floor, tasting the blood in her mouth and the fresh blood that was flowing on the floor.

Chapter Text

Since the revelation, Draco’s life has been complicated. However, he was deeply happy about having a sister. He had a crippling fear of being caught thinking about her. If the Dark Lord would learn about her, he would capture her and use her as breeding stock. He forced himself not to think about her, pushing her through deep in his brain as hidden as his thought about Hermione. 

However, life had decided to trick him most cruelly. After Diana escaped from his hellish house, Draco decided to fade behind a mask. He would be the best death eater to protect what he loved most. He endured the torture, nodded at everything they asked, tortured innocent muggles, would killed to please the Darklord. 

After the escape, the Darklord was restless, and he decided to strengthen his hold on the magic world. 

After torturing the poor Professor Trelawney, the evil wizard discovered Diana’s prophecy. Voldemort had decided to increase his search for the witch who would give him the strongest offspring.

In that fashion, some of his most devoted followers had it narrowed down: Ginevra Weasley. 

She was born in the correct period and fit the description. Draco could only roll his eyes internally at them. Ginny fit the description, but she was born one year too late. 

In spite of everything going on around him, Draco played along and kept his mouth shut. 

He felt sorry for the she-Weasle, but keeping his sister safe was the most important. 

His father led the group in charge of kidnapping the young girl. 

Draco would dread every time his father came back home, hoping the red-haired girl would not appear under his arms. 

However, one day, on a bright sunny day, Ginny was brought to the manor. Her red hair shone under the sun. She looked frightened, like a deer in some headlight. 

Draco could only feel sorry for her but made sure to keep his mask of indifference. 

His mother was also wearing the same mask. She looked like a pretty doll making sure to be as neutral as possible. 

On the same night as Ginny's arrival, Voldemort summoned all his followers to the castle for a “ceremony”, from what he understood from his dad. The ceremony might have been important as even Draco was invited. 

When they reached the dungeon, Draco saw a hooded and masked death eater surrounding a couple of muggles who looked threatened. 

At the center stood Voldemort in front of a marble altar on which Ginny was displayed. She looked almost dead. Her skin was whiter than usual, and her beautiful hair looked tarnished. Draco's heart dropped. He never saw someone from school dying in front of him and was not ready. 

“My beloved followers! Today will mark the first step toward our complete domination. You see, Mister Potter’s prophecy was not the only one. "The huntress,” he said while reaching to grab Ginny’s hair. The girl did not even react. Her eyes looked like glass. Draco could not even imagine what she had to endure before coming here. 

“The prophecy said the huntress born at the end of June would be carrying the strongest offspring. Just like this one in which my seed resides now.” The dark lord emitted a self-content laugh.  

Draco wanted to puke and was fighting to remain calm. 

“To celebrate such a nice achievement, I brought you a little treat.”

His aunt Bella started to dance in between the gathered muggles. When she launched her first septumsempra, Draco could only shiver to remember the night Potter had cast that spell on him. 

The muggles started to scream, and a rain of torture spells befell on the center of the dungeon. A metallic odor rose in the air while the silence fell on the room. An uneasy feeling grew in Draco’s chest.

The Darklord was about to talk when a deep smoke embalmed the room. The death eater started screaming and pushing each other, but Draco could only stay paralyzed. As fast as the smoke arrived, the Drak lord cleared it all out. It revealed the Weasley twins and Diana. Her face was torn by fear. Draco felt relieved for a second as she seemed to be unharmed. 

Voldemort approached the three young wizards with delight. He pushed them to their knees on the bloodied floor and approached to examine each one of them. When he positioned his snake-like face from Diana, Draco couldn't bear it anymore. He had to react, or she would not come out of there alive. Yet he had to make a decision:  standing up to protect her and betraying her secret, or enduring and risking his sister to be tortured, or worse executed. 

He decided on the first choice, hoping a plan would form in his head as fast as possible. 

“Let her go!” he heard his voice pronounce without his control. 

“My dear Draco. What’s wrong? Approach son.” Voldemort pronounced with a fake caring tone. Draco felt his feet moving alone, and he was soon under the Darklord's shadow. The young Slytherin knew that although he was skilled in hiding his thoughts, the Draco lord would tear his mind away. Blood rushed to his mouth while Voldemort was scavenging through his brain. Soon enough, he stumbled upon Draco’s memory containing Diana's identity. An absolute silence had regained the room when Voldemort's hysterical laugh filled the air. 

“Diana Malfoy. You are protecting your sister. A pureblood! And when was she born? My dear Draco.” the Dark Lord asked mockingly. Draco did not reply. He kept his eyes shut afraid of Diana’s gaze. 

“When was she BORN?” The Dark Lord emphasized one last time, shaking Draco violently. 

“In June. In June.” Draco uttered while opening his eyes. He saw Diana’s gaze on him. It pierces his heart like a burning flame. He saw her muscles getting tense at this revelation: feeding her wrath. 

“Then this red hair is none of my business. Please get rid of her promptly.” The Darklord said while raising his hand. “Now, to you my dear.” He said, while turning his attention to Diana still sandwiched between Fred and Goerge. 

Draco felt hopeless. It was all his fault, his sister would have to endure a terrible fate, because of him. He was a failure once again! He hated himself. Determined to die protecting Diana, Draco was about to step in front of Voldemort. He foolishly thought he could stop him for a couple of minutes. When he raised his gaze toward the group, he saw Fred's eyes signaling Ginny's body, who was lying unconscious next to him. Draco knew deep down what Fred’s plan was. 

It all happened in a fraction of a seconds. Fred launched to Draco a weird wooden keychain and screamed at the same time: “SO LONG TOSSER.” while evaporating with George and his sister. Draco had only 2 seconds to think and grabbed the keychain and Ginny’s hand before disappearing. 

He heard several Avada Kedavra spells fusing next to them and the Dark lord essence following them during their teleporting journey. Some death eaters were grabbing his clothes and trying to tear away his clothes, but the port key was a strong one. They were transported via several ports all over the UK before landing in an uneven pile somewhere in the woods. 

Draco could not understand how they could teleport outside of the manor as it was warded against outsiders.

 When he opened his hand, he inspected the weird keychain launched by Fred, the portkey. It was a wooden dragon. He knew who helped them to escape: His Mother was behind it. She was definitely scarier than he thought. 

Chapter Text

They landed on the harsh floor in an uneven pile. Steadying herself up, Diana saw that Ginny was still unconscious on the floor. The twins were visibly shaken by what they had seen. Fred, who was always so bubbly, even in the most difficult times, was speechless. He was staring into the void. His eyes, usually so bright, were blanketed with a veil of fear. Next to her, George rose from the floor, holding her hand so vigorously that her knuckle became white. Draco was stunned, sitting on a rock separated from the group. Everyone was frozen in place, and no noise echoed from the forest they had landed in. 

On the contrary of the overall feeling, Diana was restless, and she felt a deep panic growing within her. He knew it was her. The Darklord made his intention clear. She wanted to throw up and to be frank, she did not remember if she did at that exact moment. Her ears were buzzing so much that she nearly lost balance. She understood suddenly why her aunt Cissa had sent over this letter with two Dragon portkeys and coordinates. She did not understand their utility at first, but it seems that Fred was way more astute than she was. Fred had understood, and he had saved them. He had saved Diana for the second time in a couple of months. The world felt frozen around her, and she searched for Fred's eyes. The boy had saved them, but seemed to be in a deep paralysis state. 

On the contrary, Diana felt her survival instinct kicking in and igniting like a flame. She had to be there for her friends.

In a rapid flash of her brain, she remembered the letter Percy delivered to her. A plan popped into her head. Without giving it more thought, she put it into action. The young witch gathered the twins around a still motionless Gini and slapped the port key to the order safehouse in Goerge's hands. Her friend looked into her eyes, taking in her resolve.

”We cannot leave you behind! Especially not with him.” He pointed to Draco, who was still seated on a rock some feet away. The Blonde Griffondor gathered her courage. To be honest, she was scared of her gamble, but she trusted Percy. 

She squeezed George's hand. “I will be fine, dear. He is my brother, and if wanted, he could have killed me already thousands of times.”

George was about to answer her, but at the same time, she activated the portkey, and the Weasly sibling disappeared into the void. 

She realized that she was smiling. Her gaze still locked on where George had disappeared. She felt like she would never see him again, her beacon of hope and her favorite person. 

Draco had stayed on the rock still, numb and lost. Diana was still in high survival mode, and she tossed him some spare clothes that she had extracted from her magically enhanced bag (compliments of the brightest witch of her age)

She rapidly changed herself with some muggle hiking clothes and transfigured her arctic blond hair in a rich raven shade. She was halfway from braiding her hair when her brother spoke for the first time. 

“Maybe we should talk ?” 

He was so out of context that Diana’s first reaction was surprise: 

“Talking about what exactly?” She asks in an astounded tone 

“That my bloody twin sister is hunted down by the dark lord like cattle stock? Or maybe we can discuss the weather?” the youngest death eater rudely spat in her face. 

All the panic that had grown within her resurfaced, and above all the fear. The boy was right, and she knew it, but she could not deal with that now. She had to run to save her life and to save him, yet a strong emotion bubbled down her throat. She did not want to scream at him, but it was too late. Closing the distance between them in a second, she kicked him in the sternum before proceeding to saddle him to the floor, her wand below his neck like a dagger. 

“You seriously want to discuss it now, Brother,” she said mockingly but deeply aware that Draco was glaring at her with the darkest eyes she had ever seen. He was close to rage as she was. 

A few minutes passed with the two siblings having a staring contest, Grey versus Grey. Suddenly, a rattling noise echoed from the silent forest. Draco jumped to his feet, pushing Diana aside like a mere bag of potatoes. He held his wand, ready to fight. Diana scanned the surroundings. Maybe the noise was a false alarm, but they had to run. 

In a flat tone, she turned to the blond wizard still ready to fight, “Hide your wand! We need to go. Now! There is a place I know nearby.”  

Chapter Text

Draco could not believe what he had just done. When he saw Diana being brought to slaughter, all his slumber evaporated. A fire was burning in his soul, Diana’s fire. She was his blood, his timeline, his family, and the lifeline he always prayed for. He also vowed to his mother that he would protect his precious sister. Amid the shock of their great escape, Draco felt good, very good that he reunited with Diana.

On the contrary, his sister felt utterly distressed. Her eyes showed fear, and Draco could feel her heartbeat accelerating under her chest. When everyone was in shock, Diana looked restless. Draco witnessed her lovingly embrace the Weasley twin and whisper sweet words into his ear. He could not help but stare at his sister's intimacy with the red-haired boy. He felt jealous and greedy. He wanted to feel her gentle gaze and her sweet closeness.

Draco remembered his mom commenting when he did not want to share his toys: “You greedy little Dragon! learn to share you cannot make everything yours.” Draco had to admit he often felt greedy, but rarely to that intensity. He felt it maybe once or twice toward Hermione at most. Thinking about the brown-haired witch broke the remaining dust of his heart, so he quickly diverted his thoughts to concentrate on Diana. She had sweetly kissed Goerge goodbye while activating the port key to the safe house. Draco could not understand why the young witch decided to stick with him and abandon her friends. Awkwardly, Draco tried to start the conversation with his sister. To his great distress, he did not end well; Diana's fire had burned his ego. She refused to talk to him, and her anger and bitterness echoed his. 

She was mad about her fate. The dark revelation darkened her eyes Draco felt her anger pulsing in his veins; He knew it was not his. She was everywhere in his brain.

The Slytherin prince had no time to analyze the strange feeling spreading in his chest when a sound erupted from the forest. 

As fast as they escaped, they had to run again. Diana had provided him with a muggle disguise: some hiking clothes. She had gently turned his hair the same colors as her disguise: Jet black. In this suspended moment, he felt that his sister was steading herself, so he dared to ask. 

“Where are you bringing me?” 

“I am not bringing you anywhere.” She softly replied. “Aunt Cissa gave me those coordinates via my raven Percy.” 

“Mother?” He reacted. It was so fresh that Diana still called their mother “Aunt”. 

“Yes!” Diana admitted. “She is clever. She knew we would need a little help.”

Turning her heels, Diana started to open the way in a path among the hills. They walked in silence under the drizzle. When they reached the sea, Draco heard his twin whisper: “Cornwalls”. 

“My aunt Andromeda lives in Cornwall.” Draco mechanically replied before adding, “Our Aunt”.

Diana gazed at him with a strange glow. 

“I feel you are nervous. Why?” She asked. 

Draco knew she could read in him. Diana was good with people not like him. She read in them easily, maybe due to her herbalist training. Draco knew that as magical twins, they were both connected. It was only a question of time for their bond to blossom again. He knew it, and she probably knew it too. After some long minutes, he added: “My relationship with my aunt…. our aunt is estranged. She left the Black family to marry a muggle. You can imagine the scandal to sully our blood with muggle blood.”

“Do you think this way?” she asked. 

“Do you?” he replied to her while catching her gaze. 

“Answer my question.” she sighed in annoyance.

“I do not know. Our Dad raised me this way. I never questioned it not until…” he cut himself. Not until Hermione, the girl who held his whole heart in her hands came to the picture. 

“It is not a bad moment to start thinking about building your own belief,” Diana commented dryly. 

“I am here with you.” He commented immediately to her annoyance. 

“Right.” She concluded before turning her gaze to the nearby crick. 

“Andromeda house is here,” she said while pointing to a white cottage nested in a small forest.  

“Let’s pray for our souls if she is anything like mom.” Commented Draco. He was so anxious about meeting his aunt; 

Arriving at the front door after traversing the luxurious garden, Diana rang the door without hesitation. Draco braced for the impact as he knew how resentful was the Black side of the family. An older woman opened the door. She had dark hair and dark eyes, the opposite of their mom. However, her smile was the same as Narcissa. Draco took a couple of minutes to register that the lady before them was smiling wildly. 

“Oww, Dearest !” She said while pulling the two in a suffocating embrace. 

Diana had taken the glamour before reaching the house, so they both looked like their normal self. 

“You look so much like my dear sister, my beautiful Diana!” Andromeda said while kissing Diana’s cheeks. “Draco too bad you look like your dad, but you have your mum’s eyes.”

Diana seemed frozen as if she was watching a strange movie. Draco felt out of place. 

“How?” He managed to whisper.  

“Let’s go inside for a tea. You must be tired, and rain is coming.” Their aunt concluded leading them into her cottage.

_________________

The moment felt surreal. This morning Draco was the youngest death eater, and now he was sipping tea and eating shortbreads at his aunt’s house; 

“How do you know ?” Started Diana. 

“My dear, it is such a long story.” Answered their aunt. “Narcissa is a tough cookie, always has been. Bella had the demon in her mind, I was the rebellious one but Narcissa was something else. She has a fire in her to protect her family. When I married Ted, the whole family turned their back on me. All except her and Sirius, my dearest cousin. May he rest in peace.”

“but mother never talked about you.” remarked Draco. He recalled his mom telling him that she was estranged with her sister for a blood status issue. 

“Though cookie ! She did it her way” Andromeda laughed. “Narcissa truly loved Lucius, but she was not ready to lose me nor Sirius for some stupid blood conflict. She did what she does best, lying and scheming. A true Slytherin.”

“You are not depicting a really good picture of her.” Remarked Diana. 

“Did I say scheming was a bad thing?” replied their aunt while narrowing her eyes to Diana. 

“You mom did what she had to do to keep the family together. She stretched herself to protect both of you, even if it meant tarnishing her soul. I am only admirable of that. Narcissa is strong, but when you were born and the prophecy around your birth Diana was read, she crumbled into pieces.” Andromeda took a pregnant pause to let the storm throw its first lighting. 

“She loves you both immensely, but to keep you safe, she made the most radical choice. She obligated everyone around her who knew Diana and brought you to France: to Isolde.”

“It does not answer how you know?” Draco asked sternly. 

“Right,” Andromeda replied. “On the night, she obliviated us. She gave Sirius, Severus, and me a letter explaining the situation. The letter was heavily cursed to only open at the right time to the right recipient. Mine manifested itself a couple of days ago. I knew you would be coming.” She said while squeezing both of their hands. The storm was still raging outside. 

“Let’s get some rest. We will have a lot more to cover tomorrow.” 

She led them to their rooms, and Draco felt like a weird dream, neither good nor bad. He had trouble understanding what was happening to him and he felt that Diana was in the same strange unknown. 

Chapter Text

Diana could not sleep that night, so she went to the garden to hear the flowers sing. Nature felt so surreal after the rain. In the chaos of the storm, flowers were striving. Diana felt envious, and she hoped that she could feel that strength. She already felt weary from the war, and she did not know how to cope with a full doom prophecy in her head. 

She was confused about being the future mother of the strongest wizard. Will she need to acquire more strength? Or will her pureblood do all the job? 

She was eighteen and had many years before thinking about becoming a mother. Her mind felt restless, and the Cornwall marine air did not help. Diana started to regret her nightly excursion when she spotted, in the early morning light, a touch of blond hair in a rose bush. 

Draco was lying down on one of the stone benches, staring at the sky. 

“I can see that I am not the only one having insomnia.” Diana launched at her brother. 

Without looking at her, he replied: “It has become my routine rather than sporadic episodes. I have horrible nightmares thanks to the bloody death eaters gang.”

“I can imagine.” She replied plainly. For a couple of minutes, they both stared at the sky. 

“Do you abide by Death Eater doctrine?” Diana asked in the dark, breaking the silence. 

“Unfortunately, I did,” Draco added. “I only knew this, and I was brought up like that. I could have continued. I am not good at thinking for myself. I could have continued, but you came into the picture.”

“Me?” Diana was set aback by Draco’s comment. 

“I was ready to die for their cause, not because I believe in it. I was just too weak to act. I was afraid for my mother and remotely for father. Until you came. Today, when I confronted the Dark Lord, it was the first time I acted for myself.”

“But why? We are related, but you hardly know me.” the young witch asked. Draco was her twin brother, but they were strangers. Diana could not understand what led him to stand for her. 

He sighed and turned his gaze to her. 

“We have the same eyes. At first, you were such an annoying presence to me. Those eyes, gosh, I hated them. You were and are an arrogant brat, but still, I felt troubled by that night at the manor where Bellatrix tortured you. I wished. I was arrogant like you. I wished I could look at my damned life with the same stare of “Who cares”. That day, I looked at your eyes again. Those mercury eyes! the same stare as mother, but with a consuming fire. I felt it when my heart was about to stop functioning. When I drowned in oblivion to numb my pain, that fire woke me up. Your fire kept me alive. I hate it. I wanted to stop this life, to stop suffering, but you were there. When you left, I confronted our mother.” Draco stopped for several long seconds; 

“I already knew it was you, but I felt paralyzed. One additional person to have nightmares about.” Diana was stunned by that heartbreaking revelation. She knew Draco had a rough time under Voldemort's rules. She saw how he stood betraying multiple crucial curses. She saw him at school losing his vital essence. Dark circles adorning his eyes. Diana knew that the life he had was radically opposite to her peaceful childhood in the south of France. 

“Don’t you resent me?” she genuinely enquired. 

“For what? Being tortured a little less than me or having a fun prophecy to your name?” 

Draco joked. Diana pursed her lips in annoyance. 

“No! I had a relatively good childhood. My adoptive parents loved me so much. I know yours were not the same.” 

Draco considered the statement before answering. 

“I got spoiled, and, at that time, I thought that paradigm was my reality. I will not lie. I was angry when I learned of your existence. I did not understand at first why you got taken away, but I felt happy also to know you existed.” Draco added until remaining silent as if had said too much already. It gave Diana time to reflect on her reaction. She had so much to unpack that her feelings were mixed. She also lamented her lack of time to digest the situation. It was war, and things had to move fast. Diana still wanted to understand her feelings toward her newly found brother.

“Draco,” she shyly added, breaking the silence. “ I will call you by your first name.” She paused before adding. “I do not know how I feel about you, but I know magical twins are such a blessing. I am willing to try despite your past.” 

Diana saw a sparkle of relief in his eyes, even hope. He just stood up, making his way back to the house. He just added: “All right”, before disappearing through the main door. 

—-----------------

The next morning, Andromeda was fussing over the breakfast table. When Diana reached the main hall, Andromeda approached with a cup full of tea. 

“We need to hurry. Today, my daughter, Nymphodora, will visit to meet with you on behalf of the order. She shall be there any minute now.” 

Suddenly, the floo ignited lighting, from its green flames a young woman with multicolored hair and a small child. 

“Mother!” the woman busted. 

“My dearest daughter. Oh, and my perfect grandson.” Andromeda cheered while snatching Teddy from his mother’s hands.

“My dear! This is Diana. She is Narcissa’s Daughter and your long-lost cousin.”

“Hermione mentioned it,” Nymphodora said, reaching to shake Diana’s hand.

“Please meet to you. cousine. Where is the other half of the duo?” inquired the witch. 

“Draco went to the creak.” Commented Andromeda. “Both had a very traumatic week.”

“I also heard about that.” Tonk placed a gentle hand on her mother’s shoulder.

“ Mom, can you fetch Draco?”

“Sure! My dear.” Andromeda said, carrying Teddy outside with her. 

“He is Remus’s son.” smiled Nymphadora, following with her gaze her mother wandering in the garden with Teddy. 

“He rather look like you.” Commented Diana. Diana knew Professor Lupin, but Teddy had his hair changing color like his mother. Nymphodora had no time to reply when Draco burst into the small living room. 

“Thonk!” He dryly commented. 

“Malfoy!” the witch answered back. 

Draco came to sit in a possessive manner next to Diana, facing Nymphadora that had taken place around the table. 

“We need to talk as the order is rallying. Hermione, Harry, and Ron located the latest hint that will help us defeat the Darklord.” 

“What did they find?” Asked Diana.

“It shall remain secret for the safety of the mission. The only hope is to lure “You know who” outside of his hiding place.” 

Diana was not sure to follow the discourse of her newfound cousin, but Draco did. Spitting his tea, he dryly replied. 

“Absolutely not!”

“You don’t know, what I am about to say.” cried Nymphodora. 

“I know well enough! You are gonna ask Diana to lure him out. I see clearly in your scheme, cousin! You are like the rest of them. You want to send my sister to slaughter.” 

“She will be with all of us! We will protect her. She will be safe.” Nymphodra struggled to explain. 

“Safe with your bunch of clowns! Humor me, cousin!” 

Diana felt so off the conversation. Draco was vomiting his venom to his cousin. Diana felt people were treating her like a small thing to protect because of the bloody prophecy. 

She mentally thanks her mom, Aunt Cissa, for making the executive decision to remove the family. 

“STOP!” Diana finally screamed, cutting both Draco and Nymphadora in their heated debate. 

“Nymphadora, you have to admit that it feels a bit as if I will be used as a sacrificial lamb. Not the best impression for our first time meeting, but I understand that you are only the messenger. Draco, I know you wish to protect me. I thank you, but I lived all my life without your protection, and I am still alive. However, I understand your concern, and I appreciate it.” 

Nymphodora looked at her tea cup without opening her mouth, and Draco's gaze was full of concern. 

“What are you gonna do?” asked Draco in an out-of-character defeated voice. 

“I am.” Diana stuttered. “We have to risk it, Draco.”

Diana saw his brother’s expression darken to reach a mix of bitterness and disappointment. 

“As you wish.” He coldly replied. “but I will not witness that.” he added, promptly exiting the room leaving Nymphadora and Diana stunned. 

Chapter Text

Diana had discussed with her cousin the details of the ambush that would happen the following day. After briefing her and scheduling a meeting time for tomorrow, the multi-colored hair witch left her mother’s manor. Nymphodora kissed her mother goodbye as well as her son Teddy, who would remain for the duration of the battle with his grandma.

Diana felt off and frankly stressed about tomorrow's battle. She tried to calm herself by strolling through the garden, trying to find Draco. She also thought about writing her adoptive parents a letter, but she already feared them being discovered and killed, so she refrained from doing so. 

When the rain started to pour, Diana was seated in front of Andromeda’s piano in the library. She always played with her adoptive dad. He was a musician and taught her how to play the piano when she was a little kid. Diana loved to play when she was stressed. It would always remind her, her peaceful moments with her Dad or at Beaux-Batton with her friends. The young witch brushes delicately the keys. It was finding an old friend. She decided to put aside the immense fear eating her gut, the feeling of not belonging, the anxiety of knowing where her future would lead her, and she just played. She played the piano until the rain stopped and the last light of the day was escaping the land. 

Diana posed for a few seconds, looking at the landscape painting itself from the window. She knew that maybe she would not survive. She should have listened to Aunt Cissa. 

Taking a deep breath, she turned her attention back to the room. She startled slightly, discovering her brother sleeping on the sofa, behind her. When did he enter the room? Diana did not hear him. Slowly and as silently as she could, she tried to exit the library when Draco's deep voice resonated. 

“You are not playing too badly for a beginner.”

“I guess! At least I am good at something in my life,” she said bitterly, and regretted her move immediately as Draco’s eyes darkened. She felt his bitterness rise, and it was not the time to argue. 

“Listen, Draco, I know you disapprove of my choice. I am sorry, and …” Diana tried to argue. 

“No need for more discourse,” he cut. “We already discussed this. We disagree, and so be it.”

“Are you scared?” he asked. 

“I am.” She said without hesitating. She sat on the sofa next to him. 

“I am, too,” Draco confessed. “I am scared for you. I promised our mother to keep you safe.”

“I guess no one can keep me safe by now. It is on me.” Diana reflected while turning to search her brother's gaze. 

“Are you not scared?” She asked, when her mercury eyes met his. 

“I am not. I am dead already. The Death Eaters will just kill my body, and frankly, I do not care.” He added. 

“You told that to our mother. Didn’t you ?” Diana launched. She knew he did. 

“I did. She is a liar. I am not a liar. I told her the truth.”

Diana wanted to facepalm herself. All the boys were considerably dumb. She took note for herself that maybe the company of a lady would be better for her future. 

“Right.” She simply added. She had to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow. 

“Draco, if I do not see you tomorrow. I wanted to tell you..” She started. 

“Stop that!” He brutally cut her. “Just Stop. No one cares about your death wish speech.” 

Diana's heart was beating faster, and she felt tears reaching her eyes. She tried to contain her feelings as much as she could to not let fear and sadness invade her. Draco stood up abruptly and looked at her. She felt in his eyes that they both shared the same fear, although he was trying to conceal it. 

“I am coming tomorrow. I have talked to Nymphadora. You will not die. I will not allow it; otherwise, our mom will kill me herself.” Draco made his way to the corridors, leaving Diana alone on the sofa. 

The young witch knew it was cliché and very cheesy, but she decided to run after him. She crashed into his back, trying awkwardly to hug his back. She let her tears fall on his shirt, and squeezed him as hard as she could to impede him from escaping. To her surprise, Draco did not move, and simply placed his hands on Diana’s arms that were encircling his waist. They stayed like that couple of minutes until Draco broke the silence. 

“You will teach me how to play the piano someday?” 

“I will.” Diana said with a genuine smile while adding, “Do you have anyone to impress?”

She had seen him in Hogwarts, and she knew he was obsessed with a certain Gryffindor girl. 

“I do not see what you are talking about.” He swiftly replied while reaching his room’s door. 

—-----------------------

The next morning, Draco and Diana met in the garden in front of the house. Nymphadora had given them a portkey leading directly to their old school. They both bid goodbye to their aunt and Teddy while activating the portkey. 

Diana and Draco both landed relatively well in Dumbledore's office. 

“Wow, nice landing!” A voice joke. Diana’s heart pinched when she recognized Fred’s voice. 

“Fred!” She shouted while dropping Draco’s hand to embrace the red-haired boy. 

“Hey! Why does he get a hug and not me ?” George protested. 

“George!” Diana felt tears reaching her eyes. Last time she left the boy, they had escaped the terrible Malfoy manor. 

Someone cleared his throat, and Diana remarked that the room was full of people. The order senior members: The Weasley, Nymphadora and Professor Lupin, McGonagall, Professor Slughorn. Her Hogwarts friends: Luna, Neville, Hermione, Ron, of course Harry, and Ginny. Ginny looked haunted. Her eyes looked hollow, and Diana could feel that her soul was not entirely there. 

“So let’s go over tomorrow’s plan,” a tall man commented. Diana would understand later that the man was Kingsley Shacklebolt. He was the order strategist and the leader of tomorrow’s battle. 

“What a Death Eater is doing here?” A voice arose from the small crowd gathered in the office. “It is true,” another voice launched. “Traitor!” said another one. 

“ENOUGH !” added a voice. To Diana's surprise, it was Harry who spoke. 

“Draco protected our friends Fred, George, Ginny, and Diana from the Darklord. There’s no discussion.” 

“And he will not betray us,” added Nymphadora. “We concluded an unbreakable vow on that matter.” 

Diana looked at Draco as if she were saying: “That’s where you went yesterday.”

Draco avoided her gaze as if he was saying: “none of your business.”

“He knows critical information on the enemy, which we will use in our battle strategy,” concluded Shacklebolt. The meeting started and ended promptly. 

During the whole meeting, Draco failed to look at Hermione tentatively. 

The Gryffindor witch was trying to keep her gaze on the battle plan, but Diana knew she was also fighting not to look at him. Love was such a complicated matter, and Diana feared it would not be enough to lead them to tomorrow’s victory. 

Chapter Text

Hermione was running like a madwoman in the Hogwarts corridors, followed by Ron. She was severely injured, but if she had not run for her life, the freaking snake would have eaten her alive.

So much had happened since the morning that she regretted even their Horcruxes hunt over the cold winter.

A couple of hours earlier:

First, they had found and destroyed Ravenclaw’s Tiara, which was one of the last Horcruxes. However, the task had been complicated when Draco’s former “minions” had attacked them and cast a badly executed Fiendfyre spell in the room. As Ron had declared right after their escape, “Nice that we did not finish bloody barbecued. Happy to be alive!”

The day was then continued by finding Professor Snape's mutilated body at the dock. The professor's memory revealed that Snape had dedicated his life to protecting Harry, as Snape was deeply in love with Lily Potter. The day had ended in finding Fred, Lupin, and Nymphadora's bodies, killed savagely by Death Eaters.

Hermione's heart broke at the thought. She could not stand seeing Fred so still, and hearing Ron’s painful cries had precipitated her into a strong affliction. Diana was also there, sobbing quietly while attending to all the wounded. Hermione tried to hold her tears as she needed to be strong for the others. She saw Harry in deep conversation with Shacklebolt and Neville. When he returned to her and Ron, his eyes were determined. He explained briefly that Voldemort wanted him dead first, so the plan for Diana would not work until Harry was dead.

Harry had squeezed Hermione and Ron in one last embrace before disappearing into the forbidden forest. Once again, Hermione had not cried. During the rest of the night, Luna, Diana, and Hermione had diligently assisted the wounded. Although her heart was shattered, Hermione took her time to search for Draco, who was seated alone next to a window. His eyes were full of fire, but his body was stiff and cold. Hermione had no time to understand all the thoughts that were passing through his mind: How did he decide to switch sides? How was he living with the thought that his sister was Voldemort's principal target? How did he feel having a twin out of the sudden? 

Later in the first hours of the morning, Voldemort reappeared with Harry’s body in the main courtyard. Hermione's heart had stopped for the one thousandth time of the day, and she had felt that the grief would be too difficult for her to bear. However, her mouth could not scream, and her eyes could not shed any tears. She had heard Ginny's piercing cry and Voldemort's evil laugh. She had seen at that moment, Draco and Diana firmly holding their hand, when Narcissa appeared alive but very injured next to the Darklord. 

The Darklord had explained that he had kept Mrs Malfoy alive, to have fun breaking Diana and Draco when they would have regained their rank. The Darklord had then asked if any of them wanted to join his side while they could still survive. No one had answered until Neville had raised his hand. Hermione felt betrayed when she thought Neville was switching sides. However, his move was only to disrespect the Darklord and give time to Harry to rise from the dead once again. It all happened in a couple of seconds. Once the boy who lived faced Voldemort, Draco had sprinted toward Harry. Hermione thought it was to kill him, or maybe a desperate move to escape.

However, she was surprised when the Slytherin prince handed his wand to Harry. Out of the sudden, Hermione's brain had clicked. Draco's wand was the one that disarmed Dumbledore; his wand was the true owner of the Elderwand. The move was brilliant, and Hermione could only be jealous of the boy's strategy. Once Harry had positioned himself to confront Voldemort, all the Death Eaters had started to run. Bellatrix had launched herself behind George and Ginny. The Carrows’ siblings had run toward Luna and Diana. In the chaos, Draco had run toward his mother, while Ron and Hermione got tailed by the bloody snake. 

Hermione held the red-haired hand like a lifeline. She remembered the fresh souvenir of Ron's lips on hers, the excitement she had felt. She had loved him in silence for so many years, and finally, he was returning the favor to her. With Ron, Hermione felt safe. It was like sitting next to the fireplace with a warm cup of tea. Even if they were running to save their life, she felt safe with him at her side. Her heart was so full, and yet she could not pinpoint the uneasy feeling growing in her chest, as if her body was burning. 

Going back to reality, she felt Ron dragging her behind his body to protect her. The vicious snake had launched itself at Ron's arms. Hermione could only close her eyes in fear as her brilliant brain felt that no possible outcome outside of death was possible. She heard the most horrific war cry and thought that it was done. She had died. However, after several seconds, the young witch felt the air in her lungs, and Ron's hand pressed firmly against hers. 

Opening her eyes, her breath was cut short: she saw the lifeless body of the snake lying on the floor. On top of it, Neville was holding Gryfydor swords with pride. 

Hermione had never seen her friend that confident. 

Neville gazed at them and screamed something at Ron, running toward the main hall. 

Hermione could not hear anything as her heart pounded so strongly in her chest. 

She understood that something was going on, as the spells stopped flying out of the sudden, and a heavy silence fell on the castle. It was not a deadly silence. Hermione could hear the sounds of nature regaining their places. Birds were shipping, and the gentle wind was blowing in the corridor. 

“That’s it!” simply said Ron. He turned his gaze to her. He looked injured and tired, but Hermione's heart melted. She launched herself into his arms and started sobbing. 

All the pain seemed to be pouring out of her body, and Ron patiently waited for her. He embraced her strongly and possessively. Hermione felt at peace, but weirdly, she did not feel at home yet. She explained her feelings on the fact that her grief was immense. War had broken her teen years, and she would carry her battle scars with her for the remainder of her days. 

Chapter Text

The end of the war brought its share of radiant celebration, but also devastating grief. He felt that his world was torn apart, that his other half was gone. The only thing he saw in the mirror was his twins and his empty corpse. When Fred lost his life, George was not there. His brother had fallen alone in a dark corridor, struck by an Avada spell. Once George had finally seen his brother cold on the floor. His heart stopped beating, and it never started anew.

It had felt so wrong to see Fred that still, with pale skin and empty eyes. Remembering this sight, George suddenly felt the urge to puke. George was asking himself every day if someone’s heart could be that shattered the way he was. The grief was so intense that George felt numb. He spent his days in the room he shared with Fred. He stayed to feel his brother, smell his scent, and hope that he would burst from the door. At first, George refused to function without him, and he was frustrated. Life was starting anew. Everything at the Borrow started to function again, contrary to George. He was stuck, unable to start anew.

He also felt that his grief was not welcome in this period of celebration.

George shut down and hid his immense pain behind a polite smile. He accepted the regards with a fake grin. He hated all of this without Fred. He hated how he felt. No one understood how painful it felt to lose half of oneself.

The day of the funeral was a bright day. He dreaded it. How to say goodbye when you do not believe it yourself.

Diana was there, and he barely registered her presence. He resisted non-stop in his mind: “Fake smile”, “Breath in”, “Breath out”.

The ceremony went in a blur. He did not know whether the blur was due to his eyes or the overall numbness in his heart.

He did not say good-bye; he could not. His mantra, “polite smile,” was resonating like a hollow prayer. He needed air. He needed to be out of the Borrow. He sprinted toward the garden, where Fred's Tomb was located. George just stayed there looking at the void. He could not understand how long it had been. The light started to dim on the horizon when he heard footsteps behind him. He did not bother to turn when she started to speak. 

“Your mother thought you might be a bit cold.” 

It was late spring, but strangely, the nights were still cold. She adjusted the light blanket on his shoulder. George knew it was Diana. Her voice, her touch, and even her scent, he had it all memorized as one day he had loved her. Even in the most difficult of the places, his heart remembered that she had meant something to him. 

She dropped next to him: “ I will play something for him. Can I? He never heard me play.”

Diana took his silence as a potential approval and conjured a small keyboard. He had never heard her play before. He guessed that it was something she liked doing before all of this. He felt bile in his mouth as he realized that none of them would ever be like before. 

Diana's long hands started to stroke the keyboard delicately. 

She softly whispered, “Hi, Freddie, I wrote this piece for you. Hope you will like it.”

When the first note echoed in the Borrow’s garden, the sun started to set behind the horizon line. George closed his eyes and listened. The melody was melancholic, yet not sad. 

An intense rage started to boil down his throat. Hot tears spilling uncontrollably from his eyes. Why him? Why was he alive ? Was life playing a game? He could have saved him. Only one minute, and he could have saved him. He could have taken the blow.

 He could have convinced him to stay home. Diana was playing, and his anger was overflowing. His cries were no longer quiet sobs. He was howling in pain with his heart open and bleeding. He thought he might be close to dying. Diana played stronger as if she had created a space for him to express his sadness in an intimate manner. When the song ended, he collapsed on the floor. He could really hear her saying, “Farewell, my friend.” Out of the sudden, he could feel her warmth embracing him. She smelled like orange blossom. They stayed silent for a few minutes in the dusk. Until he closed his eyes and abandoned himself to her warmth.

________________

Diana let George at the Borrow to rest after such an intense day. She also had to go home, but she was not really sure where home was. The communication lines were still closed between the UK and the mainland. Fleur and Bill were staying with the Weasley. Hogward was destroyed. She did not know where her brother had gone during the battle. She felt him alive in her heart, but she was unable to locate him.

Diana wanted to go to Andromeda’s, but her aunt had just lost her daughter. Diana felt it would be delicate to return to her cottage.

Hopeless, the young witch, turned herself toward the only place she knew, she belonged.

When she reaches the manor garden, a cold chill pierce her body. The manor was in the dark, and Diana started to regret her choice when she heard a voice in the rose garden.

Approaching with care, she found her Aunt Cissa and Draco discussing in one of the benches.

Narcissa had dirty clothes covered in blood. On her face, Diana could see many bruises and an open lip. Draco was standing next to her, holding her hand. When Diana made her presence known, Draco and Narcissa both turned their heads toward her.

It was Draco who reacted first. He ran toward Diana and, without a word, hugged her strongly.

“I was not sure to find anyone here.” Diana could only whisper. She felt slightly awkward as it seemed unusual for Draco to be that demonstrative.

“My babs,” said Narcissa, sobbing. “It was all worth it. I can hug you both, my dearest.”

Her aunt, now mum, had joined the embrace. Diana felt even more awkward.

“My parents?” Diana shyly asked after a couple of minutes.

Narcissa regains her composure for an instant and answers her daughter's question.

“Alive. I prompted them to hide at the beginning of the war. Isolde is resourceful. They went to her New Zealand estate.” Diana had never heard about that and was shocked to learn about her adopted mum's secret life.

“Do not beat yourself up, child. Isolde kept it a secret from everyone for this type of occasion. War had been upon us for a long time.”

Diana's heart was broken, but weirdly, she felt an anchor with her mum and brother.

Draco looked tired and haunted, but still forced himself to smile. For the first time, Diana had a smile. A rare occurrence, she thought.

“Now, can you teach me how to play the piano?” He said genuinely. He remembered their discussion before launching each other into the battle.

“Sure.” Diana could utter. 

Chapter Text

The prophet was tossed loosely on the living room grand table. Draco was exhausted. The final battle had drained his last strength. For one in his life, he felt that he did the right thing. By tossing his hand to Harry, he had become a decisive actor in the last battle. He had also seen “Her” covered in blood, but fiercely alive. She was surrounded by her friends, the ugly red hair,Ginny, and Diana. His twin sister was also covered in blood, but he felt confident that the blood was not hers either. He laughs to himself, thinking that his sister wanted to give the impression of a nonchalant tea drinker, but in reality, she was as scary as their mother.

Although the battle happened a couple of days ago, it already felt like a distant memory. After the war, he came back to the manor. The old house felt hollow as if the noises were silenced. Draco and his mother found blood everywhere, and an impressive amount of dark artefacts. With the ministry's help, the house was slowly cleaned of all the dark magic. His twin sister had decided to stay at Hogwarts to help with the reconstruction effort. It gave Draco time to rest and digest the terrible year he had lived.

His father was on the run as a prominent Death Eater member and strategist of the Dark Lord. As his mother and Draco helped the order directly and indirectly, they were both pardoned.

Life could start again until it didn’t.

Draco felt empty and powerless. 

His family got pardoned, but his implication as the youngest Death Eater stained his reputation like the horrific tattoo that did not leave his arm. Shame was complemented by a strong feeling of imposture. 

How can he be pardoned ? 

He knew he was a bigot. He should not receive praises such as being called the “redempted prince,” as he had seen in the prophet. The guilt started as a small ache in his heart, but now it had grown into an affection that was growing on its own. 

He barely talked to his mother or sister. Worse! The nightmares he thought would end with the war started to grow out of control. In the past, Hermione was the only inhabitant of his nightmares. The nightmares were now inhabited by his mom and sister. In every case, he was confronted with a tragic dilemma which ended in one of dying, if not all of them. A little thought grew on top of the guilt: He was not enough, and he would never be. He hated himself. He had repented himself, but it was too late. He had apologies, but at the wrong time. He had acted in the light without leaving the shadows. 

He was a failure. Forcing himself out of bed like every morning. Draco had the prophet layed out on the table. He never really liked this newspaper full of lies, but it seems it was the only newsroom still alive after the war. Comfortably seated for breakfast like every morning, he reluctantly opened the tabloid to browse the latest information. 

On the first page was a picture of Granger in Hogwarts’ main room, awkwardly posing next to the Weasley boy. Her face was like a geisha mask stuck into a strange, happy grim. On the other hand, the red hair boy was beaming with pride; Lowering his gaze, Draco remarked on the most “tacky” ring he ever saw sitting on Hermione’s delicate hand. 

Still in disbelief, Draco took a sip of his coffee. However, it seems that the precious liquid was not passing through his lips; 

Analyzing the situation, he felt dampness reaching his lips, but it was not coffee. 

In a really slow movement, he reached his hand to his face. The dampness was coming from his eyes. Was he crying ? 

Feeling started to catch up in his mind. Granger was getting married, but she was getting married to someone else. She did not choose him. 

His ears started to ring. In his rib cage, a weird feeling started to develop. It felt so hollow, but a sharp pain was stabbing his heart. She had made her choice. She did not love him, and she will be forever someone else. His world crumbled into a deep agony. The feelings were so strong, he could not feel anything else. He was just sobbing. 

____________________________________

He did not remember when he emerged from his slumber. The coffee was cold, and the morning light was now replaced by darkness. 

He was alone in the old house. The very house Granger got tortured in. The house in which he watched her being tortured, and he did nothing. The house where he tied his destiny to the darkest wizard. He was a failure. That's why she did not give him her heart. He was dark,corrupted, a coward, and a bloody imbecile. 

After the numbness of the afternoon, the pit in his stomach had transformed itself into a bitter lake. Bile reached his mouth. Fuck everything, he thought. Let’s be done with it. 

The bitter lake ignited in a quiet noise. At the same time, a flame danced in front of his eyes. Couple of minutes ago, he had summoned fiendfyre  in the manor. The house started to burn quietly at first. At the same time as the anger grew in his veins fire started to catch up. 

Weirdly, the destruction did not bring peace to his mind. It seems that it awoke a wave of wild  chaos. If he were a failure, he wanted to fail properly. Destroy everything and burn the world to clench his thrust. 

In the chaos and after the house had started to burn intensely, he heard his sister screaming his name. She might have come back alerted by the house elf. She looked beautiful. Her long hair was flying in the flames, and she had the same annoying grey stare. She looked like she was screaming at him, but he did not understand her as he was blinded by anger. She seemed keen on dragging him out of the firedrye inferno. 

“You are fucking crazy!”She shouted. “Have you lost your bloody mind? You are not going to leave like that bastard. I forbid it.”

Her eyes were full of tears. He said nothing. He was not himself anymore; He was pure madness. On a whim, he grabbed her violently before apparating out of the manor. In the rose garden, he saw Diana take a deep breath to center herself. “Talk to me! Please!” She plead.

He handed her his notebook, in which he had compiled all his feelings over the years. IT was the only memory of who he was, and who he will ever be. In that fire, Draco Lucius Malfoy had died. Reaching to kiss his sister’s cheek, one last time. He disappeared into obscurity, where he always belonged.

Chapter Text

The wedding Ceremony went in a blur. An ocean of smiling faces, long lost relatives, friends, and fellow order members, yet she felt a hole in her chest. She thought it might be because her parents were not there. Abandoned in their blissful life in Australia. Tears started to pick through her long lashes, but she swiftly brushed them away. The moment should be happy, she repeated it as a mantra.
Her father could not bring her down the aisle, so her best friend did the job. Harry was her last family more than a best friend. He was her brother. He was sharing the hardship, the same muggle upbringing, the same pain of losing his parents, and the suffocating expectations from everyone. Dinner came, and her now husband was merrily drinking with his brothers already red as strawberry for the ale.
She hated ceremonies as all the recent ones she attended made her relive the war. Her first dance came and woke her up from her intrusive thoughts. She gave all the power to Diana to choose a song as she would be performing it. Weirdly and against her mantra to be happy, she instructed her friend to refrain from singing something too cheerful. Hermione interrogated herself: why did she make such a request? She felt guilty for showing too much happiness after so many losses. Her missing friends appeared like shadows painted on the wall. She had to stop herself from recalling their names like an infinite list. As true to herself, Diana did not ask questions. Hermione felt already very bad about requesting a sad first dance like she was admitting that the grand wedding was not her idea.
People started to clap, and it was her queue to enter the dance floor with her husband. Her friend, the ginger small kid she met on the train in her first year.
He was smiling gingerly, stretching his hand.
The Malfoy girl started her piano, her long white hands stroking the first key. The mellow melody started. Hermione’s heart dropped further and further down. She was glad Ron was there to maintain her balance. She knew the lyrics of Diana’s angelic voice: “Be mine. When the world ends, and skies tremble down.”
She wrote that to him over the sixth year. She wrote that to Draco, hoping he would stay in the light. The voice continued, “When the truth sounds like a lie. When you and I, are buried in the ruins of earth. I will be by your side for what’s worth. If we face the gate of hell.”
She could not hide her distress as she felt her body sob violently.
He replied to her! Those lyrics were his words. He replied to her. What did all this mean? Was he here? Why now?
The sobs became uncontrollably violent, but people mistook her for an emotional bride. She felt her heart shatter. Did he love her? He never said anything, and why did he leave?
Her head was spinning as fast as the song was coming to an end. The last lyrics are “Let it Burn.”
How ironic, when his last known apparition was when he set fire to his ancestral home.
As the song ended, a cheerful roar echoed from the crowd. Diana saluted her audience and quickly approached her. Her eyes were the same as his and her hair the same icy blond. Hermione notices Draco's signet ring attached to the pendant on Diana’s neck as she presses her in a tight embrace. She heard the singer whisper “I am sorry dear. He wanted to gift you this.”
She then turned sharply, disappearing as fast as she arrived. She let Hermione stoned on the eyes full of tears as the rest of the guests joined on the dance floor.

—----------------

She played his poem, the one he left for her on that day. Diana felt her heart break because Hermione knew too well who wrote it and for whom.
She felt incredibly guilty because her friend had cried. Her sobs had been so loud that she had to play louder to hide Hermione's agony. Visibly distraught, Diana took out her emergency pack of cigarettes as she crunched to the wet and muddy floor. She was still lost in her thoughts when she heard a voice distracting her slumber. “Care to share,” the voice said. She loosely tossed her pack to the stranger as her peripheral vision registered the flamboyant hair.
“You!” she whispered, even more distraught than before. “Me!” He replied with a sweet smile and added, “You are a wicked witch.”
He was laughing. She was glaring at him while taking a smoke.
“After all those months, That is how you come back, George? Calling me names?”
She spat dryly.
George looked at her gray eyes, the smile washed from his face.
“You understand, don’t you?”
Diana shook her head, admitting defeat. “I do, but me too I have suffered. You shut me down. You did not reply to my owls. You avoided me like some type of disease.”
The red-haired twin turned his gaze toward the horizon.
“I am sorry blondie! I needed time.”
A long pause occurred. Diana could hear the noise of the party going on in the background. A few drunk people were already shouting and smoking outside.
He continued, “How have you been faring?” The conversation felt very plain and deprived of feeling, but Diana answered honestly.¬
“I have missed you,” she heard herself say.“Everyone I love seems to be avoiding me those days.” She sighed trying to lighten the mood, “ How was your trip ?” She knew he left for a trip around the wizarding world. Everyone had their way to cope. “My trip is far from over, and I hardly believe it will be over.” He continued to smoke before adding, “ I will never be able to come back home. I am fleeing my pain as I would never be able to bear it.” Once again, an awkward silence fell between them. It was Goerge who tried this time to change the subject. “He loved her very much, the ferret? He wrote the poem, right ?”
She smiled, “ I cannot tell you, but I think the irony is that he is weirdly on the same path as yours. He will never go home because the pain and the regret are unbearable for him.”
After she finished her sentence, George stood abruptly, stretched and said, “He is still alive, and time will tell.” A cloud of sadness passed on his features, and he started to walk back to the tent. Diana knew she had to tell him. Standing up, she shouted: “Hey, I thought we had a future, you and I. You might not feel it anymore, but, please, don’t be a stranger. Let’s hang out sometime.” She quickly added, “As friends, I have missed you.” He smiled again. “Of course, and I missed you too,” and he disappeared into the tent. She stayed outside for a long moment after that. The cool spring air helped her to fight the bitter feeling twitching her soul.

Chapter Text

The summer came to an end, and 8th year was upon them. War had depleted the student body, between those fallen during the several battlefronts and those hurt or traumatized to set foot again in Hogwart. Only eighteen 8th years came back to finish their education and pass their NEWT. Five Griffondors returned: Hermione, Diana, Nevile, and the Twins. Gini came back in 7th year. Luna was part of the six ravenclaws coming back. Two Slyverin boys came back to the school, Theo and Blaise, as both lived the war from afar. The remaining returning kids were Hufflepuff. Her New husband and Harry decided to ditch the NEWT altogether to follow an Auror training offered by the ministry to all the wizards sixteen years old or above.

The days back to school were weirdly peaceful ones. However, classes felt more like tutored lessons than actual classes. 

Professor Slughorn started the semester with two students, his favorite ones. Mrs. Diana Malfoy and the brightest witch of her age, as he liked to call her. 

The two of them worked in silence, Slughorn barely supervising. 

Once the Ditany completed and upon checking it, he dismissed the class. The first classes of the year were oddly basic, but Hermione knew it was an excuse, so they helped secretly restock Hogwarts remedies stocks. Exiting the damp darkness of the dungeon, Hermione turned her gaze toward Diana. Her friend was slightly thinner than usual. It was most likely due to the war's aftermath. She had a slight redness to her eyes that accompanied almost all the 8th-year students. It was not due to intense exams, not yet, but to endless sleepless nights. 

Finishing her inspection, She asked, “How was summer?”

The fellow Gryffondor turned her head slowly with the same sneer as her twin brother: “Dear, I see your eyes. Please ask now! I have another class to attend to.”

Hermione felt her cheeks blush from the embarrassment, and of how easily her friend read through her. She answered bluntly.“ Do you know anything about him?”

Without looking at her, Diana answered: “I don’t. He is a stubborn little piece of…” 

She stopped herself, and her grey eyes reached her honey-brown eyes. Hermione saw the sadness and the preoccupation within them. A preoccupation she could not admit, she also shared with Diana. “I saw him for the last time, the day he set ablaze the manor. I haven’t heard from him since, but he lives. I know it! I feel it! At least his heart is still beating, if that’s what you are asking me.”

A heavy silence fell on the pair as they were exiting the dungeon. 

“I am sorry, you know…. We.”

Hermione broke the silence awkwardly. Her mind was running fast. Did Diana know? Did he tell her? Then she remembered her wedding opening song, which could confirm that Diana was aware of the relationship she once had with Draco.

“I feel like it is partially my fault.” She added as they reached the top of the staircase.

Diana stopped to hold Hermione's hand, an unusual gesture for someone like Diana. 

“Don’t preoccupy yourself too much! We went through a war. You were actively fighting. It took something from all of us. It is his way to grieve. I just hope he will be back.”

In those words, she muttered a goodbye to Hermione before running to her next class. Letting Hermione once again be stunned by her departure. She wondered what was hiding behind her friend's odd behavior. The only certitude the bright witch had was that Diana was looking day by day more like her twin brother. 

 ___________________

Diana had to admit that the war changed her. She used to enjoy her quiet moments alone in nature; now, the darkness reminded her of the dampness of the dungeons. In addition, an intense grief was crippling her. She had not only to mourn Fred, but also she had to grieve the relationship with George.

She had not seen him since the wedding. The blossoming affection between them had withered like a sick garden. Diana had cried, ugly cried. She poured all her bitterness into our herbalism and potions studies. Grief was too much, especially when it was forced. George was not dead, but he looked like he was. When he had approached Diana at Hermione’s wedding, he looked like a stranger. She knew when he came that he was there to announce to her his complete removal from Diana’s life. Since then, he had ignored her calls and letters and refused to see her. Diana felt bitterness fill her mouth; once again, she was angry. She understood George's grief, but she felt like collateral damage. Her heart being already badly bruised, Diana was not expecting to feel the pain from her brother’s departure. 

Hermione had asked about Draco, and Diana had answered. To tell the truth, the young witch did not know where her brother was. She felt he was alive, but she could not locate him. 

Diana had asked Narcissa, who she found out was her birth mother, but the woman did not know anything. Diana knew her mother was skilled at concealing her feelings, and since Draco's departure, she had acted like everything was normal.

For Diana, nothing was normal, and she resented her mother for this. In addition to losing her friend, losing her love, her brother being missing, her dreams forever haunted by blood and death, Diana had a terrible prophecy on her head. Unlike Harry, who had completed his prophecy, he was killed by Voldemort. Diana’s prophecy did not end with the evil wizard's death. On the contrary, now the wizarding world was aware of it, and indifference was now replaced by curious looks. The Prophet had approached her, demanding a countless number of interviews, all of which Diana refused. Thankfully, Howgward was a haven, and her brother's burning down the manor had diverted the media’s attention somewhere else. 

Diana sighed and sat down in the corridor. Her brain was about to explode. She needed to focus and plan, so she could spare some bandwidth to heal. 

She was about to pull out a leather journal to write down her thoughts when she saw some expensive loafers stop in front of her vision. 

Surprised, she raised her grey gaze to look at the owner. 

Diana was surprised not to recognize the guy in front of her. 

He was of average height, olive skin, dark curly hair, and deep forest green eyes. 

His face was deformed in an awkward grimace, and his eyes were not focused on her, but rather on the wall behind her. 

After their eye contact, the boy spoke in a deep voice. 

“Hello, Diana, I am sorry if I startled you. My name is Théodor. Théodor Nott. I am Draco’s best friend.” 

Diana looked at Théo weirdly. Her brother never spoke about a best friend. Well, her brother never talked about many things. Saddened to understand that she did not know anything about her twin brother, and frankly bothered by Théo's presence while she was introspecting, Diana gave the boy a nasty look. 

“What do you want?” she blunted. Théo did not seem offended or shocked. He looked determined. 

“I know Draco left abruptly, and I wanted to know if you had any information?” Théo blunted out. 

Rolling her eyes, Diana looked at Théo even more annoyed than before. 

“Théodore. I would also like to know that answer. Unfortunately, you might know my brother better than I do, and we both know that he is stubborn.”

Diana paused to look at Théo, who was searching her gaze. She had no time for those sterile conversations, and she was now in a dire mood. She picked up her stuff appropriately and stood facing the boy. 

“If you have no other conversation point, I will leave. Goodbye Théodore.” 

Diana was glad to leave promptly when she felt a hand grabbing her elbow.

“If you have any news, will you inform me?” Théodor said, still grabbing her elbow. 

Diana first looked at his hand still in contact with her robe, and then at Théo's eyes. As soon as their eyes met again, the young wizard dropped her robe. Diana understood that she might have scared him with one of her deadly looks. 

“I hardly believe that he will contact me, but if that’s the case, I will inform you. Now, if you would excuse me, I have some class to attend.” 

It was a lie. She had no class to attend, but she felt the urge to isolate herself. She needed calm, and all the people seemed to be willing to disturb her peace of mind. Rushing back to her dorm, she closed herself in her four-poster and wept. She was tired and unable to live this way. 

Chapter Text

Hermione's back school had been uneventful. She was rooming in the same corridors as she used to, and attending the same classes. After the last battle, her grief had been so immense that her mind was not able to process anything. She only remembered the pain of losing her friends, the smell of blood, and the fear of having to say goodbye to someone else. What she was not expecting was that war took so many young lives, but it also scarred brutally all the people still alive. Harry had lost the spark in his green eyes, and often refused to open up about what he lived. Ginny, who had lived through the worst atrocity, was drowning herself in alcohol and long hours of sleep. George had left the country, wandering aimlessly across the world. He had given up the shop'commands to his dad, and he was not sure to come back. Luna seemed unaffected, but Hermione knew she was more and more lost in her world. Diana often adorned red rimmed eyes and an angry look. 

On her hand, Hermione had lost herself, and she knew it. After the battle, she was so wounded that she accepted Ron's warmth like an antidote to her sadness. He had shielded her and cared for her. Once the red-haired boy, half bloody and half dirty from the battle, had dropped a knee on the floor, she could not say no to him. 

Since the summer solstice, she was now a Weasley. Married to Ron and his entire family. 

Molly had been ecstatic and had planned the whole wedding in a couple of weeks. From the color of the flower to her dress, Hermione had no say in anything, and Ron said nothing about it.

On one hand, she felt concerned that her life would always be managed in that manner by her mother-in-law. On the other side, her heart felt like an addict of Ron’s attention and contact. She was not ready to let go of him. 

Although she needed more and more attention as Ron’s loving effect was decreasing by the day. She felt horrible for using her childhood friend in such a terrible manner. 

To add to her preoccupation list, Draco, whom she had loved in her youth, had disappeared in the worst of manners. The young wizard, “plagued by remorse" as described by the prophet, had decided to end his life in the most spectacular manner. Draco set fire to his ancestral home, reducing all his patrimony to ashes and leaving his mother and sister homeless. Hermione’s heart broke tremendously at the news, but she could not mourn Draco as no one knew he was once her lover. Hermione wept quietly in the lavatory, making sure to charm her puffy eyes. 

On her wedding day, Diana had sung one of the poems he had written to her, and her stomach pitied again. However, before leaving, Diana gave her a letter at the wedding a letter. 

The paper was similar to one used on the letter Draco sent her in the sixth year. 

When Hermione opened the letter the next morning, her eyes watered automatically. With an elegant calligraphy, it was written: 

“Draco Malfoy died that night. Do not come looking for me.

Yours truly and always, 

D.”

He was alive. Hermione cried in relief and in pain. What led him to act that way?

She was losing sleep at night trying to understand his motives. At the same time as Draco's disappearance, some well-known Death eaters were cornered and then delivered by magic to the ministry doorsteps, some still alive but badly injured, some already cold. 

The prophet was rambling every day about this modern time vigilante. Hermione knew that the coincidence was too big, and that new super agent was Draco. She tried to ignore the thought as hard as she could. However, her brain could not let go. She had to know, if it was him and his motivations. 

When school began, she tried to ask Diana. The blond witch was now a Malfoy. During the war, the order discovered that Diana had been snatched at birth in order to protect her from a grim secret. She was destined to birth the strongest wizard, and for that she had been hunted like an animal by Voldemort. When he finally found out that Diana was the recipient of the prophet his wrath became stronger, but at the same time the order used it to defeat him. 

However, post war Diana was still tagged by said prophecy. Hermione thought that Diana had to live with so many secrets which explain her constant restlessness. The blond witch had for that raison refused all Hermione’s tentative requests to ask for more information. Hermione was close to using Veritaserum on her, when one day Diana exploded. It felt so weird to see her out of her depth. Usually Diana was so nonchalant and composed. 

The young witch had turned violently to face Hermione, before dryly cutting the conversation. 

“Hermione, please stop. I beg you. Everyone is asking me and it reminds me that he is not here with me. For one last time, I have no clue of his whereabouts. If you are so curious investigate yourself.” 

Diana exited the room, without looking at Hermione. Her friend had stopped talking to her several days after the incident until Hermione had apologised for her intense behaviour.

Nonetheless Hermione was agitated by the affair. She needed to understand why Draco Malfoy had left the circulation. If he was the one killing former death eaters? 

She had the deeply rooted feeling that her curiosity was not only linked to solving the mysterious disappearance. She cared for Malfoy way more than she dared to admit. 

Touching her wedding band, Hermione reorganized one last time the news article she had gathered. 

First of all, at the beginning of the summer the Carrow siblings had been found badly injured in front of the ministry fountain. The prophet did not describe the spell used on them, but Hermione could recognize a septumsempra when she saw one. 

Augustus Rookwood had been found dead on the outskirts of Glasgow with a piece of silver in the mouth. Crab senior was also found dead on Diagonal Alley. Lucius Malfoy was also the victim, although he seemed only mildly hurt, the healers found that his psyche was broken to the point of no return. 

It seemed that the night vigilante was more and more brutal in his handling of the fugitives. 

What Hermione found odd was that at first glance, it seemed as if the person had no operating model. However, after digging deeper into the topic, she found out that the vengeance was a well-oiled machine. Each of the Death Eaters had been meticulously tracked and followed as if the person had inside knowledge. Each of the punishments the victim underwent felt strangely tailored to their case. The Carrow that had caused so much suffering to the Hogwarts students had been badly tortured and kept on the verge of death for them to receive judgment. The other had a painful death, but they could escape a form of judgement. 

Hermione wondered if it was intentional or accidental. 

Reviewing her notes, she decided to follow the breadcrumbs this new Avenger had left. Either Yaxley or Dolohov would be the next on the list, and Hermione knew exactly how to proceed. 

She checked her supply of polyjuice potion and headed to Knockturn Alley to start her investigation. Hermione felt a spark of excitement. This time, she would go on a solo adventure, and she was particularly excited about this perspective. 

Chapter Text

Diana was tired. Over the past month, she had not slept a bit, haunted by the image of the war, and broken by all the revelations she had to endure.

However, after the sudden heartbreak her prophecy brought her, she still felt surrounded. Her adoptive parents were sending her countless letters, which Diana found heartwarming. Fleur tried from time to time to visit her at Hogsmeade. Her aunt, now mother, was making the most effort to foster their relationship. Diana was not ready to fully trust Narcissa, but, like her brother, she decided to give it a try.

Narcissa had sacrificed so much for them, and Diana felt grateful that her biological mom kept her protected for so many years.

She had a peaceful and happy childhood thanks to her unlike her brother’s childhood.

She could not say she had a relationship with him as he had left her rapidly after their first encounter. However, now that the secret was out, it felt like their link had come back to life in her heart. She felt Draco. She knew he was alive, but his heart was clouded.

She regretted the short amount of time they had, and she truly hoped that one day he would come home. Diana also understood that grief was so personal and that her brother needed time to process the war. However, it felt weird knowing that he was there without being there.

Her feelings were already messy due to the war, but people seem to be inclined on annoying her more. Hermione was hovering over her like a bird of prey. The brown haired witch asked every day about Draco's whereabouts until Diana had clearly restated her boundaries. Hermione apologized and stopped asking. Diana knew the bright witch had not let go of the topic and was now investigating on her side.

Diana's relief was short-lived. Another unexpected pest was now affecting Diana.

The pest took the form of a fellow student, with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes, called “Théodor Nott”.

In the same fashion as Hermione, the wizard was asking her every single day about Draco's whereabouts. Diana had tried to explain that she was not aware of anything, and she made sure to avoid him at all costs. However, Théodor was persistent, and when he was not asking Draco whereabout, Théodor was following her from afar.

Diana was not spooked to say the least. She was rather very annoyed at the boy, and used any occasion to look in his direction with daggers in her eyes .

Over the fall, Diana had regained some rhythm. She was attending most of the class with Hermione, who was adamant about explaining her latest information on Draco's case. Diana listened quietly and made sure not to get too much involved as she respected her brother’s wish to be alone.

Diana also attended botanic classes with Neville and Luna, which became a pleasant moment. Luna and Neville were both a sweet company. Luna was lost in her inner world, and Neville's had gentle demeanor and extreme passion for plants. Neville and Diana exchanged a lot, as both shared a passion for plants. Diana was often interrogating him on various species and their medicinal properties.

Neville and Diana would often visit Dogweed and Deathcap , Hogsmeade's exotic plant shop.

It was during one of these occasions that Diana went to Hogsmeade on this foggy October weekend.  

“I would rather use marshmallow root on that occasion.” The blond witch replied to Neville, who was debating the usage of local plants versus exotic plants for stomach remedies.

“I do not understand how you can be so conservative in plant usage! I am sure an exotic plant could add many new properties to your mixes.” Neville replied, half amused, half serious.

“My French mum taught me about bio sourcing and I believe it is the way forward,” Diana replied, looking at the hill that surrounded the plant shop.

“Well, I am sure your mom meant well…….” Neville’s voice got lost in a distant echo. Diana's hearing started to ring, and her vision started to blur. Down at the edge of the forest, she saw him.

Her brother was standing there. He was breathtakingly beautiful with the same grey eyes, but with deeper features, maybe because of the lack of sleep. He was looking at her with a detached stare, and Diana felt her heart starting to race. She could go to him and ask him to come back. She could at least ask him if he was ok.

Following her impulse, Diana shoved the plants she was carrying in her bag, and she started running toward the woods.

“Diana?” She heard Neville particularly scream in her back. Diana replied without looking at him and was still running toward the edge of the forest.

“Do not wait for me, I have an errand to run. See ya!”  

Diana ran toward Draco and saw her brother going into the woods.

“DRACO,” Diana screamed at the top of her lungs. “WAIT FOR ME ! PLEASE !”

Diana accelerated and reached the edge of the wood, but Draco was not there anymore.

Still, she felt that she could find him, that he was maybe hiding in those woods. Without any drop of fear, Diana set foot in what she knew as the forbidden forest. The old forest was humid and dark. The tall trees were blocking the light and the outside world's noises. The only noises that Diana could hear were her jerky breathing and her pounding heart.

This silence made Diana uneasy, so she refrained from calling her brother. Diana confided in her skills and knew she could try to find some clues in the forest. She started to inspect the floor for some footsteps marks, which she found. The size corresponded to male size, potentially her brother, so Diana decided to follow them. It was a gamble because it was the only clue she had, and it could lead her to more.

She wandered deeper into the woods. Spider webs tangling in her hair, nettles stinging her ankle, but Diana had to know if those footsteps would lead her to her brother. 

Quietly, she arrived at a clearing which was framed by steep walls of granite. The footsteps ended there, and Diana started to look around the clearing to find more clues. Between the trees top, she could guess that the sun was setting, as it was usually setting early during this time of the year. A lump started to grow in her stomach, as obscurity often meant trouble. 

Diana felt her breath getting colder and colder as the rays of sunlight were escaping the clearing. She also felt a presence. Someone was there with her, and it was definitely not her brother. 

A deep and dark voice echoed from the tree behind Diana, which made her jerk in panic. 

“Well, well, a young girl ! Missy is lost?” A hooded man appeared and was soon followed by a small group of hooded shadows. Diana did not recognize any threat that could associate them with Death Eaters, and she was momentarily relieved. 

“I asked you a question,” barked the hooded men, getting closer to her. 

Diana felt fear freeze her brain and her body. When the men grabbed her and approached her closer to his face, Diana could see his damaged face. He had a white eye betraying blindness, and his face was full of scars. 

“Boys, let’s pack this one. We might obtain a good price. She has silver hair.” Diana was still stunned. The air was blocked in her lungs. No one would come to save her this time. She needed to act. 

Without thinking, she gasped: “My hair is not natural, it’s fake, and that’s not the worst…” With a trembling voice, she continued: “You see,I am sick. It is very contagious. My family abandoned me in those woods, but I survived drinking blood…” Diana tried to regain her composure and voiced dryly, “Humaine blood!”. 

The whole group of men burst in laughter, while the wooded man, still digging his nails in her forearm, proclaimed: "Nonsense,missy!” 

With her free hands, Diana managed to reach into her bag where she had stored some Calendula oil. The vegetable oil that was dark orange in broad daylight could look like red blood with the night. 

Diana brandished her oil to the men's faces. A scared rumble echoed in the wood while the men backed away from her. 

“She is a Homunculus, a forest beast!” Scream some. 

“She will devour our souls,” added some other while escaping the clearing. 

“Guys!” screamed the wooded man. Although he had liberated Diana from his grip, he did not seem to be moved by her small demonstration. 

Out of tricks, Diana felt her heart sink deeper in her chest. She might as well die here, and she was not ready for it. She felt dumb being once again in this situation. She had learnt nothing from the war. She retreated until her back reached the granite wall. The hooded man had resumed his path toward her. Diana took a deep breath and waited for the impact, closing her eyes shut in defeat. 

The impact never came, and Diana heard a strong thud. The wooded man had fallen cold on the floor, behind him was Theodor Nott with dark eyes. Diana was not sure if she should be happy or if she had to run. 

Chapter Text

Flashback - Nott Manor 

Theodore was crying, hidden under his bed. Blood streaming like a furious river from his broken lips and cracked skull. 

The Darklord had lost the war, deatheaters had lost the war, and his father had lost the war. 

Life was not playing in his favor once again ! 

Theodore was bitter, frustrated, and utterly alone. His father had spent his life punishing him for being the cause of his mother's death. Pure blood pregnancies were scarce and dangerous, and his mother had succumbed to the young wizard's birth in a couple of weeks. Theo did not remember his mom, but he remembered his dad beating him, and the amount of blood Theo shaded in all the corners of his house. His painful screams and his desperate plea to stop the torture. Nott Senior was not the same man as he used to be, since the death of his only love, Theo’s mother. The old wizard went into a spiral of despair, joining the Dark Lord forced as a way to find a cure to relive his dead lover. 

Over the years, the beatings were complemented by weird experiments in which Nott Senior collected Theo’s blood and injected it into some innocent witches or mudbloods with the hope of transforming them into Théo's mother. 

Theo had to deal not only with his own painful screams but also with some innocent women's cries. He remembered that at 12 years old, one of the women escaped and reached his room. She had begged Théo for help, only realizing that the only escape from this nightmare was death. She had proceeded to jump from Théo’s room window, killing herself in the fall. That same night, a traumatized Theo wept in his room, and his dad had whipped him with his belt. Nott Senior had hit him so hard that Théo could not attend the first two months of class. 

This time it felt the same, Theo was in his room crying. He was eighteen for fuck sake, and he was still traumatized by his dad. Bitter tears were rolling down his cheeks as Theo knew it was the end. His dad's club of lunatics and crazy pure blood followers had lost, and Théo knew his dad's only escape would be death. Nott Senior would die, but he would bring Théo with him. He had told him when he was beating him, but thankfully, Théo had escaped right before the final strike.

However, he knew that he could run too far as his leg was broken, and he was losing too much blood from his head injury. He heard his dad entering the room, pushing the door so strongly that it broke.

“Where are you, little bug ? Daddy will crush your pretty little face forever this time!”

Theo was sobbing now. He was too young to die, and in spite of everything, he wanted to live. He wanted a house with a garden where he could grow vegetables. He wanted to live in the countryside surrounded by his friends. He wanted to grow old and, unlike his dad, love his children. He had dreams, and thinking that they would never realize themselves, broke his heart.

The young boy retreated as much as he could under the bed. Hoping it would keep his body hidden. His heart stopped when he felt the mattress being raised, and his dad's crazy eyes falling on him.

However, nothing happened as if the time was frozen in place. In slow motion, Théo saw his dad's eyes losing color as life was escaping his dad’s body. Life started to have a normal rhythm when Nott Senior touched the floor, Dead. Theo could see some blond hair in the doorway, and he recognized his friend Draco Malfoy immediately. 

“Draco” Theodore could say weakly as the loss of blood was taking a toll on him. 

“Brother!” said Draco, reaching promptly to his side. Theodore felt that Draco was conducting some first aid spell to avoid him bleeding out on his room carpet. 

“I will bring you to Saint Mungos. Please hold on.” Draco said while reaching for Theo’s hand. 

“I am ok, Draco. I have lived worse, and you know it.” Theo added with a soft smile. 

“You changed sides, as I can see my friend. Blaise would love to hear your redemption story.” Theo tried to chuckle, but he promptly realized that his broken ribs were not letting him. 

“Theo. Please! I will bring you to St Mungo's now.” Draco said dryly. 

“Seriously, Mate! I cannot die in peace.” Theo tried to laugh again. 

“I just coldly assassinated your father, and you are making jokes, Nott? You are fucking crazy.” Draco drawled. 

“You freed me, Draco ! Like an elf. My price was killing this piece of shit, but I know you: What do you want in return?” Theo said while trying to stand. 

Draco helped him to sit in an armchair that was located in front of the window. 

“I will bring you to St Mungo's!”repeated Draco. 

“Malfoy spit it out. I will not die. I promise. You applied first aid, and that body had been through a lot. I am sadly used to losing my blood.” Theodore gazed at his friend's eyes. Draco looked agitated, but above all, he looked extremely sad.  Théo wondered why. 

“My sister. Diana. She has a weird prophecy on her head, and she is in danger. The world knows now that she is my twin sister…” 

“Fuck mate ! A twin? Since when?” Theo could not believe his friend. 

“Long story, Théo. You are still bleeding out on your carpet, so this will be brief. Her name is Diana Malfoy, but she used to be known as Diana Randal.” 

Theo had seen Diana Randal a couple of times, but had not imagined she would be Draco's sister. Of course, she always wore an arrogant smile when she spoke to Draco, and her eyes had the same color as the Slytherin prince. 

“Theo, I will leave. I will not come back. I cannot.” Draco abruptly stopped, and Theo saw an immense pain in his friend’s eyes. 

“Please protect her with your life. Promise me you will keep her safe. She says she can take care of herself, but the shadows surrounding her are too many for her frail shoulders. Theo, please look after her for me.”

Theo was not sure to understand why Draco was so desperate to protect his sister, but Draco had killed Theo’s aggressor. Draco was his friend, and he trusted him. Weakly, Theo extended his arm to hold Draco’s. 

“ I promise that I will protect her with my life. She will be like my own sister. I owe you this, brother.” 

“I appreciate it,” Draco replied simply. 

Chapter Text

Draco disappeared after dropping Theo off at St Mungo's. It was the last time Theo saw his friend. Later that week, and after intensive care, Theo had learned that he had seen Draco right after he had burned to the ground his ancestral home. The Malfoy manor was completely destroyed, and voices whispered that the Malfoy heir had died in the flames. Theo knew it was not the case, as Draco had killed Nott Senior that very night.

Theo could not understand why Draco had acted this way, but he truly believed his friend had his reasons. On the other hand, Nott Senior's death was a relief for the ministry, and Theodor's testimonies and collaboration in the case had granted him freedom. Obviously, he had not revealed that Nott Senior's death was caused by Draco. Even under veritaserum, Theo found a way to protect his friend. He said that an unknown vigilante protected him for his dad's last violent episode.

That Nott Senior wanted to bring his son to his death, and for that reason, he had been terribly beaten. In addition to Theo's account, Nott's house elves also validated the “young master” story.

At the end of his recovery and right before the school year, Theodor was handed the keys to Nott's estate, as well as Nott's Fortune. His dad, although completely crazy for strange experiments, had jealously maintained the Nott fortune under a set key.

Theodor was now young and very rich, but also very traumatized. He laughed at himself. It would be fun to see where his completely destroyed self would go in life. Draco had gifted him with freedom, and now Theo had to use it.  

The young wizard was not used to doing things for himself. He did not know where to start until he remembered his last conversation with Draco.

In exchange for freedom, Draco had asked him to protect his twin sister, Diana Randal.

For Theo, it seemed like a reasonable first mission as a free man. After the Dark Lord's death, a new era of peace would make things easier.

Theo would understand later that he was far from the truth.

Diana Malfoy was very similar to her twin brother. She was arrogant, intelligent, and condescending. She also had something of her own: She was fierce and had no time to lose.

Theo learnt it the hard way when they first met. Diana was seated in a corridor, lost in her thoughts. Theo thought it would be the best moment to approach her. He had decided to pretend to worry for Draco in order to start a conversation.

When he had returned defeated to the dorm, Blaise had laughed so much his eyes were full of tears.

“She is the feminine version of Draco. I feel in another universe. Are we sure we did not die?” Laughed Balse.

“You should have seen how she looked at me, like I was annoying her,” cried Theo.

“Draco disappeared and gave you a tricky task. What an ass!” Blaise commented.

“I owe everything to Draco. I would do anything.” Theo replied indignantly.

“Calm down! Lover boy,” Blaise chuckled.

“I am fucking doomed in this life,” Theo concluded dryly.

—-------------------

Theo did not despair as he had made a promise to his friend. He would protect her at all costs, even his life. Well, maybe not his life, but he was trying. After repeating the operation of pretending to ask news about Draco, Theo realized that the only thing he was gaining was death stares and miffed replies. Diana always seemed mad. She was fuming in the corridors and blessed everyone with haughty looks. Parvati and Padma were often receiving death stares. They often asked about Diana’s relationship with her brother, which irritated the blond witch. Hermione, as a good swot , got the Malfoy girl pissed, asking all the time about Draco. Gini seemed to avoid everyone, Diana included. She only looked relaxed with a select few, who were Neville and Luna. Luna was often sitting next to Diana, and Diana accepted her with a comfortable silence. Both girls were often studying together or having breakfast. Neville also had the privilege of what Theo called ‘abnormal” Diana. They often debated about plants together, often staying long hours gardening in Mrs Sprout’s greenhouses.

How did Theo acquire all this intelligence, you ask ?

Theo had pivoted to a softer technique as he thought. He was now following Diana whenever he could, trying to learn what made her tick in the hope it might help him with his broader goals. It was not stalking, he tried to reassure himself.

This new method seemed to infuriate the blond witch even more, as at every eye contact, she was staring at him with the deadliest death stare.

Luckily, she did not confront him about his now very spooky behavior, and Theo kept at it.

He was becoming day by day better at following her and was getting fewer and fewer death stares. Theo realized how easy it was to follow someone. Diana did not have a strict routine like Hermione (of course, he had remarked on Hermione's routines), but she was mostly frequenting the same spaces. She liked to go to three places: the library, the potion lab, and the greenhouses.

She also liked to go to Hogsmeade to meet Fleur, or go Herbs shopping with Neville. Even if Neville looked harmless, Theo had the boy on his radar just in case. He also started to follow Neville and quickly realized that the wizard had only one love in life, and it was plants.

Neville spends an unhealthy amount of hours gardening and taking care of his exotic plants.

Theo envied him, as Neville had a passion in life, something he could hold on to on dark days.

Theo had a lot of dark days, a lot of nightmares. However, when he started his quest with Diana, he did not feel alone anymore. Of course, he was literally stalking her...well, surveilling her, but he also felt that she was a good purpose to have. He was proud to keep his promise to Draco.

One foggy day, he was posted outside Hogsmeade waiting for Diana to finish her traditional exotic plants shopping with Neville. He hoped that they would both go back straight to Hogwarts as days were becoming colder, and Theo did not want to freeze to death.

Theo was surprised to see Neville going back on the Hogwarts path alone. Something seemed wrong; Diana would not have left Neville's side without a reason. She could be in danger. Theo's blood was boiling. He ran to Neville like a madman, grabbing the boy by the shoulder and asking: “Where did Diana go?”

In retrospect, Theo was facepalming himself at how weird he might have looked, but Neville was too shocked to think about anything. He just pointed to the wood:  The forbidden forest.

How on earth did Diana decide to hike in the freaking forest? Theo had no time to ask himself and started to run toward the woods. He left Neville there completely shocked.  

Entering the forest, Theo directly looked for clues about Diana. He saw some footsteps on the floor, and some blond hairs stuck to the trees. Running to the point of losing his breath, he found Diana trapped in a clearing facing a strange, wooded man.

Theo did not know what to do. Draco had killed to protect him, but Theo was not ready to kill anyone, for that matter. He was a good student and knew a lot of spells, but at the moment, the only spell that came to his mind was: Petrificus totalus.

The man fell on the floor face down with a loud thud. Diana retreated to the granite wall, closing her eyes. Theo was surprised to see the witch vulnerable. When she raised her gaze to face him, her eyes were full of tears. She directly collapsed to the floor, her knees bending under the shock.

Theo's body reacted as he raced to grab her. He could only utter: “You’re ok?”

“I am fine!” she sniffed, before struggling to get up.

“We have to go fast. I know the way out of here.” Theo felt proud of his acquired tailing method, which helped him understand how to get out of the forest. Luckily, Diana fell silent, following him diligently. Diana was shivering, and Theo did not know how to act. Casually, he took out his coat to pass it to Diana, which she refused, still not looking at his eyes.

They walked in silence out of the forest and up to Hogwarts' main gate. Diana was still looking at the floor and avoiding his gaze.

When they both reached the gate, it was time to say goodbye. Diana finally raised her grey eyes to him. He never had time to look at them in detail. He knew Draco's eyes. They were stormy and often cold, but hers looked like mercury pools that could light up at any moment and burn the whole world.

“Thank you.” She simply. Theo could barely hear her as he was lost in her eyes.

“I am sorry.” He mumbles. “I am sorry I arrived that late. Draco would kill me if he knew.”

Here he went again, rambling like a crazy person. He had developed this habit when he was begging his dad not to beat him.

“Draco?” she asked while the fire lit in her pupils. “What did Draco ask you to do?”

“He” Theo stammed.

“He what?”she bitted. She looked angrier by the minute.

“When he left that night, he came to my house. He helped me, and in exchange, he asked me to take care of you while he was away.” Theo could not stand looking any longer into her eyes. He feared that her fire would consume him, and he was not ready for a little Joan of Arc session.

“Asshole,” she hissed in exasperation. “He is such a loser. I hate him. He truly believed I would not survive alone.”

Theo spoke without thinking: “Well, I saved you this afternoon.”

Diana launched him the darkest of the looks.

“You did indeed. I was following Draco into that wood.” She replied dryly.

“He was not there, I assume.” Theo casually added.

“He was not.” Diana concluded. “Hermione is following a thread these days, and it is impossible he was in that forest, but I hoped. I am so dumb.” She started crying again, and once again Theo did not know how to react.

“Please, Diana, do not cry.” Theo thought to himself that he was such a dumbass.

“I am sorry I followed you everywhere. I look like a stalker, and I apologize, but Draco is clever, and I am sure he had good reasons: to disappear, and to put you under my watch.”

Theo was once again rambling.

“I do not see the reasons. I want him to come home. It is selfish, but I feel so alone.”

Diana was so strong and so angry all the time, and she now looked so fragile.

“I feel alone, too. I have no family, and Draco was my only family. We will wait for him together if you want.” Theo felt proud of his social skills.

“I promise I will not follow you any longer, but I will be there for you on his behalf.”

He looked at her, hoping for an answer, but Diana only gazed at him. The young wizard felt uncomfortable.

After very long minutes, she only replied: “Deal, and I owe you one for today. You can ask me anything, and I will abide." Anything Theo thought. “Well, not anything.” She promptly corrected it. “I would either go to the Yule Ball with you or give you some of my cheat sheets for the exams. You choose.”

Theo had only 5 seconds to select and mumble “Ball”

Diana shook her head in agreement and left Theo in front of the front gate. Tonight, he had saved a girl from the dark forest, managed to comfort her, and she asked him on a date to the Yule ball. It sounded too good to be true.

Chapter Text

Diana was once again at Hogsmeade plant shopping with Neville and Luna. Her little adventure had traumatized her tremendously, but she figured that life had to go on and that she could live secluded all her life in Hogwarts. The hooded man still lived, but she made sure to always go out in broad daylight with a friend. This time, once again, she was with Neville, looking at new seeds coming from China. It was the end of November, and the weather started to become snowy.

Neville broke the silence: "Miladies, shall we go drink a butter beer to warm us up?”

“That’s a good idea, Friend!” beamed Luna. Neville looked disappointed, as Diana knew the wizard had stronger feelings for Luna than only friendship.

Entering The Three Broomsticks, Diana saw Theodore Nott. sitting at the Bar. This time, he was not alone “following her”, but he was happily drinking butter beer with the Slytherin dandy: Blaise Zabini.

Nott shyly acknowledged her with a soft smile. Since that night, as he promised, he never followed her again. Diana knew that he still kept an eye on her like today. He had decided to visit Hogmead to follow her from afar; Diana was sure of it.

Letting Neville and Luna take a table, Diana came to the bar to order.

“Three butter beers, please,” she asked the waitress.

“Well, well, well…Mrs Malfoy.” Started Blaise.

“Mr Zabini,” she paused. “Theodore,” Diana said, looking at the brown-haired boy.

Since the attack, the two of them had met again, in better circumstances. Theo often greeted her kindly, and Diana often greeted him in return. They met at the library and had one or two casual conversations.

“It is true what my dear Theodore was saying. You look a lot like your brother.” Teased Zabini. Diana looked weirdly at Blaise. The wizard had an angulous face with an intelligent stare with a drop of mischief.

“As you say,” Diana replied blandly while grabbing her freshly served butter beers.

She looked one last time at Théo, who looked like he was avoiding her eyes, and she made her way to the table.

“Mrs Malfoy!” yelled Blaise from the bar. “Will we have the pleasure of seeing you during the Yule Ball in two weeks?”

The Yule ball was happening early December this year, just in time to send the students for an early Christmas due to the very small student body.

“You will, Mr Zabini,” Diana replied in the same formal tone as Blaise. “Theodore, our arrangement still stands. Let’s discuss the details later.” Diana added. She felt that she was bossing the poor boy around, but she had made a promise. It was a mere compensation for the wizard who had saved her life. Theo nodded, and Diana also thought she had seen him blush, but could not linger too much. She joined her friends, who cheered at her as she was carrying the precious butter beers.

______________________

Since this incident, Theo had stopped his little tailing. He had promised Diana, but he still had to follow his promise to Draco, so Theo was in the middle of a dilemma. He had lightened his watch on Diana, but still tried to coincide with her when she was going to Hogsmeade. The man he had petrified in the forest was still on the run, and Theo feared that some other would try to capture her. He had seen her this cold weekend of November, entering the Three Broomsticks. He knew that the probability of seeing her was very high, but he had not expected her to join him and Blaise at the bar.

The conversation was brief. Diana had a quick verbal joust with Blaise, which made Theo laugh. Toward the end of the conversation and when Diana’s beers arrived, Blaise had playfully asked for the Yule ball. The same ball, Diana had promised to go on a date with him, as a repayment of her debt. The blond witch had confirmed her attendance, as well as restating that Theo would be her date. This bossy move made the young wizard blush so strongly that it was a bit complicated for Theo to hide it. When Diana had left the bar, Theo had to pretend to go to the loo in order to regain his calm. His heart was beating so fast.

It was just a repayment for saving her life. A mere repayment maybe for her, but for Theo it meant his real first date. Theo had dated before and had his fair share of alcove adventures, but all his “official” dates were managed by his dad. Although his dad did not care about him, he cared about the purity of their blood. Theo never had the freedom to go out with whomever he pleased.  

Since the summer, Theo had not received any news about Draco. He regularly eavesdropped on Diana and Hermione's conversation on Draco potentially being a vigilantly killing Death Eaters. Theo never doubts that Draco could be that night knight. He was sure of it. When he had last seen him, Draco looked very angry at everything, so it made sense.

The snowy weather became the routine, and Hogwarts corridors were colder and colder.

The yule ball arrived faster than expected, and Diana had sent him a short note asking to meet in front of the library at 17h30, the ball starting at 18h sharp.

Theo had dressed in an elegant dark tweed coat. He had neglected the wizard cape for this edition as he wanted to look more modern for the official first date of his life.

He arrived in front of the library at 17H15. Arriving in advance helped him calm his nerves. Blaise had also offered tea, which Theo knew was spiked with strong alcohol. Theo had taken a few sips before feeling his head turning. He was nervous, but he would rather spend his first date sober. Diana arrived at 17H30 to the dot. It was maybe genetic to be extremely punctual, as Theo remembered Draco to be always reliable with time. Diana was dressed in an elegant green velvet dress which hugged her curves gracefully. She also had a silver shawl which complemented the look and resembled in all points Slytherin colors.

“Slythering colors!” commented Theo

“I had to make you honor. I made a promise to you, and you deserve it for what you did.”

Diana remarked, and Theo felt his cheeks heating up. She looked stunning and acted in such a graceful nonchalance. Theo felt intimidated by her confidence and could only admire her for showing a brave face after all the hardship she had endured.

They both reached the ballroom, which looked frankly empty. It was a heartbreaking reminder of the war’s consequences. Although empty, Theo saw Neville already on the dance floor with Luna; Blaise sipping a weird beverage next to Ginny, and Hermione, who was discussing with McGonagall.

Diana briefly greeted Padma and Parvati. She also went to kiss Hermione's cheeks to tell her how beautiful she looked. Hermione Granger now Weasley looked like a model with her wild hair tamed in a fashionable updo and a dark dress. Theo saw Diana's eyes pop out, and Hermione holding Diana's hands firmly before giving his date a hug.

When Diana came back to Theo’s side for their first dance, Theo did not lose time in questioning her.

“Hermione looked moved tonight. Do you know where she left?” he tried to ask with a detached tone.

“Theodore!” Diana said playfully. “Not with me. I know what you want to know.” She chuckles. She looked so carefree for once; maybe she had drunk Blaise’s tea.

“Do you?” he asked awkwardly, trying to focus on the waltz.

“Hermione thinks she found Draco. She is going to catch him most probably tonight.” Diana beamed.

“That’s why you look so happy now?” Theo said without thinking, beaming at her in return.

“I am.” Diana plainly said, her smile disappearing from her face. She might have been confused by Théo's shared enthusiasm.

“You love him, don’t you?” Diana asked after some long minutes as they were making their way out of the ballroom to a small alcove. Nothing inappropriate, Diana just wanted to rest feet.

“I do.” Theo genuinely answers while sitting next to the blond witch. Diana seemed confused by his answer, and Theo had to add.

“As a brother. He was there for me when I lived through some distasteful moments.” Theo confessed.

“I see,” Diana replied awkwardly. “I am sorry for the distasteful moments,” she added, turning to inspect his face. 

“I am sorry too, but now I am free of them,” Theo replied, and immediately facepalm himself internally. He was saying too much. He did not know how Diana had such an effect on him. She could have asked whatever, and he would have revealed all his darkest secrets.

“That’s why you owe my brother?” she said, raising an eyebrow. Theo’s heart sank. She was such a  wicked girl. He knew she wanted to know the truth.

The young wizard could only nod.

“I know,” she said while reaching for his forearm. Theo felt his cheeks burn and tried to avert his gaze from her hand encapsulating his arm.

“Your arms are full of scars. I can feel it ! You also limp, and you are weirdly scared of fire.” She paused. Theo was appalled. How on earth could she see all of that?

“Whatever Draco did to relieve you from it, saved your life?”

Theo felt his heart beating fast in remembering the night Draco saved him. He had nearly died. All those years, only Draco and Blaise were aware of Theo's darkness. He had to admit it one day that he came back to Hogwarts with a badly concealed black eye. Other than them, no one knew, and it was ok. Theo hated the look of pity on him. He was beaten for existing, but did not want to be pitied on top of it. Diana was pitting him, and he hated it.

She from all the people who never treated him like a frail guy or weird guy. He was mad about it.

“I do not want to talk about it.” He dryly answered.

“You do you,” she said, smiling, whipping away all the anger accumulated in Theo’s mind.

Diana was an odd person. She always seemed nonchalant, but she always cared for the people close to her. Theo felt a pleasant warmth enveloping him, in addition to Diana's hand still holding his arms. They stayed like that an instant, until Diana stood up, telling him that she would try Blaise’s tea. Theo nodded carelessly and looked at the witch regaining the main hall. A strange feeling was growing in his chest. He felt itchy and could not pinpoint it, but Diana Malfoy was provoking chaos in his fragile heart.

Chapter Text

Hermione loved her little side quest. War had taken a toll on her, but her heart was still that of an adventurer. After Diana refused to cooperate, Hermione had to count on herself.

She had scheduled in her packed routine: 1h of investigation a day and one field trip a week. She usually combined her visit to Ron with a little detour to Diagonal alley or the ministry. In a couple of months since going back to school, she had learned that Mr Nott had been brutally murdered on his estate. Theo was one of the witnesses, but could not remember the killer's face. Hermione took a mental note to interrogate the boy.

One would call it an excess of confidence, but Hermione was sure to do a better job as the Aurors on the cases.

All the murders and captures were different, each of them more gruesome than the next. One inexperienced investigator could be easily led to think that those were unrelated cases, or an internal war in a disbanded organization.

Two details seemed interesting to Hermione. First of all, each member had died a death that was equal to their crimes. All except Mr Nott, whose murder looked like a badly conducted job. Second of all, each victim had been found in a very unusual location that only internal intelligence could know.

Hermione was reaching a roadblock, as it seemed that no modus operandi could be rooted out of those cases. She felt frustrated.

She had also realized over this first month back that the Nott heir was acting weird. He was following Diana like a shadow, and he was also following her.

Hermione knew his odd behavior was linked to the murders and the vigilante everyone seemed to be talking about.

Diana had also figured out that Nott was following her, but had brushed it off to concentrate, as she said, on her studies.

Hermione was reviewing her notes one night in the library. She knew Dolohov would be the next, and she needed to find the key to the puzzle before his death.

Sipping Diana’s newest decoction, she saw in her peripheral vision Nott entering the premises.

It was a cold night in October, and pretty late. The wizard looked disturbed, and Hermione thought it would be her best shot at getting some answers. Following him in the narrow piles of books, Hermione opted for the “shock” method.

She approached him from the back and stabbed him with her wand. She hated the “bad cop” method, but time was running out.

The boy shivered, but did not seem startled.

“Granger,” he calmly stated. “What do you want? Are you stabbing people with your wand often? What’s more in dark places and late at night?” he chuckled. It was Hermione's turn to shiver. The boy was joking after being ambushed in a dark library. He was most probably not very sane.

“Who killed your dad?” she managed to articulate.

“You read the report and you are not convinced, right?” Theo replied.

“Aye,” Hermione nodded.

“I cannot say more than I have already done.” He said, trying to escape from Hermione's wand.

“Now if you will excuse me. I had a long night already, and I have an essay due tomorrow.”

“Why do you follow Diana?” Hermione asked bluntly.

“I..” Theodore was out of words.

“If you do not want me to report you, you'd better help me. Diana is a nice soul and does not want to report you, but I am not the same.” Hermione added with an evil grin.

“No one will believe you.” Theo was panicking, and Hermione knew she had to strike.

“I am the brightest witch of the age, the Gryffondor princess, Harry’s best friend, and Ron’s wife.” The last one tasted weird in her mouth. “People will rather believe me than you.”

Theodor's shoulder sank in defeat, and she could hear him mumbling: “Draco would kill me.” Theodor did not say any additional words, and Hermione was shocked that he had admitted defeat that fast. Protecting why he was following Diana seemed to matter way more than she expected. Theodor gave his hand to her to prompt her to use legitimen on him, which Hermione did.

She saw the blood, the pain, his screams, his body torn and tortured. She also saw Theo crying, hidden under his bed, and Draco killing his dad. She also heard Draco's words to Theo. How caring he had been with his friend, and Draco’s plea for Theo to protect Diana.

When the vision ended, Hermione was sobbing, and Theo looked at her with a sorry gaze.

“I cannot afford to betray my promise to my friend,” Theo added sadly.

“He saved my life, and I owe him everything.”

Hermione was shocked by her first words after the revelation.

“Theo, are you in love with Draco?”

“Gosh! Having a strong brotherly friendship with him does not make me love him. Why is everyone asking this?” The brown haired boy protested.

Hermione had what she wanted. She knew for sure Draco was behind the murders. She knew Draco pretty well, which made it easier to find her next clue. Draco was a Slytherin and a potion master. Like a good potion master, we would reunite all the ingredients to kill Dolohov properly. As he had tortured many people, Hermione knew that Draco would use violent torture. She also knew that Dolohov had been hiding in the highlands. She had a couple of days, maybe weeks, to list all the places Draco could select for his next murder.

Hermione looked at Theo, who was still standing there. He looked relieved, maybe because such a burden was hard to carry alone.

In a motherly manner, Hermione rearranged Theo's shirt collar before adding: “I am sorry I scared and ambushed you. Thank you for helping me, and please do not worry about Diana; she is full of resources.” Theo nodded and chuckled lightly: “That you think! Good night, Granger.” Theo disappeared in the darkness, and Hermione rushed to her note, hoping she would connect the dots.

—--------

It was mid-November when the news fell. Dolohov had been found badly tortured and nearly dead in front of the ministry. On his chest, a manuscript note: “By blood I repay the torture, by imprisonment I repay the death.”

Dolohov had killed Professor Lupin and would be judged for the consequences. Hermione was relieved that a Death Eater was arrested, but she felt annoyed that her investigation had failed once again. She knew that the number of Voldemort sympathizers was not infinite, so time was running out to find out if Draco was behind the murders.

The next one would be Yaxley, Hermione knew it. Signs were also clear. Yaxley had been seen in London's darkest areas. Hermione knew Draco was closing on him. She also knew that the plan she imagined was stupid and very risky, but she had to try.

On the Yule Ball night, the brightest witch of her age would be skipping the Dance party. Hermione knew Yaxley would be at the Scull bar, Edinburgh’s Death Eater lair. Yaxley had retreated to Scotland, most probably due to being tailed in London.

She had heard from several sources that the Death Eater would be asking for safe passage to America to Mony Grey, one of the infamous illegal portkey manufacturers.

Hermione prepared herself with care, attaching her hair in preparation for any combat and wearing her most comfortable dress in order to blend in with the bar atmosphere.

Before teleporting to the Scottish capital, she had briefly met up with Diana. Her mission was a bit risky, and she needed to tell someone in case something happened. She would not say anything to her husband or Harry, who would have been against it. Ginny had other problems to take care of than worrying about Hermione's safety.

Diana was holding Hermione's hands. “Are you sure of yourself?” she breathed.

“I am! I will find him, I promise." Hermione replied, squeezing her hands.

“It is dangerous, my dear. I am ok with the portkey idea, if trouble occurs, you will alert me. However, I feel extremely selfish to not accompany you.” Diana looked concerned.

“I am the only one able to do this. I lived worse, and I promise you, it will go well.” Hermione was not sure if it would go well, but she had to try. Squeezing one last time Diana’s hands, she left the ballroom.

The air was cold, and her breath was creating some condensation on the bar window. Hermione had reached the bar disguised with a simple glamour. She had sat on the farthest corner waiting for her prey. She knew that Draco would not kill Yaxley in plain sight. Hermione was waiting for Yaxley to enter the bar, and she would follow him where the illegal portkey transaction would occur. It was two hours later that Yaxley entered the bar. He was barely disguised, and judging by the level of whispering, people had recognized him.

However, he did not linger in the main room. After ordering a drink, he quickly went to the first floor in where all the sketchy transactions took place.

Hermione wished she had snatched Harry’s invisibility cloak, but it would have to obvious.

Instead, she remained hidden in an invisibility spell. The spell was weak and it would not last too long, but she knew that Yaxley would not last long. If anything occurred, she would improvise.

Yaxley entered a dimly lit room, and Hermione followed him. The Portkey forger was sitting on a sofa. He looked like a middle-aged man with a strange hat.

“Mony ! my friend,” started Yaxley.

“I am not your friend nor do I want you to be,” Druly answered Mony. “Give me the money, and off you go.” Mony extended a wrinkly hand to gather the money.

“Not the talking type. It works for me,” said Yaxley, laying on the table a purse full of galleons. Mony extended a portkey.

“It will be direct to New York. Right?” Yaxley asked. The forger's eyes grew darker, and a strange grimace appeared on his face.

“Of course.” He said activating the portkey while taking his wand. “Sectumsempra. Hope you will not bleed out before they find you. ” The forger said, now smiling like a crazy man. Something was off, Hermione could feel it. Hermione saw his hair changing color from dark brown to blond, almost white. His wrinkles changed to reveal hollow cheeks. Hermione recognized the grey, stormy eyes. Under shock, Hermione gasps, revealing her presence. A shiver ran down her spine when angry grey eyes found hers.

Chapter Text

At the moment, grey met honey brown, Hermione knew she was in trouble. They glare at each other for long minutes before Draco hastily gathers his things to leave.

Hermione knew she had to stop him as she needed answers, and it would be her only opportunity.

She boldly grabbed the wizard's wrist.

“Malfoy! Wait!” She felt dumb that her first world would be those ones.

Draco remained in place but stayed silent without daring to look at Hermione's eyes.

“I know last time we parted, things did not end well.” Hermione tried to explain herself.

“But I needed to know. I knew you were the ones behind those arrests, and I needed to know.”

Draco's voice finally echoed in the dark room. It was husky and betrayed a hint of extreme fatigue.

“Now you know. Please get the fuck out of here.” He added violently, ripping his arm from Hermione's grasp.

“Draco, please!” she pleaded. She realized that she was not really interested in knowing who the vigilante was. Hermione felt that deep down, the only thing she wanted was to see him again and make sure he was safe. Judging by his look, he was not doing well. His body looked frail, and his soul looked weak.

“Please listen to me. Theo, Diana, and even I are waiting for you to come home. Why did you embark on such a perilous quest? The Auror would have arrested them without your help.”

Hermione attempted to reach out to him again. This time, she grabbed his arms, which made Draco turn around to face her.

His eyes were still the same, but this time, a disgusted stare was painted on his emaciated face.

Hermione had to realize that she was grabbing him with her hand bearing her wedding ring.

“Do…not… touch…me…Weasly!” he slowly articulated.

Hermione removed her hand rapidly and hid it shamefully.

“I am sorry,” she blurred, ashamed and hurt. Draco was throwing a tantrum like an angry little child. Hermione knew he was not mad, because she had figured out his secret. He might have been merely annoyed. She knew that her wedding ring angered him. “I tried to write to you, but you never replied. During the battle, you never came to talk to me. Draco, I know we parted in a difficult way, but I still cherish what we had. You are a good person! You should not be trying to avenge the world in such a gruesome manner.” Hermione knew she was not making any sense. For the first time in her life, her cleverness had left her without resources. She was not even sure to understand why she was there.

“Leave!” Draco uttered in a deadly tone. “Leave! If I had not contacted you, it was for a reason. Above all, now, you are a filthy Weasley, so please leave me alone.”  

Hermione's blood was boiling. They were all broken, and Draco selfishly drowned himself in self-pity, hurting everyone around him and especially her.

“You wrote to me, you dumbass!” Hermione could not contain her frustration any longer. Her anger blinding her, she pushed  Draco to the wall with an inhumane force.

“The night you burn your fucking house like a lunatic. You wrote to me. Why? I am not the filthy Weasley anymore, now?”

Darco's eyes were now black with murderous thought. He tried to talk, but Hermione was too mad to let him speak any more words.

“You know you are always the one pretending not to care and being detached. You are not! I know you are mad because of this,” she said, raising her ring to his view.

“You are mad because I married Ron. right? Is it why you burn down your manor and leave to kill people ? Are you that mad to burn the world in your wake? I am not worth it, I will never be. I am a mudblood. You should not be concerned with me any longer.”

Hermione was still glaring at Draco, whose anger had now transformed into cold rage.

“It is not all about you, Weasley." He said with disgust. Hermione knew he was using her married name to enrage her even more.

“I made my own choices, and what I do during my day-to-day should not be your concern. And I cared about you in my previous life, now you're just a filthy memory.”

“You did?” Hermione's anger was still there, but she felt her heart beating faster in her ears.

In a much more paused tone, she begged one last time: “Draco, whatever the reason that led you to kill, please come home now. Diana is waiting for you and Theo. I am waiting for you. You have been dear to me in the past, too, and I do not wish to see you like this.”

Draco's anger also seemed to cool down, and he escaped Hermione's grip to sit down on the sofa.

“I cannot go home.” He said in a neutral tone.

“But why ? Your mother and sister are there. You still have your titles and fortune, and you will be able to regain Malfoy’s reputation for sure. You were a brilliant student. I am sure you could become the best potion master in the UK.” Hermione sat next to him.

“All those are externals. I lived all my life being afraid of protecting my heart. I realized too late that it was the only thing that mattered. Unfortunately, it is too late now.” Draco was not looking at her; he was only looking at his hands.

“I do not understand?” Hermione was genuinely lost. What did he mean about his heart being more important? He had his mother, sister, and some friends. She thought it would maybe be about her, but she did not let herself think about it. It would be too painful as she had loved Draco very much in the past. The missing opportunity and the heartbreak it could have caused were breaking her heart.

“It is ok. It is not important. Now leave, you should not be staying in that sketchy place.”

His voice was low and defeated. Once again, Hermione needed to know, and what she did next would make her regret her boldness.

She grabbed Darco's hands and forced the boy to look into her eyes. What she saw there gave her shivers. He used to be the slytherin prince, her bully, the youngest death eater. He now looked like a broken man. His eyes reflected so much pain and heartbreak that Hermione could bear. She felt it in her heart that she was the cause of this. She had confronted him about her ring and, therefore, her wedding. She now had the confirmation it was the sole cause of Draco’s heartbreak and deadly months.

“Granger, I hear your thoughts. Do not feel sorry about me. I should have died during the war; I am just making up time before my time.” Draco's voice was not sad.

“Come on, Draco ! It is not worth it. I am not worth it.” Hermione added wholeheartedly.

“You were worth it, and you will always be,” Draco admitted, separating himself from Hermione.

“I will only love you, and only you.” He grabbed his stuff.

“I will go now, Granger. Please do not communicate with me. I cannot bear seeing you with that ring.”

Hermione felt her eyes watering.

“Draco, I am so sorry. I am sorry I cannot give you my heart. It is too late now. I am with Ron. I am happy. But can we still be friends?”

Draco did not turn around and only uttered while exiting the room.

“I am glad you are happy.”

—-------------

When Hermione returned to Hogwarts and her dorm, her eyes were overflowing with tears. She was sobbing violently, for a reason unknown to her.

She had seen Draco. She had seen his eyes. He was broken, so broken, and it was her fault.

The worst in all of this was that she also felt her heart break. She felt so much sorrow for Draco, but she also felt it for herself.

She hated the feeling of her heart breaking. She had felt it so few times that it looked foreign to her. Of course, she lived through the war, saw her friends dying, and had to obliviate her parents, but this heartbreak was not echoing in the same heart chamber.

It was different for Draco. It was a type of pain that was tearing her apart. She was completely clueless about how to make it stop.

Most probably alerted by her very loud sob, Diana brutally opened the curtain of Hermione’s four-poster. Seeing her eyes and how similar they were to Draco’s, Hermione sobbed harder.

“Sorry, dear, for that intrusion!” Diana briefly apologized. “It looks like you are in pain, and I wanted to check if you were not physically injured.” Hermione knew it was an excuse to check on her.

“I am fine!” Hermione tried to smile through the tears.

“No, you are not, but I will not ask you why?” Rushing back to her night table, Diana brought back a bag of herbs.

“Dreamless draught and a bit of passionflower and valerian to help you relax. You cried enough, my dear.” Diana said while placing a warm cup of tea in Hermione's hands.

“He is alive.” Hermione managed to articulate in between her sobs. Her voice was trembling so much.

“Thank you for verifying. However, he did something to you.” Diana said, raising her eyebrows. Although Diana was Draco's sister, Hermione knew her friend would not hesitate to kill him if Draco did anything inappropriate.

“I did…” another sob broke out. “something to him.” Hermione broke down and began violently crying even more.

“Shhh ma douce!” (my sweet in French) “Get some rest, I beg you. We would be able to talk tomorrow if you would like.”

Hermione felt the draught effect catching up, and her eyes getting heavier. She fell asleep under Diana’s gaze. The same gaze as Draco, which provoked so much sorrow in her own heart.

Chapter Text

Eyes to the ceiling, Draco was not feeling anything. After that night, it was as if his body had been anesthetized. The numbness was alarming, and the silence in his heart was devastating. 

Rage was washed over and replaced by a stillness. He did not know what to do. His eyes were red from the tears he was unaware of, and he was shedding tears. In the darkness of his room, he could not detect what time of the day it was: He didn’t remember if he had eaten, but he did not really care. His heart was no more, so no need to fuel an empty body. Hermione said that she loved him, but that it was too late. A bitter feeling came to his mouth. Within this strange confusion, he realized that his body reacted to the sunlight that appeared through the room. His eyes saw the ceiling. His nose felt a strong orange blossom scent. His sister. When he rolled out on his side, he saw her sitting on the side of the bed with a fuming cup of tea in her hands. Draco remembered that it was winter and felt his skin react to the cold air. Diana looked at him with a weary look before saying, “Good morning, brother.” 

Half surprised to find her there, Draco could only breathe, annoyed: “How did you find me?”

She handed him a mug full of warm coffee before adding. 

“I asked Dobby. It cost me a lot of negotiation. Elves are opinionated. After asking Dobby, Dobby asked Emile. You know Emile, the elf who works at “la Gaité”’s kitchens. He told us you arrived there a couple of days ago. He was worried about your lack of appetite.” 

Seeing his refusal to pick up the coffee, she placed it aside while continuing: “How have you been?” 

Draco thought she was still very skilled at small talk. He resumed lying on his back and looked at the creme colored ceiling. 

“Just a regular holiday, as you can see?” He said, irked. He heard her sipping her tea before adding in a patronizing tone: “She cried all night yesterday. It was grief. What did you do to her? Only you can provoke such a feeling in her.” 

His empty chest bled again. “I told her my feelings, but she said it was too late,” he answered in a raspy voice. Draco never talked about intimate topics with Diana, but he knew that she was aware of his feelings for Hermione. He was too tired and empty to fight and hide his feelings. A silence echoed in the room, and he felt Diana weigh next to him in the bed. She had casually sat herself next to him. 

“You cannot feel sorry for yourself for too long. Life is flowing. You need to move on.” He felt that the sentence was a mantra for her, something she repeated without believing in it. His sister looked strong and opinionated, but she had suffered. The prophecy, the discovery of her identity, the loss of Fred, and George's feeling that disappeared. 

However, her words ignited a cold anger in his veins. 

“How could I ?” he laughed bitterly. His despair was visible. “How could I? When my heart had been ripped out of my chest. She was the only one, and I failed. I failed at everything in life.” He was now shouting at Diana, raising his voice to face her.

“ I had everything to succeed. Money, fame, reputation and I screw up everything. I am a shameful coward, a bloody prick, and a failed human.” 

Diana stayed silent for a moment. Draco could not read the feeling behind his sister's eyes. 

She turned her head to face the window, sipping her tea. Draco hated her silence, which he took for indifference to his suffering. However, as soon as he started to get agitated, Diana spoke. 

“You are a failure.” She said, still looking at the wall. 

“But I am also a failure. We are all failures in the face of impossible standards. You will never comply with the life people choose for you.  You will never truly love yourself if you follow unrealistic goals. You might be a failure for the other, but how can you know for yourself? You never lived for yourself.” Suddenly, she turned her head and grabbed Draco’s cold hands. 

“Start over, come back to Hogwarts with me.”

He stared at her for a moment and realized quickly that he did not have the strength to face her. 

He only replied “no”, dropping Diana’s hand and pushing himself into a numb slumber. 

The days were cold at the end of the year. Draco’s sister had come back every day by his side since the discussion. 

She was bringing him food, and one day she simply stayed to read a book to him. 

One day, she brought him a present. Draco figured out it might be Christmas. He used to love Christmas, but now he hated it. Irritated by her presence, he confronted her. 

“Why are you still here?” 

Without a word, she launched a tiny present box at his face. With a guttural noise, he decided to open the small satin book. Carefully, he untied the blue ribbon to discover a time-turner nested in a velvet case. Certainly because she saw Draco’s confused look, Diana added. 

“It's hers. Hermione gave it to me. It is not working anymore as it was tied to Dumbledore's magic. She thought you would like it.” 

Draco was still confused and raised his gaze toward Diana to understand. A strange sadness clouded her grey iris. 

“Listen! I know you are hurt, but your little self-pity will not work in the long run. Hermione is not dead. She is still living and happy. Of course, she is married to someone else, but it does not mean you cannot be part of her life. I gave you this to remind you of that.”

She approached close to his face while asking determinedly. 

“My offer still stands, come back home with me.” 

He was about to once again shut Diana down when she suddenly grabbed his face with her cold hands. Her eyes shone, ready to shed some tears. 

“YOU! Do not…Get..The right…To shut me down. Not you! I have lost so much already. You are my blood, the closest kin I have. I just found you, and I refuse to lose time again. If you are not doing it for you, do it for me. I cannot lose you, too, my heart is too broken.” 

Draco felt struck by her pain. He felt her pain like it was his. Diana never really discusses her feelings. She never talked about the fear she felt about her prophecy, nor the loss of her friends. He felt so selfish, because all this time he only focused on his pain, but never asked her how she felt. 

He could not stay all his life hidden in their French manor. He did not want to die as his mother and sister needed him, so half doubting himself, he blurred: 

“I will go with you.” 

As soon as the words left his mouth, Diana crashed into his arms. They shared a long hug while the snow fell outside. They pronounced no more words. Her persistence had won. Deep down, Draco was wondering how his empty self would manage to move forward. Will he finally learn to live for himself? 

Chapter Text

Draco felt like he died and came back to life. He was sitting on the breakfast table at la gaité, his mum's french chateau with his Mom, Isolde, and Diana. The scene felt surreal after his months of gruesome murder, and painful lamentation. 

“Where did dad go again?” Diana asked while grabbing a buttery croissant.

“End of the year gig. You know your Dad will never miss a chance to play with his former band.” Isolde happily replied. 

“My dear, is it still planned to go to Cambridge university after your exams?” Isolde asked her daughter while approaching her a fuming cup of tea. 

“I am not sure mother. I would like to continue herbal training.” replied Diana munching on her croissant. 

“I could facilitate something, do you remember Isolde, Mrs Agripaume. She still lives in the UK.” Added Narcissa. 

“Good Idea Cissa !’ Beamed Isolde. “Our little raven needs the best professor.”

Both women grabbed Diana's hand lovingly which annoyed Diana who seemed to be solely focused on her breakfast. 

“Mothers!” cried Diana as her croissant fell on the plates. 

The three witch continue chatting happily over breakfast. Although happy to be reunited with his mom and sister, Draco felt so detached as if happiness could not reach him. After Diana finished her croissant, She and Isolde decided to have a walk in the garden to inspect the frozen ground in search of medicinals roots. 

Draco remains at the table, with his mom. 

She was sipping on a very detailed porcelaine cup looking at the frozen landscape outside. 

“You sister told me, you looked emaciated. I was not expecting that level of..” His mother looked at him with a sorry look. 

“You look more dead than alive.” She concluded with a worried voice. 

“Thank you for the compliment mother. You are not as proper as I remember you.” Draco said in a neutral tone. 

“You little brat!” his mother spat annoyed. She had stood up to get close to where Draco was sitting. In a menacing voice she continued. 

“You burned our ancestral home to the ground, and then you proceeded to pass for dead, and then reappeared, most probably killing people.” Narcissa was pointing an angry finger at him. 

“You do not get to talk to me this way. We were worried sick for you. Diana was barely sleeping. She said she was ok, but I knew she was so worried. I was worried sick.” 

They stay looking at each other for a couple of minutes. Draco could not bear to look at his mum. She had all the reasons to be mad. He knew it and accepted his fate. Narcissa's anger faded and her accusing voice transformed itself on the voice of his mother. The fierce woman with a big heart. She sat next to Draco in silence, and approached her hand to arrange some streaks of hair from his face. 

“What happened?” she whispered. “Who hurt you my sweet?” 

“Mother, I hurt myself alone. I am responsible for my misery." Draco added in a defeated tone. 

“I am sorry, my love, for everything you add to endure.” His mother's eyes were full of tears. “I am so sorry as I feel like I dragged you with me, and made you sacrifice so much. We had to protect Diana, but I left you to fend for yourself, and I will never forgive myself.” 

“Mother, do not beat yourself too much. That’s how it is.” Draco squeezed her hand. 

“I will go rest a bit, and you should do the same.” Draco said, leaving for his room. 

He had promised his sister he would be back, but adjusting to leaving again was taking a toll on him. 

______________

After the new year and right before the beginning of the spring terms, Draco, Diana and their mom moved back to the old manor. For what Narcissa could salvage, the Manor was rebuilt from its ruins. The house had no open porch with tall windows. The inside was kept classical but the color palette was lightened. Draco could see his mother taste in every corner. Although not by blood, she was the true Malfoy matriarch, and she well deserved this title. 

Draco could not understand why his mom was not asking about if he was behind his dad's arrest. He had seen her weep at some point, but Lucious' presence was totally erased from the house. Diana was also not asking about her biological dad. 

It was a cold afternoon, and snow was falling in the beautiful rose garden. Diana was playing on the house’s piano and Draco was lounging on the sofa next to her. 

It felt like a proper pure blood household, but it was so far from the truth. 

Draco was a former death eater and a murderer that turned on his own clan. Narcissa had lied to her husband all her life and god knows what she had to do for her family. Diana had seen her friends die and was cursed by a terrible prophecy. 

It looked like a perfect facade cursed by blood.  

Diana stopped playing and reached the hearth to warm her hands. 

“I cannot play with cold fingers.” She remarked. “Are you gonna lounge like a potato all day?” 

She cheekily asked him. 

“You cannot blame me for appreciating your piano skills, my dear sister.” Draco replied with a charming smile. 

Diana reacted as if she was about to vomit. 

“I preferred Dark Draco.” she laughed, “Pure blood perfect son Draco looks weird.” 

“Diana! When I try to look nice and normal, I look weird.” He said in a half amused tone. 

“I am joking, sorry brother!” she replied while sitting next to him on the sofa. Draco was certainly taken aback from such an intimate yet natural gesture. They were siblings, and intimacy and closeness could be his new paradigm shall he decide to choose it and cultivate it. 

“How do you feel going back to school?” Diana asked while grabbing a cup of team brought by Nixt, their house elf. 

“I am not sure, to be frank. I am not thinking about it, or I fear it would overwhelm me” Draco smiled at his sister. He was not sure she was aware of what he had done over those months in the wild, but she did not seem to care. 

“It is ok. It will take time, I guess.” Diana blankly replied. “We are all in this situation. War had been too complicated for all of us. Although most of us now resume living normal life, we are all coping in our own way. Some of us will never resume a normal life tho.” she finally remarks with a spark of sadness in her eyes. 

“Who left outside of me?” Draco asked genuinely interested. 

“George left.” She replied with sadness increasing in her grey eyes. 

“He was dear to you?”Draco could recognize Diana’s sadness. It was the same as his: sadness of what could have happened but never did; Sadness of a broken love story. 

“He was.” Diana breathed. “I came to like him very much. Dare I say I loved him.” Her eyes now were full of tears. Draco felt bad for having started the discussion topic, as he knew discussing Hermione would provoke the same feeling in his heart. 

“When Fred died, the George I knew died too. I am sure he could have loved me, but now it was too late. And it is not even my fault.” Silent tears were now running on Diana’s cheeks. 

“I feel so bitter and so frustrated. It is never ending. I try to get better, but it takes so much time and my heart is so bruised.” Draco took a napkin  from the table to help Diana dry her tears. They stay in silent for a moment, before Draco added: 

“You are strong, I can see it now. Way stronger than me.” He added in a sweet tone, while Diana looked at him confused. 

“You have the strength to talk about your heartbreak. I cannot even utter a word about mine.” He continued. 

“One day, I hope you will. We are not forced to carry our pains alone.” Diana replied to him. 

“That’s what you think, some pains are so heavy that it will be so selfish passing them to the other. I have already been very selfish. I do not know what to do with mine at the moment, I just hope it will fade.” 

Draco could only admire Diana’s optimism. It was clear she grew up in a functional family not like his dysfunctional one. 

“It will fade.” Diana replied with optimism. “I do not know when and how, but it will. I truly wish it for you.” 

“I wish it for myself too.” Draco replied while grabbing a cup of tea. The Malfoy siblings both stayed in the bowwindow looking at the snow falling in comfortable silence. Until Diana suddenly broke their contemplation. 

“By the way, thank you for the personal body guard. It was not needed, but in any case Nott saved my ass once, and I am glad you thought about it.” 

“He told you about that?” Draco asks with a pinch of annoyance. 

“He had too. I forced him.I think Hermione knows it to” Diana replied mischievously. 

“I am gonna murder him.” Draco was annoyed at Theo. He had told the boy to remain discreet, and he was giving some war secrets. Draco dreaded going back to Hogward, but he now knew that he had one thing on his to do list. He would first start by murdering Theodor Nott. 

Chapter Text

Hermione was seated at the Gryffondor table taking her breakfast, when she saw him. She was not the only one as the small crowd reunited in the hall at that hour stopped all their conversations. Draco looked like he did the last time they saw each other. His face looked emaciated yet color had regained his cheeks. His blond hair was kept loose, uncharacteristic of him. He was wearing the Slytherin uniform as he did in the 6th year: Crispr white shirt, expensive leather shoes. He was also wearing his signet ring. Hermione could also see her time turner, her christmas present to him, dangling from his chest. She felt glad he had accepted her present, and her cheeks grew red even before crossing his gaze. 

Talking about his gaze, Hermione could not even catch it, as Draco was visibly avoiding her. 

Diana was jogging behind her brother. When she crossed Hermione's gaze, her face lit up and the Malfoy girl waved at her. 

Draco, still not looked at her, went to sit at the Slytherin table back at her. He sat next to Théo and in front of Blaze. The trio exchanged a couple of words which Hermione could not overhear, and then Blaze proceeded to look at Hermione weirdly. 

Hermione had no change to sustain his gaze as Diana came to her view. 

“How was your Christmas break?” She asked while grabbing a crumpet at the center of the table. 

“It was lovely!” Added Hermione. It was a lie. Christmas break had been awful for her. After her discussion with Draco, she would have loved a cheerful Christmas surrounded by loved ones. What had transpired in the Wesley house was the opposite. For starters, Ron was in a fool mood as his mission as an Auror trainee was giving a rough time. It was a surveillance mission in which her husband had to sit in the cold and the rain for hours monitoring a rare animal’s smuggler. Hermione could still hear Ron rambling: “I am the hero of the war. I saved countless lives. I am a strategist, and look how they use my skills: watching a minor smuggler. What a waste of my time.” 

Ron was so busy rambling that he did not once look at Hermione. They had a couple of entercourse, but they felt empty and rushed. Hermione felt frustrated.

To add to her distress, the mood was not high in the Weasley family. Molly was sobbing several times a day, as it was the first Christmas without Fred. George was also absent from the celebration. It felt impossible for George to attend. As a consolation gift, the Weasley boy sent them a postcard from Beijing, where he was researching new firework techniques. George could not bear the loss of his brother, and his grieving technique was to wander overseas.

Ginny was also in a bad state. Everyone seemed to know the terrible things that had happened to her during the war, but no one seemed to have the strength to address them. Ginny was drowning her sorrow in alcohol, which caused countless fights with her boyfriend, Harry Potter. Harry seemed troubled, but as usual, he was placing the other first. Tirelessly, he was begging Ginny to ask for professional help, but the girl was rejecting everything in a block. Over the New Year's dinner, the couple had an explosive argument that disrupted the dinner. Hermione spent her last minute of her year alone in the garden with tears in her eyes while the Weasley family was trying to pick up the pieces. So it had not been the best Christmas for her.

“How was yours?” Hermione asked Diana.

“Interesting to say the least. I am not gonna lie, I am glad to be back at Hogwarts.”

“How is he?” Hermione could not resist asking. Last time she saw him, his eyes were so full of anger that she would never forget them.

“He is ok. I guess it is weird for him to come back home, but he will come around.”Diana smiled sadly. It was the only mention of Draco Malfoy that day. In the following days, Hermione did not see him in class nor in the corridors. She also barely saw him at lunch break and at the library. Hermione thought that Draco had disappeared again, but she was surprised when she overheard Neville during lunch break.

“Draco helped me a lot today with the mandragora potion. He has good advice, I am surprised, and I have to say he is nicer than expected.”

Diana, who was sitting next to Neville, replied: “Nicer ! He refused to give me additional Melissa for my draught. He is so selfish,” Diana pouted. “You guys see him in class?” Hermione blurred out.

“I share a couple of subjects with him,” Neville replied while taking another bite.

“I often see him at the library. His physical body is great, but his spirit is gloomy,” added Luna before turning her attention back to her book.

“I see.” Hermione simply replied as she was now in a sour mood.

They did not have to be friends or even talk, but avoiding her at all costs was a childish act. Hermione had to admit she wanted to see him to make sure he was ok, and also tell him in his face how dumb he was.

Over the week, she tried her best to cross paths with him, but it was a failure. She once saw a blond-haired figure exiting the library. She heard his voice in the corridors, but she never managed to see him in full. Hermione was growing frustrated as she could not reach him. She knew Draco was a master at hiding after his months as a Death Eater killer. However, Hermione would not give up that easily. She decided to follow Theo Nott, as he had followed her. She knew he would lead her to Draco. She had to be clever, so over a week, she followed Theo like a maniac, and finally found a moment she could corner Draco alone.

Every morning, the wizard walked around Hogwarts Lake before meeting with Theo for breakfast extremely early. It was her time.

On a misty morning in January, Hermione laid out her plan. She would once again ambush him during his morning walk. It was a specialty of ambushing people, and she was somehow proud of it.

She waited behind a tree for a moment, when she heard the snow cracking under one's.

She jumped on the small path, nearly breaking her head as she slipped on an ice patch.

“Granger!” he jumped. “You should stop ambushing people like this; it is bloody rude.” Draco looked visibly annoyed, but tried not to look at her.

“You should stop avoiding people like plague, it is bloody rude!” she replied in the same tone as him.

“Humor me and leave at this instant!” Draco could only reply

“Look at me ! “ she said, grabbing the green scarf from Draco’s neck. “Look at my eyes and swear to me you were not avoiding me.”

“You should also learn to respect boundaries! I will not look at you, and I will not explain.” Draco added in a blasé tone.

“Not with me, Malfoy! Answer! Now!” Hermione threatened.

“Weasley. You are married now. You should stop your obsession with me; it is not proper for a married woman. Stop looking for answers that I will never give you.”

Once again, Hermione felt dumb. He was his own person and had the right of not wanting to see her. Yet she felt so annoyed, and she wished he would look at her.

Her eyes filled with tears. She felt so helpless and dumb.

“I am sorry! You are right. I should not be like this. I am sorry…” she mumbled while taking her hand off his scarf. As she was sobbing, Draco could not resist looking at her eyes. Hermione knew he felt the same grief or worse.

“Granger,” Draco said with concern in his voice. “Please do not cry for me.” Hermione could not control herself, and her sorrow intensified.

“I am so sorry.” She felt so ridiculous for crying in front of him.

Sniffing heavily, Hermione used her forearm to wipe her tears when she felt warmth enveloping her. Her nose picked up Draco’s perfume, which might have been Cedar or amber. It was definitely an expensive perfume. With her hands, she reached to grab him around the waist, deepening the embrace. He kept her in his arms as long as she cried. They both stayed in the frozen ground for a couple of minutes before Draco tore the embrace.

“I shall run to breakfast. Theo will ask himself where I have been. Don’t cry for me.” He simply said while handing over his mouchoir. “Bring it back to me tomorrow, but you need it more now. You look like some owls hit you in the face.” He smiled in mischief.

“Really?” Hermione felt the tears start to run again.

“Merlin! Please leave before you start sobbing again. I will see you in class."

Like this, Hermione felt her heart blooming anew. A dangerous feeling planted its roots in her wounded heart like his scent that would remain in her brain for the rest of the day.

Chapter Text

Draco felt pretty confident after his return to Hogwarts. He only saw her on the first day. Her honey brown eyes searched for him, but he had made sure not to cross them. For if he had crossed them, he would not have been able to resist. Draco had been the worst of the worst. He had betrayed his school by letting Death Eaters breach security, participate in Dumbledore's murder, and proceed to kill and capture many Death Eaters at the end of the war. He wanted this new change to be a clean slate, and letting his feelings for married woman show was not part of the plan. 

Hermione was now a Weasley, and it broke his heart. In addition to keeping his distance to respect her, he kept his distance to avoid breaking his heart even more. He could not stand to see her wedding ring as a reminder of the fact that she was not his. 

Draco thought he had all figured it out. He did a good job avoiding Hermione at all costs, so that he had barely seen her for the whole month. He knew that his little strategy would soon be figured out by the bright witch, but he had to keep going and carry on.

Everything felt all right until this snowy January morning. Draco was having his morning stroll next to the lake like every morning since he came back to Hogwarts. Suddenly, while he was making his way back to the school, someone jumped in front of him to block the way. He realized quickly that it was another ambush from Hermione. Draco forced himself not to look at her, but could not resist. Her curls were falling nicely in front of her eyes, and her face was reddened by the winter cold air. The young wizard tried it is best not to avoid looking into her gaze and stared at the floor, but Hermione had other plans. When she grabbed his scarf and forced him to look into her eyes, Draco was appalled. He tried to summon all his strength to remain calm and not fall for her again. 

He had aggressively replied to her, and thought she would let go and angrily reply to him. However, Draco was surprised to see Hermione in tears. She sobbed and apologized uncontrollably. Draco felt his anger fade. He was not aware when he crossed the line and embraced her. His heart was beating so fast, and having her in his arms, even in those circumstances, warmed him. She was thinner than before, but her hair was still outrageously luscious. She smelled like her commercial shampoo, a weird smell of lavender. Draco did not care and made the most of the embrace, breathing in to feel her more. He was about to get lost in her embrace when suddenly, Draco came back to reality. She was married. They were both hugging alone in the forest at dawn. To his great sorrow, the young wizard broke the embrace and promptly left a still crying Hermione in the forest. 

When she was out of sight, Draco ran back to the castle to his room. 

His heart was about to explode, and all the feelings he had for her came back to him like a tsunami of emotions. His love for her had never left, and he knew it, but feeling it was different. Since then, Draco tried to continue avoiding her, but she made the task even more difficult than before. She was everywhere for some reason, and he could not stop bumping into her.

In a few days, his life had resumed to become hell on earth, and he knew for sure that things would go downhill from there. 

—----------------

Theo was glad Draco came back. Since that fateful night, the boy felt like he had a debt toward Draco. He had kept his promises. He had made sure Diana was safe. Over the fall terms, Theo had been busy understanding what was going on around the girl.

 At first glance, she appeared as a normal student, but Theo quickly realized that it was not the case. At school, people looked at her differently. They knew her destiny to be the mother of the next “super wizard,” as Theo liked to call her or him. Girls who were not Diana’s friends had a jealous glow to their faces, and Theo had already heard countless gossip. Gossip such as : “She is not truly a Malfoy,”; “She is the one who killed Draco. “Her family invented the prophecy because the girl was so useless.”

Theo was offended to hear such disgraceful comments, but he was also amazed at how little Diana cared about those. The girl had her friends and seemed to be completely immune to others' evil words. The few boys who had returned to Hogwarts had at first tried to approach Diana, most likely pushed by eager mamas to get the Malfoy heiress in their roster. However, Diana only seemed to have time for Neville, with whom she shared a common passion for plants, from which a strong friendship blossomed. Theo kept a vigilant eye on Neville, but it seems that the Gryffindor wizard was more infatuated with Luna than Diana. In the list of boys Diana was communicating with, Theo could also count himself. After the forest incident, it seemed that Diana had decided to tolerate him. After the Yule ball, they often shared some tea time in the library together with Granger. Theo was thankful that Diana accepted him, as he could keep a closer eye on her.

Nott knew that what Draco had explained about Diana's safety was not invented. After the forest incident, Theo had dug deeper to understand the attacker's profile. He only had the souvenir of the strange man's figure and Diana’s testimony. Over the fall term, Theo used his free time to understand what was going on around the girl. His fears were confirmed when, right after the Yule Ball, Theo spotted a shadow following Draco’s sister.

The shadow was unusual and awoke Theo's sixth sense. The boy started his spring term on the watch.

Now that Draco was back, he needed to discuss it with him, but did not have the occasion before this fateful night.

Theo was wandering in the corridors after dinner during a cold January night. The sun was already replaced by moonlight. Even if Draco was back, and therefore, Theo's mission to protect the young witch was not needed. The Slytherin wizard kept protecting the girl from afar.

As usual, after dinner, Diana would go to the library to study some botanical treatises. Most of the time, she was accompanied either by Hermione, Neville, or, some days, Ginny.

This night, it seemed that Diana was alone as Neville had already left to sleep, Hermione was away for a few days, and Ginny was nowhere to be found. Theo thought it would be a good idea to keep the Malfoy girl’s company and avoid her being alone when a creepy shadow seemed to follow her.

Theo was on his way to the library when he felt something weird was going on. He smelled an unusual sulfuric aroma in the air, and the moonlight seemed to be weaker. The dim light gave Hogwarts corridors a spooky atmosphere. Something was off, and Theo knew it was related to Diana. Not thinking twice, Theo ran to the library like a madman. What he would discover there would be comparable to the trauma that his dad inflicted on him.

The library was empty, and blood melted with icy blond hair, and Theo could not erase from his mind Diana’s bloodied hands still holding the botany book and her head facing down the desk. On the floor lay a paralyzed figure that looked like a man. The air was full of sulfuric smoke. Theo's heart crumbled in front of the scene. He was able to move, paralyzed by the vision of Diana’s blood spilled everywhere on the desk in front of her. Her skin looked so pale, as if she were almost or already dead. Theo felt the air leave his lungs and a furious will to vomit all his dinner, but he had to act, as Diana was maybe still alive.

“Fuck, Fuck, Fuckering fuck” Theo could utter.

Trying to put aside his uneasiness, he managed to push Diana’s face up and could manage with a touch of relief that the girl was still breathing. She was shallow breathing, but it meant she still had a chance. Theo was not able to send a Patronus to Draco as he did not master the spell. How could he master a spell that relied on happy moments?

However, time was running out. Although Theo had applied basic first aid spells, he was unsure how long Diana would last. He felt trapped—he could not leave Diana to bleed out alone in the library, nor could he leave her with the petrified man on the floor.

Theo had to find a way out, and sending his patronus to Draco or any helpful professor was the only solution. He tried to summon a Patronus, but nothing worked. Theo could not remember any happy memories.

“Come on, Nott!” The boy was trying his best to dig into his memory to find happy souvenirs. He concentrated on his time with Diana. How she invited him to the ball, as if he were a normal being. He remembered their conversations. The warmth of her hands during the Yule ball. The smile she gifted him on some rare yet precious occasion. He could not bear to lose her, and it was not because she was Draco’s sister. He had to save her because she was the only person who treated him like a normal person. He selfishly wanted her to live, to see her smile at him again or shoot a dagger at him with her eyes.

Theo brought all his strength and concentration to producing a Patronus. When he finally succeeded, relief followed in his body. He was so focused on Diana that he did not even consider the animal that formed his patronus. 

Within minutes, Draco appeared in the library. Without ceremony, he crossed the room. His silvery eyes fell directly on Diana. His friend was shaking, but managed to grab his sister's wrist to check her pulse. 

“She…is alive, but barely alive.” Theo managed to comment. “Did you call Mrs Pomfrey?” 

Theo thought that it could be an important question to ask, but Draco looked at him with murderous eyes. 

“I did.” Draco snapped before adding with the coldest intonation he had ever heard. “How could you let this happen?” 

Theo felt heat rise to his cheeks. It was a strong feeling of shame. He had to protect her at all costs, and he failed. 

“I thought since you were back…I fucked up, I am a bloody fool, forgive me.” Theo tried to explain, but he was so scared. Draco did not help him when he grabbed Theo by the collar and added, “If something happens to her, you know I will kill you. I will not hesitate to annihilate you, best friend or not.” 

Half-shocked at himself, Theo replied: “I will accept… I understand, but for now, let’s focus on her. “ 

Draco dropped Theo violently on the floor at the same time as Mrs Pomfrey and McGonagall arrived, both in their dressing gown. 

“Oh dear! Mr Malfoy, Mr Nott, what happened here?” McGonagall asked them in her thick Scottish accent. 

Draco was unable to speak, as it seems that his only focus was on Diana.

“I was walking back to my dorm when I smelled a weird sulfuric odor coming from the library. I had to stop by to check, and I found Diana covered in blood and this guy petrified on the floor.” Theo blurred out in one go. 

“Noted, Mr Nott,” McGonagall added without ceremony. “You two will accompany me to my office, Mrs Pomfrey. Will you manage to take care of Mrs Malfoy?”

Mrs Pomfrey had no time to reply when Draco added. 

“ I will accompany Mrs Pomfrey. With all due respect, Mrs McGonagall, I am not letting my sister side after what has transpired here.” Theo was surprised to see his friend calm and composed after he had threatened him with death a couple of minutes ago. 

“Mr Malfoy, I understand, but let Mrs Pomfrey do her job.” Draco was about to reply when McGonagall cut them. “Hush, Mrs Malfoy, lost a lot of blood, let’s not waste more time.” Just like that, Theo saw the group disappear into the shadows, and he was now dragged by Mrs McGonagall to her office.

Chapter Text

Draco tried to calm his pounding heart after seeing Hermione just before returning to his dorm for the night. She had stopped him in the corridor in front of everyone.

Draco remembered her slightly flushed cheeks and her serious demeanour. She was trying to act properly and conceal her emotions.

“Thank you for.. mmh.. Your help yesterday morning.” She managed to pronounce while handing him his handkerchief, nicely folded.

"I washed it," she added awkwardly.

Draco did not really know how to react, so he simply replied,

“Thank you, Weaseley.”

A flash of annoyance sparked in Hermione's eyes when she took her leave from him.

“You are Welcome, Malfoy. I wish you a pleasant night. Bye.” She added in a robotic manner as she disappeared into the corridor.

After that brief yet intense interaction, Draco had regained his dorms, still holding a handkerchief as if it were some kind of poisoned item.

Closing the door behind him, he gently brought the cloth to his nose. It smelled like industrial soap, but it made Draco happy for some reason. Shaking his head to shake his shame, Draco decided to lie down on his head and calm his mind with a book on alchemy. His room felt cold, and he could only hear the noise of the fire crackling in the hearth. The book was somehow boring, as Draco expected it. The Malfoy Manor library had a lot more advanced books in its glory days. He regretted that, in his anger, he had not thought about the books when he burned the manor. Bitter with this observation, Draco threw the book carelessly on his nightstand when he heard a crashing noise. Throwing a book on a nightstand was not making a crashing noise, and the young wizard had no time to think when a blue hue illuminated the room. It was a small and frail fox Patronus which Draco could not recognize.

“Please help ! Diana is injured. I am not sure how long she will survive. Please inform the nurse and come to help in the library. I need help now, please. Please, Draco.” The voice, which Draco recognized as Theo, was genuinely frightened, which made the Slytherin prince jump off his bed in record speed and rush to the Slytherin dorm's doors. Draco used five seconds of his time to wake up Blaise and ask him to fetch McGonagall and Mrs Pomfrey. 

He rushed to the library in such a short amount of time that Theo was startled when he violently opened the library door and crossed the room in two strides to reach his sister.

The image that Draco saw was worse than all the murders he committed or witnessed, and all the torture Voldemort inflicted on him. Diana was lying on the desk like a lifeless doll. Her face was tumefied as if she had been violently beaten. Her skull looked bloody, and  the boy was not sure if it was cracked open. Above all, her face was pale as death. Draco reached out without thinking about her pulse to make sure she was alive. A wave of relief ran down his spine, promptly followed by an immense ire.

Draco felt responsible for this, but he needed to externalise his shame and anger on someone, and that someone was Theo. Theo looked pale as hell, but he was gently wiping the blood from Diana’s face with his handkerchief.

“How could you let this happen?” Draco asked him in the coldest ire. Theo looked at Draco's eyes with so much shame, but the Malfoy heir did not care.

“I thought since you were back…I fucked up, I am a bloody fool, forgive me.” 

Angrier than ever, Draco could not care less about Theo's pitiful excuses. In his ire, he grabs his best friend by the collar before adding, “If something happens to her, you know I will kill you. I will not hesitate to annihilate you, best friend or not.” 

It was not a threat; it was a prophecy. If the worst were to happen to Diana, Draco would once again burn everything, starting with Theo himself. 

However, Theo did not quiver this time, and with a surprising calm, he replied to Draco: “I will accept… I understand, but for now, let’s focus on her. “ 

If Draco had not been that mad, he would have been concerned about his friend's complete lack of survival instinct. 

A few seconds after pushing Theo to the floor, Mrs McGonagall and Mrs Pomfrey appeared, and after a few moments, both women took Diana to the medical hall. 

Draco was focused on the fact that he should be with his Sister, but Mrs Pomfrey had been clear that he had no reason to be with her while she was patching Diana up. The young boy tried to fight and be with his sister, but he was sternly reprimanded by Mrs McGonagall: 

“Mr Malfoy, you will be of no help. Your sister needs first aid and a lot of rest. You will accompany me with Mr Nott to understand what truly happened. It seemed that it was not a random incident, rather than a carefully crafted ambush.”

Both Draco and Theo were redirected to Mrs McGonagall’s office in where their teacher took good note of their deposition, before sending them back to either their dorm or Diana’s side. 

In the end, the old teacher had a heart and knew that even at a late hour, Draco would not rest until had seen his sister. 

When both arrived next to her, the girl was wrapped in many layers of bandage, and she was smelling like antiseptic. Mrs Pomfrey had told them that Diana was of a strong constitution, and that her injuries were only superficial in spite of the heavy blood flow. Her lips were open, and her skin was only scratched. The old nurse supposed that Diana fought, and that the blow on her head made her lose consciousness. 

Theo sat next to her and seemed mesmerized by her breathing. 

Draco sat next to him and held his sister's hand, which had regained its warmth. Both wizards remained silent for the rest of the night. Theo fell asleep when the first light of the day started to filter through the window, but Draco remained awake while waiting for her to come back. 

Mid-morning, when the infirmary started to buzz with its daily activity, Draco could feel Diana’s hand moving. He heard her grunt, wiggling in her bunk. When she opened her eyes, Draco felt a wave of relaxation through his body. His sister's eyes still had fire in them, although they were a bit clouded by tiredness. 

In a husky voice, she demanded: “Puis-je avoir de l’eau?” She obviously spoke in her mother tongue, but Draco understood that she was requesting water. After picking up her glass of water, he called Mrs Pomfrey for a check. Diana was given clearance to return to her dorm the following night, but she would need to be in bed rest for the coming week. 

“We informed your mother, she will be here in a couple of hours,” added Mrs Pomfrey, before leaving Draco and Diana , to resume her work. 

“Mother will kill me! She will take me out of Hogwarts,” added Diana in a cry. 

“No, do not worry, she will not. She will first kill me for having you get into trouble, but I know how to convince her to keep you in school.” Draco tried to smooth his sister's worry. Narcissa was complicated, but Draco felt he could convince his mother that he would protect his sister better next time. After a couple of minutes in a comfortable silence, Draco added: 

“Do you remember anything?” 

“Yes, this guy is the same one who attacked me in the forest. I saw his white eyes. This time, he said nothing and directly punched me. I fought, I tried to fight….” Diana's eyes started to water. “George was right, I am a terrible fighter. I was too weak.” 

“George is not here anymore,” Draco added dryly. He did not like the Weasley twin as he had understood that he had left Diana without any means to contact him, throwing their friendship into the rubbish bin. 

“Theo told it to me too.” She said with emotion in her voice. “He saved me once, you know,” Diana added while looking at Theo, still sleeping like a baby in a chair nearby. 

“I know he told me. He saved you this time as well. The first time he used his bloody Patronus was to save you.” Draco admitted. He himself was unable to use the spell, as with Theo, their childhood was not really full of good memories. 

“I owe him a second date then!” She breathed. 

“A date? When was the first time?” Draco was curious yet slightly annoyed. 

“Yule ball,” She smiled. “He is an odd fellow. He is trying is best to survive when his soul and body are so broken.”

“Like all of us ! My dear sister.” Draco directed his gaze to Theo, who started to stir in his chair. How could Theo go on a date with his sister? It worried him even more than the mysterious man who was following his sister. Talking about the men, McGonagall had taken him into custody before the arrival of the Auror. The ministry had opened a case and would most likely investigate over the coming months. Draco knew he would not wait for the ministry underpaid Auror to do their job. He would do justice himself. 

“Diana !” Draco heard Theo scream while reaching to the side of her bed and grabbing her hand shamelessly. She did not react; worse, Draco could see the girl blushing slightly. 

“I am glad you are not dead. I thought for a moment…” Theo started rambling. 

“Theo, please behave. She is injured and needs rest .” Draco acerbly replied, “And drop her hand for the matter.” 

He swiftly extracted his hand from Diana, and both looked disappointed. 

“Theo, let’s go. We will need to understand who the bastards are behind this attack,” Draco said while rising from his chair. 

“Draco, please no!” Diana tried to protest, but Draco was already dragging Theo away. 

While regaining their dorm, Draco could not stop thinking about how flushed his sister looked with Theo. Still slightly annoyed, he heard Theo asking. 

“By the way, what animal was my Patronus charm?” 

“A tiny fox,” Draco commented, thinking more and more how cunning Theo was. He managed to be there at the right time every time Diana was attacked and made her blush. Draco was sure of one thing: he would never leave Theo alone with Diana.

Chapter Text

Hermione had heard about Diana’s incident. The professor's body had tried to conceal the episode as much as possible , but little did they know about Hermione's tenacity. As a matter of fact, they knew, and McGonagall had long abandoned trying to tame Hermione.

On her way to Mrs Pomfrey's office after breakfast, the witch saw Draco and Theo shortly exiting the infirmary.  

Both boys looked as though they were plotting something unusual, and Hermione did not like it. She decided to follow them once again and possibly ambush them later.

They both decided to sit on a bench on the front lawn. It was freezing cold, and the sky looked dark, ready for an upcoming storm.

Draco looked utterly tired, as Hermione supposed; he had not slept during the whole night.

Theo’s condition was much better, but his brown hair was wild, and his uniform was in disarray.

Hermione tried to hide, but in this part of the castle, it was not an easy task, so she decided to directly face the two men. She had to find answers, as she also had her theory on what was happening to Diana, and she needed Draco to hear them.

“Good day!” She started approaching the pair in a confident manner.

She saw Draco rolling his eyes and Theo looking at her in disbelief.

“What do you want, Weasly?” Draco dryly replied.

“We are back to being mean to each other, Draco?” She asked in a flippant tone.

“Hermione ! My sister had been attacked. I had a long night.”

Draco did not even try to hide the reality from her, which she appreciated.

“I am here for that, actually! Perfect timing!" she grimaced awkwardly in front of both of the boys, who looked slightly alarmed.

“I have been conducting some research about this recently. Thank you, Theo, for being that predictable."

“Me?” gasped Theo, opening and clothing his mouth like a fish.

Draco looked pissed with his arms crossed, but he looked at her with a determined look: “Go on! explain yourself.”

“Well, we all know Diana’s prophecy now. Even if your mother tried to suppress it from the public, it’s no longer a secret. The attack began over fall break. The first was in the Forbidden Forest.”

“It was an incident!” Theo promptly added, “She was there at the wrong time; some smugglers found her.”

“Theo, you are lying very badly. One caveat for later, why are you lying?” the bright witch grimed again.

“This incident was their first trial, and this is where you, Mr Nott, started to suspect something!"

Draco turned sharply, his eyes darkening with a vengeful look fixed on Theo.

“Please, Draco, let me explain !” Cried the brown haired wizard.

“Later, Nott, let me finish. You suspected something, so you started to investigate, but that night, when you let me use Legitem on you, I saw something. I saw the men with white eyes that attacked Diana in the woods today, but I saw him in a vision when you were still a little child.”

Hermione felt bad about throwing Theo under the bus, because she knew the boy was incapable of hurting a fly. However, she had to find out the truth, and once again, her methods were questionable. Draco was now boiling next to them, and in a fast yet precise movement, he grabbed Theo and pushed him to the floor. When the first push reached Theo’s face, the fresh blood splashed on the snow. Hermione felt appalled at having caused such a big commotion that she launched herself to protect Nott with her body.

“MALFOY! YOU MORON!” She screamed while Theo's blood was dripping on her face

During this time of the day, and with the meteorological conditions, no one could hear them.

Grabbing Draco's wrists with her small hands, she gave enough space for Theodore to regain his bearing and distance himself from the Slytherin prince.

“I can explain.” Theo cried in despair. “Please, Drake, trust me ! I can explain. I would never hurt her or anyone, for that matter." Still securing Draco with her hands, she felt him trying to break free to push Nott once more.

“But you hurt her already ! You promised you would protect her, and you failed. You are a loser, Nott. A bloody loser ! A broken human! I should have never saved you!”

Hermione felt sympathy for the poor Theodor, who looked like he had been hit by a brick wall. She shot Draco a disapproving gaze.

“Let him speak!” She said in her most commanding voice. “Let him speak, Draco, or I will reveal to everybody what you did those months. You will not be able to save your sister in Azkaban.” She felt bad once again for her severely borderline methods, but time was not playing to their advantage. Diana has been attacked, and it would only get worse.

She gazed at Draco, who had now retreated to the bench, his eyes fixing her with so much pain and anger. She decided to ignore it for a moment, for the sake of her investigation.

“Theo speaks!” She ordered him. The boy approached carefully and, with a trembling voice, started his horrific story.

“My dad was a madman. He was beating me violently. This is not a secret. He was so desperate that my mom had died that he was taking it on me, but that was not the worst.

My dad was a frick, a crazy person, and one of his life goals was to relive my mother. He used some witches or some Muggles. Of course, my dad, as a noble pureblood, refused to do the handiwork, so he delegated it to an associate. This guy, Calum, is a mercenary, a human trafficker who provided my dad with some victims for his experiment.” Theo took a breath. His eyes were pained, and Hermione could feel all the violence the boy had to endure, and it broke her heart.

“It does not explain why you did not tell me anything!” Draco asked in a still murderous tone.

“I could not see him properly in the woods the first time, but the method used to lure Diana reminded me of him. Yet I was so scared! I saw things. I saw my dad and this guy doing unimaginable things. When I saw him again last night, it was as if my brain was frozen. I could not remember his face directly.”

Theo got on his knees and crawled to Draco's lap, which made Hermione feel a bit awkward.

“ I beg you to believe me ! I will do anything!”

“Anything?” The Slythering prince asked in an evil tone.

Hermione looked at the two wizards in front of her. She wanted to face palm herself.

“We will proceed with the Slytherin vengeance protocol after we finish the discussion!”

She promptly said while shooting an outraged look at Theo, who was still kneeling in the snow with half of his face covered in blood.

“Nott, you know the “Calum” guy. Where can we find him to request his services?”

Theo looked at Hermione, confused.

“I do not know, I was never part of my dad's sick gigs, but I know my dad was often going to this pub on Isle of Sky.” The boy paused to search his memory after a couple of minutes, and he proclaimed. “The Thistle,” that’s it. I am sure he was going there for something.”

“You are not lying to us?” Draco coldly asked.

“I swear, brother. I will never disappoint you again.” Hermione was sick of the mafia demonstration between the two wizards.

“Well, that’s settled! Theo, you will remain here taking care of Diana over the weekend with Neville. Draco, let’s meet at Hogsmeade floo on Saturday at 8am to the dot. We have human traffickers to interrogate.”

She proclaimed, and without hearing Draco or Theo answer, she promptly left the pair to regain the warmth of the common room. Her heart was beating fast, and her brain was already full with some crazy speculation on the mysterious “Calum”. Hermione was pleased to be part yet again to another adventure. She was drugged on the feeling of freedom that those investigations were procuring her. They made her feel truly like herself.

Chapter Text

On the following Saturday, Draco was at 8am sharp in front of the Hogmead floo. He could not understand why Hermione had decided to rendezvous at such an early hour.

The brightest witch of her age arrived at the hour. She was dressed in comfortable denim jeans and a black wool jersey.

“Are we going for a picnic or to interrogate a human trafficking syndicate ?” Draco asked in disbelief. He had prepared himself for a strong interrogation. He was wearing his favorite leather boots that had proven very useful and impermeable to blood. He had also packed some small combat knives just in case.

“Hold on, Mr Vigilenty… Mr I kill everyone like a brute.” Hermione commented as if it was normal that during his vendetta during the fall, he had killed or badly injured at least a good dozen Death Eaters.

“We are going there to check on the syndicate and search their base.” She continued. “May I remind you that our suspect is currently held at the ministry.  He will not be very useful to us, by the way. I questioned Ron about it…” Draco could not hide the disgust he felt at hearing his rival's name. “The man who attacked Diana had all his memories wiped. He was like a good super soldier, but nothing more.”

Draco was still focused on the mention of her husband, and he felt a bitter taste reach his mouth.

“Are you listening to me?” she asked, searching for Draco’s gaze. Still annoyed, but conscious that it would not help their investigation, he shook his head to indicate that he was listening.

She repeated with her swot voice, “The goal of today is: Finding information about this guy, Calum, and finding out for whom he is working.”

“Understood!” he replied. Hermione was unapologetically bossy, and Draco loved it.

When both entered the floo, Draco felt once again her Industrial lavender smell, but he relished it.

Arriving at the floo outpost in the Isle of Skye, Draco turned toward the witch next to him.

Hermione was struggling with a paper map.

“I marked the location,” she tried to explain while making annoyed noises. “Bloody map,” she finally launched, frustrated.

Draco had studied the terrain before the mission, and he did not need any type of map.

“Follow me, I know the way!” He said to his partner. Hermione was first astonished that Draco already knew the way, but she quickly threw her map over her back to follow the wizard.

They walked in silence for a couple of minutes before the witch, incapable of silence, asked:

“Did your mother visit in the end?”

“She did indeed,” Draco replied, trying not to remember this horrific moment. His mother was scarier than Voldemort when it came to her children's safety. Diana’s attack has woken up within her an infernal ire. Draco had to use all his methods to convince his mother to keep Diana at school. He had crawled, made puppy eyes, and argued that it would never happen again. Diana had also helped in convincing Narcissa. She had begged her mother to stay, assuring her that she would not be safe anywhere, and promised that she would never step foot outside of Hogwarts again. McGonagal also did her best to convince an unstoppable Narcissa. After several hours of negotiations, which felt like a hostage release, Narcissa had accepted under several conditions. Diana would not be allowed outside of the castle. Narcissa would pay for an additional security guard protecting the castle at night. Diana, as well as Draco, would have to send her a letter a week reporting on their well-being. It was a bit over the top for the young wizard. They were now 18 years old, so legally adults, but Narcissa would not be persuaded otherwise.

“How did it go?” Candidly asked Hermione.

“Interestingly, not bad.” Draco could only reply to her.

“Very specific, I can see.” She laughed, “Judging by your eyes. You look forever traumatized, she said.

“You cannot see my eyes! You are walking in front of me.” Draco mockingly added.

“I have eyes on my back! I had to grow them to keep Harry and Ron safe.”

Draco sighed in exasperation. Meanwhile, they had reached the Pub, which looked more like an old shack lost in the middle of the woods.

“Here we are!” He declared.

—-------------------

Hermione had to admit she enjoyed her Saturday morning tremendously. Draco had arrived Hermione had to admit she enjoyed her Saturday morning tremendously. Draco had arrived in advance of their rendezvous point. The floo had worked, and they quickly found the pub. Draco had guided her in the snowing Scottish landscape. The forest was quiet, and the snow sparkled like Diamonds.

Hermione enjoyed her investigations alone, but similarly to Ron and Harry, Draco's presence felt natural by her side. He was not the most talkative, but she felt reassured with him. Draco was cunning and, above all, skilled with combat.  

“Ok, now that we are there. Let’s enter separately.  I will use polyjuice to conceal myself…” She looked at Draco from top to bottom to judge if it was necessary to use a glamour over him. He looked like Malfoy. His blond hair was whiter than before, and his appearance showed that he was not a simple wizard. “Well, let’s keep you as is. Those bandits would think you had rejoined the dark side.” She said while patting his shoulder.

She then proceeded to drink her potion.  It untamed her hair into luscious red hair, and changed her eyes' color to grey to match Draco’s eyes.

“I will enter first, Granger,” Draco said. “Let’s regroup in 20 minutes in the women's bathroom,” he said with a sly smile before jogging to the shake.

“Moron!” Hermione could only mumble.

20 minutes later, they both regroup in the women’s toilet. Hermione understood now why Draco was adamant about rejoining her in the women’s toilet. The old “Thistle” pub was a gangster's lair, composed of smugglers, human traffickers, and illegal portkey manufacturers, so there were hardly women present. She could not count how many lubric stares she had to fight before finally finding her way to the women’s bathroom.

“This place is horrible,” she complained.

“Come on, Granger, when you were looking for me, you went to sketchier places!” Draco laughed. 

“That's the topic!” she scowled at him. They could not lose time bickering.  “Have you found something?” 

“I found this!” Draco said while showcasing a booklet. “Our friend might have had his memory wiped. He was not a total idiot. He wrote everything in his little diary, which I found in his cute little desk out in plain sight .” 

Hermione's eyes grew wide. It was brilliant. Draco was definitely very skilled at finding clues. 

“Amazing news!” she beamed. Suddenly, both heard some noises coming from the corridor. 

“I am sure the little piece of candy is making herself pretty in the bathroom,” one voice said. 

“I would love to pull her silky red hair when she is riding my dick,” one other voice said. 

Hermione started to panic. They were both skillful wizards, but she doubted they could handle a room full of bandits. 

In despair, she looked at Draco. His eyes were staring aggressively at the door. A couple of seconds passed before the two men entered. She violently pushed Draco into one of the stalls and murmured, “Please go with the flow.”

She grabbed her jersey and threw it to the floor, and launched herself at Draco’s throat to kiss him.

Draco was so shocked that he tentatively tried to push her away. However, he quickly realized Hermione's strategy. She hoped that if the two old men thought she was already busy with someone, they would not come to annoy her.

She quickly opened Draco’s shirt under his feverish gaze. Her heart was beating fast. Warmth was spreading through her body. She knew Draco felt the same as his respiration increased.

With trembling hands, she reached for Draco’s skin, and continued planting kisses on his throat and torso. Draco was trembling, and she felt he used his hands to steady himself on the stall, incapable of touching her. When she felt the two men approaching their hiding place, she felt dangerously. Hermione violently placed Draco’s hand on her breast and reached for his lips.

Adrenaline was rushing through her blood as she started kissing him. It felt as if they had never parted. He kissed her back with unprecedented intensity. Hermione fluttered. His lips molded perfectly on hers as he deepened the kiss, pulling Hermione closer. They were so deeply concentrated on their kiss that they did not hear the two men opening the door.

“Hey, Blondie !” One of them shot. “Care to share? That bitch is not your property!"

Having to stop their physical contact was one of the hardest things for Hermione. She would not dare admit that she would have loved staying pressed against Draco. When he separated himself from her, Draco avoided her gaze. In a protective movement, he pushed her back behind him before facing the men.

Hermione could not see Draco’s eyes, but guessed they were still burning with desire.

“What do you think I reserved for people who disturb my peace? Especially to people disturbing my time with a fair lady?” Draco sharply added in the coldest of tones.

“Shut your little mouth, and share!” the second man grunted from behind.

Draco did not let them finish and grabbed one of the men by their neck before crashing him to his knees. The man fell like a dead weight on the floor. Draco pushed the body as if it were nothing to him and carefully brushed the blood from his pants. The other one looked horrified, which allowed Hermione to launch an Experliamus and Petrificus totalus.

“Fair lady, huh?” she tried to joke, still feeling her heart betraying her agitation.

“Let’s get out of here,” Draco said without looking at her.

Once they were both outside of the pub, they regained the forest in silence. Hermione had a hard time calming her beating heart and the warmth that still inhabited her whole body. Draco remained painfully silent until they regained Hogmead's floo.

“Well..mhh” he started. “Let’s meet tomorrow with Diana and Theo to check on the booklet. Ok?” he commented, still not looking at her.

Hermione was also trying to escape Draco’s gaze, so she simply replied: “Sure.”

It was an uncomfortable parting as they both started walking in the same direction after saying goodbye.

Hermione felt  ashamed, not for this abrupt farewell, but for the feeling Draco still ignited in her, even though she was now a married woman.

Chapter Text

The next day, Draco and Hermione had scheduled a general meeting at the astronomy tower. Diana thought it was a sick joke from both of them, as they all knew what had happened last time at the astronomy tower. She also felt that her situation was becoming frustrating . She had been attacked and nearly died, but it meant nothing to her. Like a rebellious teenager, she could not understand why she was grounded. Of course, with this dooming prophecy, she will always be in danger, but what her mother did not understand is that inside or outside of Hogwarts, the danger was always the same.

Gritting her teeth with anxiety, the young witch reluctantly walked toward the astronomy tower. Draco was already there. He was leaning against one of the pillars with nonchalance. Theo and Hermione were not there yet.

Without hiding her grumpiness, Diana asked: “How was it yesterday ? How does freedom feel?”

Draco rolled his eyes at his sister.

“Come on; don’t be petty! Mother is doing that for your own good, and you can stay at Hogwarts.”

She felt utterly frustrated, even though she knew her brother was right.

She grumped: “Stop acting as if you were my big brother!”

“I am,” he replied mischievously.

Diana's annoyance went through the roof as she let out a cry of exasperation.

“Oh, I wish so strongly to kick your pretty face, brother of mine.”

“You will not !” he said, putting his hands in front of him as if he wanted to protect himself.

“I will,” she said in fury, jumping on his brother to pull his hair. Draco stumbled on the impact and both landed on the hard floor.

At the climax of their fight, Hermione and Theo entered.

“Never saw a Malfoy battle before!” Theo marvelled.

“Hush ! “ Hermione said while separating them. “We do not have time for childish behavior!"

It bothered Diana that she had interrupted her physical fight with her twin brother. The brightest witch was so bossy, and no one could order her around.

Nonetheless, Diana regained her composure at record speed as Hermione looked very menacing. She asked to smooth her friend:

“I am under the impression that you both found something interesting.”

“We did thanks to Draco's own dark skills.” The witch added without looking at her brother. Diana felt this reaction was odd for the brightest witch of her age.

Diana knew that her brother was still very much in love with Hermione. She also now suspected that something was going on on Hermione’s side.

“He found this booklet at the white eyes man's lair. Thanks again, Theo, for recognizing him and leading us to his hiding place.” Hermione piped. 

“You knew him?” Diana asked in an irritated tone. 

 “I did,” Theo said, looking at her with confident eyes. 

“Did you save me only to look good? Why didn't you tell me before?” Diana felt betrayed by Theo. He'd better have a good explanation, or she would expel his treason on his face. She hated feeling so angry all the time, but she grew so accustomed to her freedom and peace of mind. It seemed that since the revelation, her life was narrowing down on her like a scary corridor. She was not able to escape. 

“My dad knew that evil man, but I could not recognize him at first. I sincerely apologize. It taps in a traumatized part of my brain.” Theo said with honesty, but Diana could not care less. 

“You said that we could have avoided this attack? But your little brain was not recognizing this guy? How pitiful an excuse you are making, Theo.” 

She was about to continue throwing more virtual stones on Theo’s face when Hermione cut her short. 

“Hold on, Diana. We already had this discussion before your very demure and mature brother already made Theo pay for what he did. You are welcome to deal with him later, but now we need a battle plan.”

Diana shot a quick look at his brother, who was smiling as if he was saying to her, “I avenged you,” which made Diana even more annoyed. 

“Very well.” She concluded by letting Hermione speak again. 

“So in this booklet, the man who is called Calum, was anointing his mission and, above all, the debts people had with him. I have checked carefully, and one name is very frequent, and it is “Gaunt.”

“It is impossible!” Draco exclaimed, “This family has been dead for decades. It cannot be. Morfin Gaunt, the only remaining member, died without posterity.”

“Morfin?” Hermione asked curiously.

“They were marrying between cousins, which caused their downfall,” Theo added.

“And our families are not marrying cousins?” Diana piped.

“No, the Nott and the Malfoy are not related, and look at the Weasley, they are not really marrying cousins,” the brown-haired boy tried to explain.

Diana made a small guttural noise before turning back to Hermione, shamelessly ignoring Theo. She was never mad, but when the ire had reached her blood, it was complicated to let it go.

“So, a dead pure blood family is after me?” the girl lamented.

“It is a possibility.” Hermione answered, “But we will need to go on a field trip to verify it.”

Theo reflected once again: “The Graunt died in poverty, but their property of Little Hangleton in Kent is still there. Some say Voldemort still has a piece of his soul living in those old walls.” Theo explained.

“Theodore, are you saying that the Graunt…” Diana started to ask, livid as a sheet.

“They are Voldemort’s family,” Draco said bleakly. “It makes all sense,now.”

Diana felt her heart sink in her stomach. The Dark Lord was dead and left in ashes, yet he was still haunting her in his afterlife. She felt helpless in the face of adversity. Her life was always meant to be plagued by greedy wizards wanting to make her the mother of the next darklord.

“I will always be plagued.” Diana could only utter in a heartbreaking voice.

“Do not trouble yourself, my dear, we will find a way. I am the brightest witch of the age, I will find a way!” Hermione said while grasping Diana’s hands.

“What do you propose?” Draco asked Hermione.

“There are two points: Finding out if the Gaunt are behind it, and finding a permanent fix on Diana’s prophecy. For the latter, it will take more time, but I am sure there’s a way.” Hermione took a pregnant pause.

“Let’s go to the Gaunts’ house and investigate. From there, let’s find proof to arrest them, buying time for us to find a solution to Diana’s prophecy, and also making an example for other people trying to annoy her.”

“Agree to the plan, my dear, but I wish to come with you. I cannot bear having you in harm's way on my behalf once I am safe.” Diana commented.

“That’s the whole point,” his brother spat.

“Draco, be reasonable! You need me there. I can lure them out of their hiding place, if needed.” She pleaded.

“Hard pass, my dear,” Draco said adamantly.

“She is not that mistaken. Malfoy!” Hermione commented. “Diana can be used to set up a trap and arrest them.”

“What if they do not exist, and it is someone else? What if we get captured? Our mother will annihilate me if something happens to her. “ The Malfoy heir cried.

“Let’s carefully plan all our options. Option one: We will go to the Gaunt place and lure them out. Let’s wait for them to commit a mistake, and we will bring the Auror upon them.”

“How are you planning to do that?” Theo candidly asked, going out of his silence.

“A magician cannot reveal all of their tricks.” Hermione slyly smiled.

“Brother?” Diana tentatively asked with puppy eyes. “Draco?” Hermione asked with a similar tone of voice.

“You both will be the death of me. Ok,” He finally leaned in. “But only this time, and Hermione swears to me on your husband that you have a backup plan with the Auror.”

Hermione looked annoyed at the mention of her husband, but replied either way:

“I swear!”

“Then let’s go for a nice night stroll.” Draco proclaimed.

Diana was sure of one thing: their team, although modest, looked pretty solid for this job.

Chapter Text

At midnight, the four met in front of Hogwarts. Escaping prefects and security was a piece of cake for Hermione, who led Diana out of the castle in record time. Draco was not bad either, as he and Theo reached the exit a couple of minutes after the girls.

“Ok, let’s use this portkey to Kent,” Draco added while pulling out a Dragon keychain.

“That’s the one from mother? You stole it?” Diana asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I borrowed it.” Draco winked while Hermione was visibly rolling her eyes.

“So, for the plan, we will enter the house and search for clues or signs of life. If we get attacked, you know how to proceed?” Hermione asked in her first-class tone.

“Yep!” answers Theo. Diana and Draco nodded their hands in approbation

“Let’s go then!”

Without further delay, Hermione activated the portkey, transporting the group to Kent. As they arrived in the countryside, the air felt colder and more humid than in Scotland. Night had already fallen, making it complicated to find the path to the old house.

“It should be here,” said Theo, dusting his jacket.

The only house Hermione could see was an old dilapidated manor at the end of an arborated path.

“This ruin is the Gaunt estate?” Diana asked the boy.

“It is. Told you they lost all their money due to their family's bad habit of overspending. Not a habit shared by the Malfoy family, as a matter of fact,” Theo tried to joke. He was met by Diana and Draco's curious looks. Hermione knew that the Malfoys were the richest family in the wizarding UK, even after Draco's little pyromaniac episode. She also knew that, although bigoted and narrow-minded, the Malfoy patriarch was very much skilled in the art of investing.

“Thanks for the information, Theo,” Hermione remarked. “Let’s just get in by the back door. I am sure there’s a back door.”

“People will see us,” Diana commented

“No, we won’t, we will use this!” Hermione said, pulling out the invisibility potion developed by the Weasley twins.

“Oh dear Merlin, not this potion!” Diana lamented.

“They have improved it!” Hermione insisted.

Draco swiftly snatched the bottle from Hermione’s hands and, without hesitation, drank it with a noisy gulp.

“Let’s hope your plans work, Weasly !”

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and also proceeded to drink. When they were all under the influence of the potion, they made their way into the old house by the back door.

Upon entering Hermione's nose felt directly assaulted by a strong odor: a mix of mold and decomposition. The house had a dismal atmosphere as the damp wind was blowing. The decor was outdated and reflected bygone days. For all the clues that showed that the house was empty, Hermione felt her intuition kick in. It felt staged. It was too good to be true. Their plan seemed to be working perfectly, yet an eerie feeling froze Hermione's blood. A dash of warm air moved behind her back when she heard Draco whisper in her ear: “It feels too calm to be true. I do not like it.”

“Me neither,” she breathed.

As the group went deeper and deeper into the old building, Hermione felt more and more uneasy. They had a backup plan. Draco and she had carefully planned every detail, but she now feared that their overconfidence would lead to complications.  

They entered what seemed to be an old ballroom. The seling was high and reflected intricate Renaissance patterns. Like some old house in England, the windows were high above the floor, making them unreachable. The wooden floor was cracking under their feet, making such creepy noises that it sent a shiver down Hermione’s spine. 

Draco raised his hand to notify the group to stop moving. In theory, the cracking noises would have faded, but to Hermione's horror, they did not.

“Fucking in hell!” Hermione heard Draco curse. 

The cracking continued. It was a faint noise at first, but it seemed to get irrevocably closer and closer to them.  Pannick started to kick in, in Hermione’s blood as a dark and viscous matter started to emerge from the slats. 

“Hermione?” Diana asked with fear in her voice, as the dark matter quickly reached their ankle. “What do we do, Hermione?” the Malfoy girl spoke in urgency. 

Hermione was paralyzed, the dark liquid making it impossible for her to move her body. 

“It was a trap.” She could only say, while realizing the invisibility potion was no longer working.

“Bloody potion, it never ever worked.” Diana spat. 

Draco shot an urgent look in her direction as if he was saying: “Let’s carry on with our plan.” 

At that instant, Hermione felt somehow at ease. Having Draco's brilliant mind at her side made her forget that they were trapped by a black spell in Voldemort's old family house. 

“Welcome to my estimated guests,” a voice emerged from the shadows while the old fireplace lit itself in a dramatic blaze. “I have been awaiting your arrival.”

The voice felt ageless and cold. Its accent felt unnatural, as if it were almost Parseltongue. 

“Why is he talking in Parselmouth?” asked Nott. 

“I have no idea,” Hermione replied. 

“He speaks Parselmouth,” Draco said at the same time the voice’s owner was exiting the shadows, “Because he is Morfin Gaunt. The last remaining member of the Gaunt family, and Voldemort’s uncle.” 

When the man approached the fireplace, Hermione could see his face. His eyes looked almost like a snake's with small pupils. He was walking with a cane, betraying his old age, and was dressed in tattered clothes. What made Hermione shiver in disgust was his mouth, as it was filled with rotten and black teeth, giving him a sinister look. 

“Well done, Lord Malfoy. I perceive here the intelligence so often attributed to your esteemed lineage. Yet, I must confess, I am rather at a loss as to why your lordship would see fit to bring so vile a creature into our midst?” 

Hermione was suddenly confused about what he was talking about. 

“I was under the distinct impression that my union with your esteemed sister would not be witnessed by some unseemly Mudblood,” he added with a mundane laugh while advancing toward her. 

In a painfuly slow movement, the Gaunt heir approached his odious mouth from Hermione's ear before whispering. 

“Crucio” Still blocked into the black viscous liquid, Hermine could not contort in pain as the awful dark spell was spreading in her blood. She could only scream in an inhumane tone as much as her pain was strong.

“Leave her !” Diana shot at him in a menacing tone as if she could alleviate Hermione’s suffering.

Morfin Gaunt turned his snake-like gaze to her, smiling like a psycho. 

“My exquisite bride—do remember, that such impertinent tone shall no longer be indulged once our union is, shall we say, properly sealed.”

Diana’s eyes widened in disbelief, while Gaunt let out another low, mirthless laugh.

“You see, my wicked nephew—little Tom—never quite succeeded in dispatching me. So enamoured was he with his own brilliance, he entirely overlooked my existence. That very arrogance granted me the perfect shade beneath which to bide my time and perfect my design: to cleanse and command the wizarding world in the name of purity. But Tom was deluded—he fancied himself the great conqueror. He was not. That honour belongs to an heir. And you, my dearest darling, shall bear that heir for me.”

“Aurors will find you before,” Shoot Theo in a strangulated noise. He was visibly agitated to see the Gaunt heir so close to Diana’s face. 

“Aurors are about as competent as damp matches. I purchased their silence long ago. Isn’t that so, my dearest?”

He said while approaching his putrid lips from Diana’s. Theo's ire was now visible as he was struggling to free himself from the Gaunt’s sortilege. 

Draco was also fighting his way out, shooting anxious looks between Hermione and his sister. 

“Crucio,” Gaunt struck once more, casting Hermione and Theo into a fresh wave of agony. Draco stood unmoving, veins taut beneath clenched fists—yet not a flicker of emotion betrayed his suffering.

“And now, if you’ll indulge me, my esteemed guests, I shall retire to make proper preparations for the consummation of our marriage. My sweet—how does that sound?” he murmured, reaching out to gently pluck a strand of hair from Diana’s crown.

“Calum, be so good as to show our guests to their chambers for the evening. Do rest well—we shall reconvene in a few hours for the grand occasion.”

With a final, satisfied smile, he withdrew, leaving Calum—clearly alive and, most curiously, untouched by the Aurors—to collect the others.

“It cannot be…” whispered Draco.

Hermione was too sore to respond, and once the spell was lifted, she crumbled to the floor like a wooden mannequin. Diana ran to smooth her fall. After that, the group was promptly collected and shown to their “room,” which was in fact a cold and damp dungeon with only a small window filtering a bit of moonlight.  

Chapter Text

Diana lay on the floor of the Gaunt’s Dungeon. Her breathing was shallow but calm, and Draco felt that her heart was beating at a normal speed. It was the exhaustion of the past events that had caused her seizure. Hermione was close to him, frantically pacing, and visibly mumbling things to herself. Theo was lying against the wall, eyes lost in the void.

Draco felt helpless. His sister was the target of such a vile prophecy, and it seems that nothing could help them save her from her destiny.

Hermione was rambling some more: “ I am sure there is a way ! Merlin, there's always a way.”

Draco looked at her with dread: “We already discussed Hermione. There’s no way to escape her fate. Even if one day she marries, as long as she is not producing an heir, she will be a target.  Marriage will not protect her from anything.”

Draco felt resentful that his sister lacked agency. She was condemned to become the mother of the strongest wizard. Even if she had wanted to remain single and childless her entire life, she would still be hunted for her prophecy. He felt powerless, and he despised it.

“Wait!” Hermione stopped in her tracks. “You said that marriage would not protect her, didn't you ?”

"Indeed," Draco replied, failing to grasp Hermione’s argument.

“There’s a way to change that.” The brightest witch of her age said with hope. “But you will not like it.”

“Go on ! explain yourself .” Draco knew what she would say already, and he definitely did not like it.

“Marriage will not protect her, because although one can say it is sacred, in our current wizarding world, it is only an administrative procedure.” Hermione got closer to Draco and started whispering.

“During my research on love potions in my 4th year, I remembered stumbling upon an interesting fact.”

Draco knew, and his sense of dread was growing second by second.

“No, no, no,” he interjected, still whispering. “We cannot do that with her. It is too cruel.”

Hermione shot him a disgruntled glare.

“Would you let me finish my exposé?” She rolled her eyes at him and continued.

“In old pure blood marriage to seal the union between two families, and enforce a long-lasting marriage, the couple had to be soul-bound. The bond mixed the groom and bride's magic together, so that no one and nothing could break their matrimony. This blood curse, by the way, ensures that none of the family would gain an advantage. It also consolidated the power between the spouses, and…”

Hermione was about to add another argument when Draco cut her off, not being able to hear more about the topic.

“And it was abolished ! For many reasons, in fact. This is cruel to link people's souls and destiny. If one dies, the other will fade into despair. Also, those soul bonds were used in pureblood weddings to induce fake love, as most of the unions were arranged. Hermione, you cannot be thinking of soul-bounding Diana. Above all, with whom?”

Hermione gestured her chin toward Theo, who was still seated, looking at the void close to Diana’s sleeping figure.

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Draco roared, pushing Theo out of his slumber.

“What’s happening?” The brown haired boy asked Hermione and Draco, who were both still arguing on the corner.

“I think I found a way..” Hermione started when Draco promptly grabbed her and covered her mouth with his hand. The witch was very quick to repost when she licked the inside of Draco’s hand, which he dropped hastily.

“Bloody mudblood!” Draco could only curse, seeing Hermione's murderous gaze.

“I was saying!” she said, still looking at Draco with daggers in her eyes.

“We might have a way to save Diana, and if we manage to escape this damp pit, she might even have a chance at a happy life.”

“Lies!” Draco could only say, before being once again glared at by Hermione.

“Tell me! If there’s a way we can try!” Theo said, hopeful.

A few seconds in silence passed, and for the first time, Hermione looked at Draco as if she was asking his permission to reveal their investigation. Draco had no other choice. It was the only good idea they had in weeks, and although he was torn between feeling and reason, he had to act for the greater good. Resigned, he blinked at Hermione to notify her of his approval.

“Diana will never be safe as long as she is single. Marriage will not save her, but with Draco, we discussed an ancient form of vows that could, if performed promptly, guarantee her safety.”

Theo looked confused

“What type of vow? And how much time do we have?”

“Soul bound, and we have only hours before the Gaunt comes back to check on us, two hours at most,” Draco replied in an alarming tone.

Theo’s attention seemed to turn inward for a moment. After a couple of seconds of pondering, the wizard turned his emerald gaze to Draco’s sister before talking.

“I promised you that night that I would protect her with my life. You gave me my life back, brother. If it is the price to repay you, I will gladly pay it.”

“You know what it means to accept this, Theodore?” Hermione asked him.

Draco could see Theo's shoulder sink a little bit, betraying apprehension.

“I am prepared!” the brown-haired wizard tried to say confidently.

Hermione turned her gaze to Draco with determination.

“Then let’s try, if she agrees. I guess, as her brother, you should first talk to her about it.”

Draco shook his head in defeat before approaching his sister. Two years ago, he would have never bet on having a conversation with his twin sister about soul-bonding to one of his best friends to save her life, but he was resolute that it was the only possible option at the moment.

Gently, he pushed Diana out of her stupor. Draco felt it in his bones more than anything; she was terrified. However, her attitude showed more anger and frustration.

“Am I not dead already?” She asked him, plunging her grey gaze into his.

“No, unfortunately!” Draco replied in a plain tone. “But, we have to get out of here. While you were napping in pure bliss. The brightest witch of her age found a possible way out for you.” Draco looked at Hermione, who was talking to Theo on the other corner.

“Please do tell! I am sick of this and completely appalled that you had to be dragged in with me.” Diana also looked hopeful. The glow in her eyes was so similar to Theo's.

“Good news, it is a permanent solution.” Draco paused to prepare his next sentence.

“And?” Diana asks impatiently

“Bad news will be that you will have to sacrifice your future love life as we will soul-bind you to Theo,” Draco said rapidly as if Diana would directly refuse the solution. To his great surprise, the witch stayed silent, looking at her hands. Long minutes passed, and Draco could not bear his sister's silence.

“Diana, I do not want to be the bearer of bad news, but we are slightly constrained by time here.”

“My dearest brother!” she started in an awfully calm tone. “You are asking me to choose between my own peace and my future happiness with my lover. Don’t you think that this cornelian choice would not award me some precious minutes to ponder it ?”

The Malfoy heir was speechless as his sister was undoubtedly right about the matter.

“However, I am aware of the time constraint, and possibly of the dire outcome of our little escapade. For now, regaining peace to live a normal and anonymous life is my greatest wish. Regarding love, I fear I lost the only person whom I loved. He is not planning to be back in my life at any moment, nor do I wish to force him to do so.”

The young witch's gaze seemed to go inward for a couple of seconds, but she quickly raised her lashes again to Draco’s eyes.

“Let's go on with it.” She proclaimed with a smile. “I only want peace, and if Theo is the key to it, I will take the chance.”

Draco felt his heart drop. How could his sister make this lifelong decision in that short amount of time? Still lost in his thoughts, she heard her explain.

“I know what you are thinking, Draco. I am fast at making decisions. However, I cannot afford to live this life of always being scared for my safety. I cannot deal with being a sacrificial lamb, nor having ill-intentioned people decide my life for me. Above all, I can no longer bear the anger and the frustration this bloody prophecy brought upon me. I do not know what It will be like being soul bound to Theodore, but I know what I am escaping. Call me foolish, but that is the only thing I want now.”

Conscious that his sister had made her choice, and as usual with her, it was definitive. Draco simply replied to her:

“So be it!” and they both proceeded to rejoin Theo and Hermione in the other corne

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Diana had accepted the soul-bounding. She did not particularly like Theo; he had pleasant looks and was a sweet lad. Being with him for the rest of her life was a mere price for smoothing her galloping anxiety. She felt so consumed by her frustration that she had to put a stop or she would end up consumed by her anger.

During the ritual, Diana kept her gaze lowered and could not look at him. Hermione had recited the incantation, and they had mixed their blood in painted runes on their bodies. The ritual felt so trivial to her that she hardly doubted it would work.

Yet when Hermione pronounced the last piece of the incantation, Diana felt the cold air of the night invading her lungs.

She was shivering. Her body was unable to stop in a trance. All the anger had worn away, leaving her bare during this cold night. When Theo reached her gaze for the first time in the night. It was as if she had lost all her ability to talk. She could not utter any more words as she felt his magic had reached out to her via every fiber of her body.

Theo felt like a candle in the light. His magic felt like weak flickers through the storm. His light was so weak, so fragile, yet it shone with all the strength he had. It felt so precious but so cruelly and heartbreakingly sad. She felt his gut-wrenching fears. Blood tasted in her mouth, as she could hear the scream in pain, the bones cracking and breaking, his hair being plucked out of his scalp. Deeper, she felt the guilt; he felt for existing. The discrepancy between the flickering candle and the urge to crumble to the floor and only disappear. The sadness of being alone, of feeling all of this alone, of growing up alone with only books as company. Diana also felt the terrible anger and frustration that Theo had against life. A dark and viscous anger poisoning his being, the boy kept locked so deep within himself that Diana was not even sure he knew about it.

All those feelings felt borrowed yet echoed with her own. She felt herself reaching for Theo's soul once more, but the boy hastily removed his hands, repeating like a mantra: “I think it did not work.”

She was confused, as on her end, she could feel everything. Diana almost felt betrayed, but fear quickly resurfaced in her gut as she heard footsteps in the corridor. 

The Gaunt were coming back to finish their nasty business. She knew what to do; Draco had whispered his plan. A genius plan, but a perilous one. 

The old Gaunt reaped her from Theo, and she felt suddenly incomplete. She knew it was for the ritual, but what she was not expecting was her anger resurfacing like wildfire in her blood. She will make them pay for everything, for her fears, for treating an 18-year-old girl like a body to dispose of, for imprisoning her friends. Her wrath was now visible as she was dragged through the corridors. 

“Bring her to my room, will you?” Gaunt Senior asked his acolyte.  

“As you wish, master.” The man said in a blank tone. 

Diana remembered Draco’s plan. She had to get the maximum proof. Acting docile was the most difficult for her, as fire was burning in her core. She wanted to rake the man’s eyes with her claw. She knew she was capable of it. 

Gaunt placed her carefully on his crusty bed, tying her up to the sides with some rubber bands. It burned her skin so deeply that she cried in pain. 

“Oh, my dearest little lamb. Pray forgive me for the hurt I have caused you. You shall suffer no more pain.” Gaunt said in a honeyed tone. 

“Imperius,” he breathed on Diana's face, and she felt a metallic taste in her mouth. Her body went numb so fast that she could not even feel fear rushing through her veins.

The only thing she could do was pray for her brother’s plan to work. Her eyes watered, and her heart was beating so fast she thought she was about to die. If she was not saved that night, she contemplated death as a sweet release. She could not even close her eyes and was damned to watch the old Gaunt lying on top of her. His parchment skin felt like sending all the cracks of her body. His globular eyes rested on her young body. She wanted to scream. The old men started to untie her clothes, and Diana decided that as soon as she was able to move, she would kill him. Draco’s plan be damned, this old disgusting piece of shit had to die, and she will make him suffer.

She tried to focus on her anger, hoping naively that it would help her break free.

The fire that was burning in her consumed her totally, and Diana was pure wrath. At that moment, she finally understood Draco when he burned the manor.

Breaking the curse was like swimming against the current, but Diana’s anger was now so strong that it did not cost her much to break.

In a violent and fast movement, she raised her knee to the old man's stomach, causing him to cough in pain.

“I feed on pain!” Diana said with crazy eyes. Being completely unhinged was definitely a silent trait in her blood; the Black side of the family still lived in her.

She rose from the bed without difficulty while the man was still coughing on the mattress.

“Help!” Gaunt screamed, “You will regret your behaviour, young miss.”

“You will regret yours!” She coldly replied, feeding on a vicious anger that was even darker than hers. Theo, she thought.

Diana had no time to align her plan to kill Gaunt when she heard the door being destroyed in a loud noise.

“Diana!” a worried voice called. To her great surprise, green eyes met hers, and she recognized his ginger hair.

“Weasley!” she cried, crumbling to the floor as the adrenaline went down. Ron immediately jumped by her side and used his jacket to protect her privacy as her clothes were ruined.

“Arrest him.” He screamed at some Auror entering the room, and then turned his attention back to her.

“I am sorry to be arriving so late. You ok?”

Suddenly aware of the situation, Diana grabbed Ron’s jacket a bit tighter.

“Hermione? My brother, Theo?” she could only ask.

“They are ok. Hermione made sure of it.” He smiled awkwardly.

Ron led her outside the old house. On the front porch, medical tents were placed. She quickly saw his brother shooting at an Auror trying to enter the house. He looked agitated, fear tearing his features. Hermione was nowhere to be found, nor was Theo. 

“Furet!” shot Ron

Draco was about to insult the wizard when his eyes fell on her. Without a word, her brother launched himself at her in a crunching embrace. 

“I am sorry!” he added with emotion, “I am so sorry. Please forgive me!” 

Diana could not hold her tears; she had been so scared. She had trusted him, and it had worked, but at what price? She knew her brother was not responsible for her condition. She had made the choice herself to follow them on that mission. They stayed in each other's arms, crying for several long minutes. When someone cleared their throat loudly enough to attract their attention. It was Hermione. She looked miraculously unharmed. Diana’s eyes watered again, and so Hermione’s. They both crashed into an embrace. 

“I am ok,” Diana replied as she listened to what Hermione thought. “I made it! And we have now captured very bad people, thank you. You are truly the brightest witch of the age.” 

Hermione laughed and added:  “people say that about me all the time”. 

“Where is Theodore?” He was the only one missing. Not to mention, he was now her soul-bound partner for life. Maybe Diana had read it wrong, but she thought soul bound made the couple inseparable, and it was obviously not the case at the moment. Maybe the ritual had only worked on her? 

“It is a bit complicated,” Hermione replied, awfully serious. 

Hermione led her to one of the tents, while Draco informed Hogwarts and her mom that everything was fine. 

The tent was empty and plunged into an eerie silence. However, on the further corner, she recognized Theo's silhouette. He was tied to the heavy medical bed with some handcuffs. 

“What on earth?” She asked, turning to Hermione. 

The witch had a sorry gaze toward Theo. 

“He collapsed violently when you left. It was on the symptoms of post-bounding. The surge of both magic, followed by a separation, can create a seizure. That’s what happened, so when we could finally escape the dungeons, we carried him out. However, the problem came when he woke up.” 

“What problem?” Diana asked, already feeling Theo's magic entering her system. 

“He went completely bonkers,” Hermione said with a sorry smile. 

“It is also a symptom. He was so unhinged. Never saw that in my life. He injured a couple of Aurors.”

“Why?” Diana asked in disbelief. She was now feeling completely drawn to Theo.

“I had to find you.” A raspy voice echoed in the background. “ I could not breathe anymore. I had to find you.”

Diana searched Theo’s gaze. When she met them, it was like pure shining jewels that were only looking at her.

“I am sorry to be acting like this. I hate myself!” He said in pain, “Hermione, did you transmit my apologies to the Aurors?” Theo asked, keeping his gaze on Diana.

“I did.” The Witch confirmed. Hermione then slowly exited the tents to give them intimacy.

Silence fell on the pair until Diana decided to break it.

“You should not have had, you saved me already too many times,” Diana said, reaching to take his handcuffs out. Theo shook his arms and took his gaze away from her.

She felt so disappointed that his gaze was no longer on her, so she reached for his hands to keep their contact.

“Do not touch me!” He abruptly pushed her. “They said that physical contact strengthens the bond.”

She felt his magic retreat from her body as if her own life was diminishing. It left her so cold that even Ron’s sturdy jacket was not able to warm her.

“I do not understand,” she gasped.

“I did not want this, and neither did you. We did it to save you. Now you are saved, so let it go. There’s a way for us to coexist and still be able to live without seeing each other.” Theo said as if each word were hard to pronounce.

Diana had spent all of her rage, and now it was only sadness that filled her. Without even thinking, she started sobbing again. She felt empty and cursed herself for her choices, as now she would have to live her life longing for someone.

“Theodore, you are stuck with me now. We are stuck with each other,” she said in between the sobs. She felt so out of character to be crying that much.

“No! I refuse. I refuse to live like that.” He said without looking at her. “I refuse to be like my dad. Completely mad about someone. I cannot accept this bond.” He said, retreating so far out of their link. He placed a strong boundary that Diana felt like she was about to die again.

Staggering, she left the tent and collapsed to the wet floor.

Chapter Text

Theo sat on the velvet sofa of the Malfoy residence. Since their little raid at the Gaunt house, so much has happened. The boy could not believe that his life had taken a 360-degree turn in less than 48 hours, and he was lamenting his poor life choices.

When Diana was taken from his arms, he quickly collapsed on the floor, incapable of moving. His heart felt like being squeezed through a processor. Theo had a past with abuse and pain, yet this pain felt indescribable. Death would have felt sweeter than this. Theo woke up being carried by Draco and Hermione out of the dungeons, and his only thought was of her. He felt too much, too fast, and his poor body was too weak for this. All her anger and the gut-wrenching fear. He was drowning. It was impossible to breathe. At that exact moment, drunk in fear and anxiety, Theo could not remember precisely what he did. Later, Hermione would explain to him that he had injured several people in a madness episode.

At that time, he thought he had reached the paroxysm of his pain for the day. However, Diana's rescue did not bring him any relief, as he felt her magic searching for him.

When she entered the tent, where the Aurors had restrained him, his body reacted intensely, and his magic relished in hers. He felt so at peace. Her bright magic touched him, and Theo could only accept it. He fought his own body not to reach out to feel her. His mind was set; he could not act like a fool. She was not in love with him, and he was not in love with her. Yet he felt the urge to be close to her, but Theo was too broken and too hurt to be with her. In the long run, he would tint her with his ugly interior. He would bring her the same misery his life had been until that moment. With this bound, he had saved her, but it would be the only thing he would do. He prayed that they would be able to leave on their own. He wished he could disappear and let her live a happy life with someone else. However, it was now impossible. No convincing was needed anymore regarding the reality of this powerful link, but Theo had to lie. He had to lie and push her away. She had already come close to him. Rejecting her felt like dying again. Pushing their bond away felt like losing his own essence, but he had to do it. She cried, and it broke his heart. Theo thought it would be simple to let go, but something unpredictable happened.

After his harsh words, she recovered; her eyes betrayed the bruising of her heart. She staggered a little bit exiting the tent before collapsing on the muddy floor in a loud splash.

She had not fainted due to exhaustion. The sadness he had caused her drained her of all forms of energy. Theo was appalled, and his magic immediately punished him for it.

To his great surprise, his body reacted alone, lifting itself with an unknown force. He was by her side in mere seconds. Without even realizing it, he cradled her in his arms and smoothed her hair.

He hated feeling like this, like a fool. He resented his past self once again for his foolish decision. Trying to calm his beating heart, he looked at her face. It was the first time he really took the time to observe her. Theo could only marvel at her heart-shaped lips, her high cheeks, and her long lashes. He wished he could stop his feelings from catching up with his body. Everything felt so wrong, and his soul was tearing itself in two. 

The part that craved her light, which was caused by their link, and the part that wanted only to disappear in the shadows was his own psyche. 

After her collapse, Draco promptly took her out of Theo arms to carry her back to their home. 

"It has been a long day, and Mother is requesting us to return home. I am not sure if at that point I will be able to convince her to go back to Hogwarts," he sighed in exasperation.

“Mother will annihilate me for what we did, are you aware of that?” Draco lamented. 

Theo did not really understand his friends until they were both seated on the sunroom velvet sofa facing a woman who looked like she was about to reduce them in ashes. 

Narcissa was proud and beautiful, and when she was angry, she looked a lot like her son: colder than ice itself. 

“You two have something to explain to me. I suppose,” she said while elegantly sitting on the ottoman chair in front of them. 

“Mother,” Draco started in an awfully calm voice. “We had no choice. The Gaunt are cunning, and we knew they would strike sooner or later. We took a controlled risk…” 

“A controlled risk?” Narcissa piped, her eyes widened with a scary glow. 

“Getting imprisoned by Voldemort’s family, my precious daughter nearly assaulted, getting yourself almost killed is a controlled risk in your vocabulary?” 

“It turned out brilliant in the end!” Draco tried to defend himself. 

“Brilliant, humor me, son, and go look for the definition of brilliant. You put yourself in harm's way when a professional Auror could have done the job.” The blond witch commented, her voice rising slightly on the last part. 

“Mother. I am, by all means, sorry for this unfortunate situation, but we all know Auror’s efficiency. We would have waited months for a result and risked my sister's life every passing day. I made that call, and I do not regret it.” 

Narcissa pinched the bridge of her nose as if she were pausing all the nonsense. 

“So you came up with this risky plan only because you distrust Auror’s work?”

“Correct, and theoretically, we came up with this plan together with Hermione.” He corrected 

“The brightest witch of her age! Not so sure anymore, judging by your weak judgment call.” Narcissa dryly spat. 

“Please do not take on Hermione. She did nothing wrong but supported us, and Diana was also consenting to all of this.” He tentatively explained. 

“Enough of your rhetoric, son!” Narcissa roared. “You are way too taken with that witch to follow her everywhere, so your arguments are obsolete.” 

Draco shot a scary, dark look at his mother. Theo knew that badmouthing Hermione was the limit his mother should not have crossed. 

“Is she also the one you performed this ridiculous soul-bounding between my baby and Mr Nott?” She asked, angrier than ever. 

Draco was also getting angrier and angrier, so Theo decided to launch himself into the ring. Hoping for the best. 

“It is correct, Madam Malfoy. It was a decision we both took to help Diana.” 

As if she were unaware of his presence until now, Narcissa narrowed her eyes at Theo. If a look could kill, he would have been dead by now. 

“Mr Nott, care to explain how it appeared to you that it would be the best solution?” 

“We had no time, and Diana felt so frustrated, and you know Draco saved me, and well, I owe your family so much…” He blurred all out in an incoherent speech. 

“Enough!” she shot again. “Mr Nott, you realized what you did? Don’t you?” 

“I do. I apologize if I had known.” Theo felt defeated. He knew his decision was the worst he had taken so far. 

Narcissa took a pregnant pause and stared at the two boys in front of her. 

“Draco, my son, go get some rest, and don’t you dare challenge me again as your future at Hogwarts is at stake.” 

“Understood, mother !” He spat abruptly and left. 

“Mr Nott, I will not accept your apology for your foolish behavior, but you put me in a very delicate position as you are now, by pureblood standard, my daughter’s spouse.” 

Theo's stomach dropped as he had forgotten this small detail. 

“My elf prepared a room in the manor for the coming days. Please feel at ease, as you are now part of the Malfoy family. But beware, as my wrath does not make me very merciful.” 

She said, grabbing a cup of tea, an elf had just gotten her. 

“Now hush, out of my sight, I've had enough for today.” She hastily signalled him to the door. 

When Theo stood, it was as if he had been beaten by thousands of giants. He felt drained and scared. A dread grew in his empty heart as he had made his best to retreat from his link with Diana. The only thing he wanted was to sleep and forget about everything. 

—------------------

Theo woke up gasping for air in a room that was not his. After a couple of seconds of confusion, all the images came back to his mind. The bond tugged in his blood, asking for connection, but Theo ignored the painful call. He stirred in bed for a couple of minutes; the moon was shining through the window, so he guessed that he was having yet another insomnia.

Theo knew the drill, as insomnia was his paradigm for many years. He stood up and started to make his way to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk or tea to calm his nerves.

Theo knew the manor very well before Draco burned it, as he was often invited by his friend for some Quidditch practice on the front lawn.

However, since the renovation, the manor was not the same, and Theo had to admit that he was getting completely lost.

After a couple of minutes of confusion using only the moonlight as a guide, Theo found the kitchens. He felt so relieved when he could taste a delicious, warm glass of herbal tea.

When he was done, he thought that moving back to his room would be an easier business than finding the kitchen. He was sorely mistaken. After thirty minutes of research, he collapsed on the corridor floor trying to regain his calm.

Trying to deepen his respiration, Theo heard a faint noise at the end of the corridor. Hoping someone was awake and could help him regain his room, he followed the noise.

It was someone playing the piano. The boy shyly entered the room, hoping the person playing would help him.

When Theo’s eyes adjusted to the light, he saw long blond hair shimmering in the moonlight. Sad grey eyes concentrated on the music as long white hands stroked the keyboard. She was an ethereal vision. Diana looked like pure magic. Without warning, Theo’s heart started to beat again fast. Warmth spread in his body like wildfire, and once again, his only thought was to reach out to her. He had to leave so as not to get mesmerized. In a controlled rush, he tore himself from her sight and regained the corridors. Weirdly, it took him less time to regain his room, but it was already too late. Theo spent the rest of his night wide awake in his room, looking blankly at the wall as if life itself had left his core.

Chapter Text

Hermione knew it was bound to happen. When she had seen Ron exiting the house carrying an injured Diana, she was first relieved. Her plan had worked, and her friend was alive. However, she quickly understood that it would not be the moment nor the place to celebrate. 

Hermioned crossed her Husband’s eyes when she exited the tent, where she let Diana and Theo discuss. Ron was wearing the Auror uniform. He looked taller and more handsome, despite his accusatory gaze; he returned toward her. 

Hermione knew he was mad at her. She was not sure if it was because she had once again managed to put herself in arms' way or that Malfoy was with her on this little adventure . Ron remained professional throughout the post-operation analysis. She bid farewell to Draco and Theo, who were bringing back an unconscious Diana to the Malfoy manor. She could see in Draco's eyes relief, but also extreme apprehension as they would have to face Mrs Malfoy, who was more fierce than a dragon. 

When the zone was evacuated, Ron signaled her to follow him. Without a word, they regained, via Floo, Ron’s apartment in London. Harry decided to live in Grimmauld manor, and had invited Ron to live with him. Everyone knew that the Weasley family was not well-off, and even if they were now considered war heroes, it did not change their precarious situation. Ron accepted Harry’s offer to occupy Grimmauld's upper floor. When they both entered the old house, Hermione felt the tension rise up a step above. 

Her husband was avoiding her gaze as he tossed his uniform unceremoniously on the nearby chair. Conscious that an argument was now inevitable, Hermione tried to start with a smooth approach. 

“Thank you for saving Diana. If you had not been there, the worst would have happened.” 

Ron turned his gaze toward her. He was trying his best to contain his fury. They had both discussed that in the past. He had to make an effort not to explode directly, allowing them to have an adult discussion; otherwise, they would both end up frustrated. 

“That’s my job, Hermione, and I was there because we received an anonymous clue. Now looking back, I am sure it was the furret.” 

Hermione smiled because she knew it was Draco who tipped the Aurors, as it was part of their brilliant plan. They also had anticipated that if the Gaunt family was still alive, they would have some kind of agreement with the Aurors. It was impossible to go unnoticed for so many years without attracting the attention of the ministry. That’s why they had tipped Ron’s unit, as they were sure Ron was not the kind to hesitate to save people. 

“I tipped your unit, Ron.” Hermione tried to use a calm tone. “I did it because we needed the Auror's help at the right time.”

“Right time, huh?” the red-haired boy said aggressively. “You are completely out of your mind, Hermione. When we found you, Theo was unconscious, you were hurt by several crucio curses, and Diana was nearly…” He paused, the words burning his mouth as they reminded him of Ginny’s own torment with Voldemort.

“It was a risk, we all agreed when we started,” Hermione pleaded. 

Ron violently threw his wand on his desk. 

“You call that a risk? You could have all died!” He spat 

“And we did not!” she cried, feeling the tension rising again. 

“Blimey! Hermione! Stop acting like we are still during the war. We cannot go like this forever, and you are not an Auror, you cannot make justice!” He said condescendingly. 

“I know,” she felt her heart break, “I know, but Diana was in imminent danger, and I did what I thought was right.” 

"That wasn't all! I'm sure Malfoy convinced you to save his sister. He's manipulative, Hermione." Ron's voice rose as he stepped closer, furious and hurt. 

“It is not the case, Diana is my friend. I did it for her.” She grabbed Ron's wrist to calm him down. He stayed a couple of seconds looking at her face with furious eyes. 

“I do not believe you!” He breathed, dropping his head on Hermione’s shoulder. 

“You should, Ron!” She said, hugging him. Her heart felt weird, because she knew she was lying to him. The images of her and Draco at the “Thirstle” resurfaced. She had snogged Draco, but it was to save their life. She was not sure if she had the strength to come clean to Ron.

“What is curious,” she said, trying to change the subject, “Is that Callum had been released that fast after beating almost to death Diana?”

“I do not know either,” he replied in a weary tone. “I want to ask you one thing. I know Diana is your friend, but I would like you to refrain from seeing Draco.”

Hermione carefully broke the hug to look at Ron’s eyes

“You can't be serious,” she said, staring at him. She hated how controlling he sounded.

“I am definitely serious. I do not want you to get mixed up with that nasty Death Eater,” he said in a definite tone.

“Draco was forced to be a Death Eater, and in the end, he helped Harry. If it is your reason, it is not a valid one.” She counters.

“He was also your bully for so many years, making you cry and calling you mudblood. Is this a valid reason for you to stay away from him?” Ron attacked, and his face became as red as a strawberry.

“He was, but he apologized,” She added while taking a pregnant pause. Ron was staring at her with disgust. “This discussion is taking a ridiculous turn, Ron. Please let’s stop!” Hermione felt the anger rising in her veins.

“I would rather not!” he roared, pushing her to the wall. “You, I FORBID YOU TO BE NEAR HIM. I KNOW YOU SNOG HIM IN THE 7TH YEAR!” he finally spat.

Hermione was too stunned to speak. Who could have told him? No one was supposed to know. It was surreal, since when did he know? Hermione started to feel the panic clutch her throat.

“What would people think knowing that their war heroine was frolicking with Death Eaters?” he said, whispering in her ear.

“I will forgive you for this one, but don’t you dare approach him again.”

Hermione's eyes wanted to cry, and she did her best to refrain.

“We are the perfect couple. The war hero and the heroine, and it will remain like this. Do you understand?”

He asked one last time. Hermione felt anger rise in her blood, but she was also scared. Ron was right; he was the idol of the wizarding world. What would people think if they learned her love story with Draco? He had earned his redemption, but he was a former Death Eater. Above all, she knew he was a cold-blooded killer. She also knew that Ron, as impetuous as he was, would not hesitate to drag her to tabloids with this revelation. Hermione was too young for a messy divorce.

She knew she had no other choice and shook her head, agreeing with Ron.

“Good,” Ron added before heading to his kitchen, “now let’s eat and enjoy our evening, because you will have to leave tomorrow.”

That night in Ron’s arms, Hermione could not sleep. Her eyes stuck to the ceiling. She thought about Draco with a nod in her stomach. Ron was her husband, and she should be devoted to him. However, she could not hide the fact that she felt something for Draco. He was everything she should not care for, but everything at the same time. Draco was cold and brutal, but he had also shown how far he would go to protect his own. He had blossomed from a frail and cowardly boy to a cunning and powerful wizard. She felt bitter; in the same situation as Ron, Draco would not have reacted the same way. He would have tried to find a way and  listened to her.

Daydreaming, she remembered  their recent kiss and wept. She could not understand why it was so hard to let go of Draco, and it made her brain go crazy.

Chapter Text

Theo was clearly avoiding her, and it pained Diana’s heart. She had to admit that she was annoyed at her body reacting alone. She was craving Theo’s presence, but the wizard was always so distant with her. He barely looked at her and refused any physical contact. He also hardly talked to her, which enraged her. She understood it was not an ideal situation, but it was irrevocably done. They will be forever stuck together - Their souls forever intertwined. She could understand that he would never love her. However, she could not bear always feeling empty for his refusal to fulfill his duty. They were now sharing their magic and feeding on one another's souls, but Theo had restrained the access to his.

She was only catching a feeble glimpse of his essence, and it frustrated her.

After her adventure at the Gaunt manor, she was assigned to rest at her family home for the remaining days of March.

She hated being stuck at home above all without Draco, who had argued his way out of the manor and back to school. Theo had remained behind as the pair was unable to separate that much; their bond was fresh.

The wait was unbearable between an absent Theo and her mother hovering over her like a hawk.

“Mother!” Diana breathed in exasperation. The two witches were taking tea in the rose garden as the sky had cleared out after the rain.

“I would rather have you follow private tutoring at home for the remainder of the semester.”

Narcissa argued a thousand times.

“I am sorry to refuse once again, mother. With all due respect, I am now 18 and visibly married, so you can no longer force me into this.” Yes, Diana had learned to her great surprise that soul-bond still acted as a marriage contract in the current wizarding legislation. It was unfortunate that she had been so shortsighted, but at least she could use it as leverage against her mother.

“I know my darling dear, but please know that I can still disown you,” Narcissa said half jokingly, half menacingly.

Diana rolled her eyes at her mother while taking a macaron that Isolde, her other mother, had sent to them.

“You will not. Plus, I have legal access to Nott’s fortune now, and some say he is even richer than the Malfoy.” She replied. Mentioning Theo’s name broke her heart as it reminded her of his coldness. Of course, she couldn’t care less about his money; what she wanted was his attention.

In a sour mood, she angrily bit her macaron.

“Do not despair, my dear. He will come around.” Narcissa said, regaining her mother’s attitude.

“He keeps avoiding me,” Diana remarked. “George, too, avoided me. Do boys fear me that much, or am I that bland that they grew bored of me fast?”

“Oh my dove. Do not trouble your heart too much. You are strong-willed, and maybe this all soul-bound affair is nothing but a small thing for you. Maybe Theo is taking more time to adapt. Men are weaker, my little flame. Keep that in mind!” Narcissa lowered to hug her daughter during some long minutes. When her mother broke the hug, she carefully stood up, brushing down her skirt before declaring:

“I will leave you to it, Andromeda called me to support with Teddy's etiquette classes. Who would have thought that Dromda would ask me this? Isn't that brilliant?” she beamed.

“Do not finish all the macarons. I would like to at least send a couple to your ungrateful sibling.”

Diana laughed at her mother’s characterisation of her brother. Since the incident, the two of them had argued more than they spoke, but Diana knew deep down her mother was worried for him.

As the rest of the day would occur without her mother, and she still had not seen Theo, Diana decided to go to the old Malfoy library to read a botany book. The library was brand new, but her mother had decided to maintain the ancestral look by rebuilding a replica of the one in the old Manor. 

Browsing through the hall, Diana focused on finding the treaty about magical plants used during the Mughal period. She wanted to broaden her knowledge, since Neville always said she only knew plants local to her region. 

Diana was so absorbed in her search that she did not hear the noise behind her. When she finally found the treaty, she stood up abruptly, intending to turn toward the main room. However, midway through her movement, her legs tangled with something, and she realized she was falling—slowly—toward the hard floor instead of walking away. Quickly regaining her bearings, she scrambled back to her feet and saw Theo on the floor, looking a little stunned. 

“Oh dear Merlin, I had not seen you there,” she said while reaching out to him to help him stand. 

Theo was still a bit confused, so he accepted her hand. In this small moment of inattention, Diana could feel once again his magic pulsing in her veins. The deep sadness in his heart, and the white anger that was coursing through his heart. She felt so relieved and finally whole when Theo abruptly tore his hand out of her. 

“I am sorry.” She promptly apologizes, conscious that she was the cause of his discomfort. 

“It is ok.” The boy uttered, visibly in pain. After minutes in an awkward silence, with Theo still avoiding looking at her eyes, Diana broke the silence. 

“Shall we read together?” she asked awkwardly 

“No, I would rather not,” Theo answered a little too fast for Diana. 

It irritated her. 

“Listen, Theo. I understand you are disappointed. I can understand that you are not finding me attractive, that my magic might be too weak for you, or all the reasons possible; I truly do. But please, I beg you if we are stuck all of our lives together, at least talk to me.” Diana was sad, more than frustrated. She tried to reach his gaze, bending her head to look at his face that was facing downward. He refused her, now forcefully closing his eyes to not look at her. It was too much for Diana, who exploded. After days in silence and hurtful comments urging her to stay away, she could not anymore. She grabbed Theo by the shoulder, pushing him to the wall with inhumane force - Theo was taller. 

“Will you at least reply?” She said in a cry. “Consider me like I am a person!” She was helpless. She hated feeling rejected, and above all by the person who should be the only one not to reject her. 

“Look at me!” she ordered him. “Open your eyes and look at me! It is an order!”

When she saw that her word had no effect, Diana did something so bold that she would never forgive herself. She fearlessly launched herself to kiss him as the proximity of their body begged her to deepen their physical contact, and she wanted to shock him. She knew it was not ideal, but she had no other ideas. At first, Theo stayed stoic. Diana was getting disappointed, and was about to stop, when the unexpected happened. 

Theo impetuously grabbed the base of her neck to deepen their kiss. Pressing their body closer, Diana felt his tongue dancing with hers. She felt her magic and his melting again in a loud crash, and she understood all the strength he had used to maintain his distance. It felt like a dam breaking, all his craving pouring into hers. Hastily, he flipped sides and pushed her to the library walls, exploring her curves with his hands like he was out of time. Their kiss felt like a moment suspended in time. Diana finally felt that she was in her place, and could not care less that they were both nearly out of air.

However, in a heartbreaking moan, Theo demanded, “Please tell me to stop. I beg you to tell me to stop.”

Still dizzy from their kiss, Diana looked at him in disbelief. His dark locks fell across his feverish eyes, a dangerous glow dancing in his gaze. Diana knew his feelings as if they were hers.  

“Why should I?” she asked. 

“I cannot.” He said while kissing her neck. “I cannot continue.” he planted another chast kiss in her mouth while readjusting a stand of her hair that was all messy from their previous actions. 

“Why?” Diana was frustrated as he was tearing himself away from her. 

“Why?” She repeated in a painful cry. 

“I told you already,” he said with sad eyes. “You know what my dad did?” 

Diana shook her head. She suspected before bounding with his soul, but now she was sure of it. 

“He did it because he was heartbroken when my mum died. I know I can be like him, and I refuse to have you endure this.” 

“We are not our parents.” Diana could only reply to him trying to grab his hands. 

“Let me disagree with this. It is in me. I am a monster like him.” Theo resumed to avoid her contact and her gaze. 

“I am sorry you have to put up with this,” he concluded.

“I am not sorry,” Diana coldly added. She was now angrier than ever. How dare he use this as an excuse. “I choose this! I will live with this. You seem to forget things. I feel you deep into my core, my bones, my very soul, so I know you are not a monster. Secondly, I start to grow wary of all those people who think I am not up for the challenge. Theo, you are now mine as I am yours. Grow up a bit, work on your traumas. I forbid you to shut me down ever again, do you understand?” 

She knew she acted as bossy as Hermione, but her health and her life was at stake. It was common in soul bonding: if the link was not fed properly, both parties could have dire after-effects. 

“I…” he stuttered. It was now Theo’s turn to reach for her gaze. The wizard’s emerald gaze stopped on her lips. Theo stayed as he was mesmerized by them. Tentatively, he approached, his hands cupping her jaw, brushing her lower lip slightly with his thumb. They stayed for a moment like this, only looking at each other, and Diana felt their bound pulsing with their shared magic. The moment was delicate and intimate; an intimacy Diana did not know she needed. 

His eyes were still full of desire when he reached again for her lips. It was a soft kiss, nothing compared to the one they had previously, but it was full of fondness. 

When Theo broke the kiss, he held her in his arms for a couple of breaths before separating once more. 

“I will try.” He finally said while kissing her hands with affection. “I will try.” 

He breathes before leaving Diana completely spineless in the old library. Who knew that the Nott heir was such a good kisser? 

Chapter Text

Hermione sat in the potion lab emotionless. Since her conversation with Ron, her heart felt so debased. She could only understand Ron. In the end, what her husband had seen from Draco was only death, deceit, and his contempt toward her. He had every right to despise the Slytherin prince. As for her, her anger for Draco had left a long time ago under the sweetness of his kisses. Draco had bullied her, and nothing could erase that from her mind, but he had also cared for her. He had loved her with an unhinged madness. He had cared for her in a maladroit way. Now that love had faded between them, Hermione still enjoyed their friendship. She always looked forward to potion class and Draco's clever tips to prepare the best potions. She was surprised by how Draco took time to explain to the younger students and how he seemed to care so much for his sister. He was more mature, an adult, and, dare she say, a healed version of himself.

“Mistress Weasley!” a velvety voice called. It was her potion partner, Blaise, who was looking strangely at her.

“For the love of god, Blaise ! Stop calling me like this.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“Potion is done, we can disperse. Thank you for your help.”

“Wait a minute, young miss.” The Slytherin dandy cut her. Hermione rolled her eyes again. How on earth does Blaise have the strength to be that flamboyant?

“I recognize heartbreak when I see one. Something is troubling you ! Come talk to Daddy about it.” He smiled like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

“Have you lost your mind, Blaise!” Hermione stared in disbelief. “Absolutely not!”

“Reconsider it, my dear ! I beg you ! Theo is all occupied by Diana now, and Draco is always escaping to be alone.” Blaise cried, maintaining still is panash.

“And?” she interrupts.

“I merely need a friend to share this triviality of life.”

Hermione could only pinch the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

“Blaise, please, Luna is nice as a friend. Go talk to her.  My mind is occupied somewhere else.” She said, escaping briefly from the potion lab.

She heard Blaise scream behind her back.

“Is it because you are madly in love with him? Isn't?”

Hermione fled like a coward, anger and bitterness swirling after her conversation with Blaise, who had been infuriating. The sting of his words clung to her, and she hurried away, unsure whether she felt more hurt or ashamed.

She thought that maybe going to the library would improve her day. She needed silence and calm to methodically sort her feelings.

When she reached her favorite section of the library, Hermione sat down with delight, her tense nerves slowly easing. The comforting sound of rain outside softened her mood, making her feel safe and allowing her bottled-up feelings to settle. She was beginning to relax—until she saw a blond head entering. It was Draco. Seeing him jarred her out of her calm; he looked relaxed, wearing a deep green jersey and his hair falling in front of his eyes, completely unaware of her presence. At once, Hermione’s cheeks warmed and her stomach twisted. How could she react like that? Her sudden nervousness made her painfully aware of her own vulnerability; her heart pounded as she realized how much seeing Draco affected her.

Draco chose a table nearby, heightening Hermione’s agitation. Ron’s harsh words echoed in her head, compounding her unease. She worried that Ron, who only knew part of the story, would react violently if he ever discovered Draco’s vendetta. Being near Draco brought tension and fear—Hermione dreaded losing her reputation, but she was even more terrified of causing Draco’s downfall. The stakes felt overwhelming; each conflicting emotion made her fear for both their futures, her own anxiety intensifying as she weighed her feelings against the risks.

She had to leave. She could bear standing next to him as she knew she would be drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Abruptly, she wrapped her stuff and fled once again. Twice this day, Hermione preferred to go into hiding rather than face the truth; all her strength evaporated.

She knew Draco noticed it. Trying to look as normal as possible, she made her way toward the corridors. Hermione wanted to cry, but she had to maintain her facade. She was so weak and so wrapped in her lies.

“Hermione!” she heard behind her. She knew it was him. “I saw you leaving abruptly. I hope everything is ok.”

Without turning to face him, she replied: “Everything is fine.”

“Are you certain about that?” He asked.

“I am ok, Malfoy.” She spat, incapable of staying any longer in his presence.

“Back to Malfoy, I see.” She heard him comment. She knew his expression without even facing him. She was sure he was grinning with an arrogant smile.

“Yes, Malfoy. I had a long day.”

A few minutes of silence passed, with both of them paralyzed until Draco asked in a dangerous tone.

“Is it because of what happened at this sketchy Pub?”

“Yes,” Hermione breathed. She had to lie and sever the relationship as soon as possible to avoid more suffering. Of course, what happened in that pub was still fresh in her mind as it was the most passionate moment she had had in years.

“Listen, I am sorry. I apologized already, and to be honest, you were the one who jumped on me.” This remark forced her to turn to face him. She was right, he had an arrogant expression on his face.

“I did it to save us! and you partake in it happily, if I recall correctly.” She was hurt by his previous comment.

“I did, but you started it. You married women, kissed another man, and I bet you liked it.” She did not give him the time to finish his sentence before slapping him violently. How did he dare ! This prick. At this very moment, she could have Avad him without regret.

“I can annoy you as much as you, my dear.” He drowled. “Now tell me, Granger, what is really on your mind.”

Hermione felt an irritation bubble in her veins, but at the same time Draco looked incredibly handsome with his smug face and his messy hair. Her heart started beating fast again, and her brain started to lose track.

Babbling miserably, she looked at his grey eyes:” It's for the kiss we had…. I feel uncomfortable ... .let's not be friends anymore.”

Draco advanced toward her dangerously.

“Are you sure about that ?” She felt him manhandling her wrists, and all that was on her was how appealing his lips looked.  Hermione felt like a cotton doll in his arms. She was incapable of moving, above all she did not want to move. She felt his heat and could smell his intoxicating perfume. Very carefully, he approached his mouth to her ear before whispering, “When you know what’s on your mind, I’ll be here to hear it from your sweet mouth.”

Draco left as fast as he had arrived, leaving Hermione completely stunned. This prick had a lot of never making her feel that way. Her heart beating fast, her senses all aroused, Hermione fled for the last time of the day. She remained closed in her room for the remainder of her day. Escaping Draco Malfoy would seem more complicated than she thought.

Chapter Text

“How does it feel to have a wife, Nott?” Joked Blaise while lying on the coach next to him.  

“Shuuu… Do not speak too loudly about Draco’s sister,” Theo said fearfully.

Once Diana recovered, she and Theo, as their bond allowed, resumed their studies at Hogwarts.

First of all, they were both of age to make their own decision. Secondly, Diana used all her negotiation skills to convince her mother that, now that they shared a bond, her safety was ensured. With their link, Diana was now free of the constant unwanted attention. Theo was forever the only person that the Malfoy Heiress would call her husband. The ancient spell Hermione had used on them was so strong that only death could separate them. It scared Theo, but it was now too late for regrets. All the more so that a deep feeling flowed through his blood. After their kiss in the Malfoy library, Theo had used all his strength to remain civil in front of Narcissa, as Diana’s presence was driving him crazy. Fighting his primal urge was not the only difficulty; he also had to cope with Diana’s feelings that were filtering through their now pretty open connection.

This physical contact had ignited something in him, which he feared would never fade away. Their library encounter was the only intimate moment they had shared, but Theo had only one obsession: to feel her in his arms again. He despised the madness that contaminated his being, he tried his best to maintain an image of decency in the presence of the girl.

“Come on, Nott !” Blaise purred. “How does it feel to be soul-bound to your best friend’s sister?” he asked while caressing Theo’s arm.

Disgusted by such a delicate question, Theo jumped from the sofa. “Blaise! I beg you, do not slander her name. I will not talk about our connection; it is intimate and only concerning us.” He felt his face redden, reminiscing about the passionate kiss he exchanged with Diana.

Blaise opened his mouth, ready to make another comment, but before he could speak, Draco strode into the room, drawing everyone's attention. Theo's heart dropped when he saw Draco enter.

Draco looked annoyed, which meant that Theo had a risk of receiving yet another punch to his face.

Draco shouted, “THEO!” in an authoritarian voice as he stormed into the Slytherin common room, crossing the space quickly to confront Theo.

“Follow me, we need to talk.”

“Shall I join, or is it a family-only meeting?” asked Blaise with an evil grin.

“Family?” questioned Draco, raising his eyebrow. Theo wanted to disappear. He was not ready for that conversation.

“Theo is your brother-in-law, I presume.” Joked Blaise.

“How do you know?” Malfoy asked, irritated.

“It is all over the Prophet, my dear friend,” Zabini remarked while handing the new copy of the Prophet to his friend. On the first page was a picture of Theo and Diana in Hogwarts uniform, going back to the school with the title: “The next wizard of the century would be a Nott. Read more about Malfoy and Nott inbreeding in this issue.”

“How?” Draco asked coldly, looking at Theo, who had retreated to the corner of the sofa.

“I do not know. We remain discreet, but it seems that all the details are there. The Gaunt affair was also revealed to the public.” Lamented Theo. He felt helpless and angry that someone revealed their secret. He would have loved to keep it, only between them, and protect Diana’s intimacy.

“I am already working on that, trying to understand who leaked the information. It shall be someone from the scene: one of the Auror.”

Draco looked in ire, which made Theo retreat once more into the sofa.

“Bloody prophet ! I will kill them. There might be a mole in the Auror team; it is the only solution. When I find them, I will kill them.”

“Hold your horses, Draco ! If someone hears you professing those menaces, it will draw attention to you.” Blaise said, reaching out to his friend.

“My sister is once again in danger. I will not let go until we find a solution,” Draco was outraged.

“I get that, Draco, but we cannot do anything now that the news is out.” Tried to smooth Blaise.

While Blaise was trying to calm Draco down, Theo reflected. Draco had said something very important: “Maybe there’s a Mole in the Auror.” Malfoy was not wrong, and his cleverness shone once again. Theo already had doubts; the same doubts as Draco and Hermione. It was impossible for the Gaunt family to go unnoticed for so many years without being protected by someone more powerful. Maybe Draco was right that the Auror were more involved in that story than they thought.

“Drake, you said something interesting. I think you might be right. I know Hermione and you were suspecting already. Maybe some corrupted Auror might have allowed the Gaunt scheme? Maybe there’s more to it than only the Gaunt, but it might be a tricky project. We would need Hermione with us.” Theo noted

“Why always Hermione? I am here, guys, and I am freaking Brilliant!” Blaise commented, outraged.

“You are right, Theo. We can definitely raise the topic with Hermione. Although I have already been researching on my side, this leakage to the prophet does not help with our quiet investigation.” Draco added.

“Hello! May I remind you that I am here?” Blaise waved in front of Draco’s face.

“Let’s discuss the events that occurred at the Gaunt estate. We may be able to trace back the team that was there and find if someone is suspicious.” Theo corroborated.

“Hello!” Blaise was now gesticulating like a madman.

Theo turned to face their friend. They had no time to lose on that investigation. If Auror were corrupted, sooner or later, things would get sour.

“Blaise, you have some friends in the underworld, right?” Theo knew Blaise was much more than the dandy he was showing at Hogwarts.

“You ignore me and then wound me with such hurtful comments,” Blaise replied, faking outrage.

“Blaise!” Draco pinched his nose in annoyance

“First of all, how do you know Nott?” The Slytherin dandy asked.

“I have my contacts,” Theo replied. For many years, Theo had learned to remain in the shadows. A very interesting skill when it came to navigating the underworld.

“Cunning little Nott! No wonder your patronus is a filthy fox, you filthy little sneak.”

Blaise added as banter. “My mum knows several people who could be of interest, but my dear boys, everything comes with a price.”

“How much?” Draco bluntly cut him.

“Owwww my dearling, I do not need more galions.” Blaise purred while caressing Draco’s jaw with his thin finger.

“What do you want?” spat Theo.

“Oh, nothing much, my dear. I want one thing from Draco, and one hour alone with your wife, Theo.” Blaise smiled like a cat.

“Ok, works for me,” Theo answered. He trusted Diana and knew that whatever Blaise had in mind, she would defend herself if Blaise tried something inappropriate.

“Selling my sister fast, huh?” Draco scoffed, aggravated.

“Diana is old enough, and she is way more lethal than you think, Draco.” Theo scoffed in return.

“Well, well, enough of family drama.” Blaise cut “Draco, are you willing to give me what I am asking?”

Draco's eyes became reflective. Theo had no idea about what Blaise was asking Draco.

After some long minutes, the Malfoy heir concluded: “Deal, but you'd better arrange a meeting with your contacts next week without any fault. Otherwise, you know the drill, Mr Zabini.”

Blaise had a mundane laugh: “Of course, Mr Malfoy. I see ! You are well-acquainted with the underworld culture. I like it.” After a pregnant pause, Blaise stood up in a whim, before proclaiming:

“Gentlemen, if I may ! I will take my leave for my beauty sleep. I was pleased with our very productive conversation. Mr Malfoy. Mr Nott, do send my best regards to Lady Nott.”

Hearing Blaise refer to Diana as Lady Nott made Theo shiver. It sounded dangerous as the previous Lady Nott, his mother, had died in tragic circumstances. He was about to correct Blaise, but the boy had already left toward his dorm.

“Do not mind him. He is completely unhinged. He became more flamboyant after the war. On another note, I hope my sister feels better. I might pass by tonight to see her.” Draco dryly added.

“You can.” Theo tried to reply and remain as poker-faced as possible.

“Well, I will leave you to it. Have a great evening.” Draco said while he left. Theo was alone again, with the sound of his heart as his only company.

When he was alone, the pounding of his heart was the most troublesome. With people, he was somehow distracted, but alone, he was reminded that he was missing something. Something so dear that he could not stop thinking about it. With a heavy heart and unclenched thirst, Theo made his way to his dorm, where he knew he would not sleep a wink.

Chapter Text

As predicted, Theo could not sleep at night; his mind was plagued with sensations he was foreign to. The conversation with Draco and Blaise had ignited his instinct. Theo was convinced that the Gaunt affair was only the beginning of something darker and twisted. Fear grew in his belly. In the past, dying was sadly an expected outcome, and Theo was prepared for it. He was beaten so many times near death that he knew it like an old friend. However, now that Diana was in the equation, his perspectives had changed as death would mean losing her as well. Shaking his head as he was shaking badly from this dreadful thought, Theo concentrated again on his fuming coffee mug in front of him. As usual, he was having his breakfast at the Slytherin table in the company of his two only friends, Blaise and Draco. Still, he kept a careful eye on Diana, who was taking her own breakfast at the Gryfondor table surrounded by her own friends: Ginny, Neville, Luna, Padama, Parvati, and of course, Hermione. She looked happy this morning, and it weirdly warmed Theo’s heart. At least one of them had a good night's sleep.

The breakfast was always rather uneventful, but always punctuated by Blaise and Draco's verbal match. However, this day, the air smelled different. Theo could not pinpoint if it was because he had very little sleep or if something truly terrible could happen.

As the owl started to deliver the post. Theo was surprised to receive an extensive number of letters. He who would never receive anything, not even a Christmas present from his dad. It looked odd. Carefully, the boy started to open the letter, when a disgraceful cacophony reached his ear. A bunch of Howlers had unfolded on his table, screaming the most atrocious insanities: “Disgraceful twat”, “opportunist”, “rapist”, “rich kid who used daddy’s fortune to buy his power.”

Theo felt taken aback, yet nothing within those letters surprised him, and above all, he had lived way worse than ridiculous howlers would not undermine him. It was only a mere annoyance. With an elegant movement, he lifted his wand to cast an incendio on the bunch of paper, which vanished in a cloud of smoke. Nonetheless , the horrible howler’s noise did not vanish; it seemed to intensify. Raising his gaze with horror, Theo noticed that the sound emanated from the Griffondor table, and most specifically in front of Diana.

Petrified by fear, Theo witnessed a cloud of howlers surrounding his girl. They were screaming the most insane insults in an astonishing chaos: "Malfoy Whore”, “Daddy’s crazy girl”, “Worthless bitch”, “Golddigger.”, “Deatheater scum”, “Mr Nott's new toy”.

Usually so nonchalant when it came to people slandering her name, Theo could feel Diana’s anxiety rising at the same time as her eyes started watering. In a brutal motion, the girl stood up from the table, gathering all the howlers to hastily throw them into the nearby hearth. As brutally as she destroyed the Howler, the Mafloy heiress evacuated the common room, rushing to the corridor, most likely to hide her shame.

Theo felt Draco rising next to him to follow her, but promptly told his friend that he would go; he had to. He was the cause of her despair, and felt guiltier by the minute. Theo did not really remember how he managed to cough up with her, but he found her in an isolated alcove. Her eyes were wet from tears, but her expression was blank as she looked at the wall.

With all the care he could summon, Theo sat next to her on the floor. They stayed silent for a couple of minutes, with Diana still looking at the wall, emotionless.

Theo felt in his gut that he had to say something to the girl.

“I am sorry for what is happening to you. It is my fault,” he tried looking at her.

She did not react, still looking at the wall, but it seemed that her eyes watered some more.

“I promised, I will make those things disappear. I promised it would go better. I am here for you.” Theo was trying his best to reassure her. He would need to tackle the Prophet issue, as it was also a disagreeable nuisance for him.

“I thought...” Diana said in a deep voice. “I thought that my gamble would obtain me peace. I wanted it so much…” She sniffed.

“I did not want this prophecy. I never wanted to be the heiress of the most powerful wizard family. I did not want to be tied forever to someone to escape that. I do not want all of that, yet I have to endure. I do not want to endure Theo; I don’t have the courage or the strength. I am tired. I want to return to the woods and live a simple life.”

Theo felt his heart drop. She looked so fragile, exhausted by a destiny she did not choose. She had worded what he had felt for years. He never wanted to endure a violent father nor the terrible silence he had to grow up with. A viscous anger rose to his veins, anger against destiny that had precipitated both of them on a route that they did not ask for. A dark and twisted road, always having to escape the horrors of this world. Having to keep their eyes shut not to witness an incredible despair. At that instant, Theo felt so much for her as her pain was his. He wanted to smooth it and make her feel safe again. He wanted her to regain her courage and to use his strength instead of wasting hers.

Naturally, Theo scooped her into his arms. This embrace meant everything to him. Her warmth radiated in his body, and her shallow breath warmed his heart.

“I understand you so very much, my dear,” He breathed. “I am so sorry that our path had to go in such a terrible manner, but now...” he paused. “We are together. We can lean on each other and protect one another.”

Diana, cozied up in his arms, raised her hand to his face and gazed into his eyes.

“How do you do it to be that strong?” she whispered.

“A lot of blood, and fearful nights,” he admitted. “I lived through hell, nothing compared to that,” he smiled sadly while kissing the palm of her hand. She shivered.

“I am sorry,” she said while reaching his lips. As it was a remedy to their deep affliction, they both shared a sweet kiss on the cold floor. Theo felt his heart skip a beat. At that very moment, he wanted her so very badly. Tentatively, he tried to deepen their kiss, reaching to pull her waist closer to his. She did not fight him; on the contrary, she reached to saddle him, pushing her womanhood to his crotch. Theo felt fire spread through his body while she reached to kiss his neck, opening his shirt to show skin.

“Diana..” he moaned, reaching to open her own shirt. He had to feel her skin beneath his hands; it was a necessity. It felt rushed yet so exciting, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He wanted the moment to last forever, as their limbs intertwined perfectly, as they were made for each other.

Completely absorbed in exploring his body, Diana did not hear the approaching footsteps or the familiar voice calling, "Where did they go?"

It was Draco, and for the first time in his life, Theo wanted to murder his friend. With excruciating pain, he gently pushed Diana to his side. Her eyes were hazy with lust. Theo would have given up all his fortune to freeze time and resume their intimacy. Hastily, they both buttoned their shirts. Diana quickly combed her messy hair with her fingers. In a sweet gesture, she also arranged some brown locks that were falling in Theo’s eyes.

They both looked “normal”, but Theo knew Draco would smell that something was going on.

“There you are!” The Slytherin wizard exclaimed, narrowing his eyes at Theo’s hand still holding hers. Theo hastily removed his hand from Diana’s to avoid any confrontation with her brother, who seemed colder than usual, but the girl had another idea. She stood up, facing her brother. His grey eyes meet hers. The intensity was at his paroxysm, and Theo felt a bit uncomfortable. Draco seemed to have lost the match when he spoke again: “We will need to discuss several topics. We will be meeting at the library this afternoon.”

“Very well,” Diana concluded, still gazing at her brother. “It is about the revelation of the prophet, I presume.”

“It is, and we will discuss additional details,” Draco commented plainly. Theo started to be a bit afraid of both of his friends. It seemed that an ocean of ice had invaded the atmosphere. He knew that the Malfoy twins; he had forgotten these details; were having an internal battle.

“Noted. Thank you, brother.” She added while bowing to Draco in sign of respect. When she turned to Theo, her gaze softened, and he could feel his breath getting caught again. She reached out to pull him into a loving embrace right in front of Draco’s gaze. Theo spends 2 seconds thinking about the repercussions of their embrace before leaning into Diana’s arm. He returned her hug, firmly encircling his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to inhale her scent of orange blossom perfume.

“Let’s resume later today.” She whispered in his ear, sending Theo into a dangerous spiral of sentiments. Did she mean their conversation or their physical time?

When she left, Theo felt his cheeks redden and his whole body on fire. How could he hide that from Draco?

Hastily, he turned to face Draco, who was standing there with a look that Theo had never seen, or maybe once, when his dad was murdered. He looked truly murderous with a spark of anger in his grey eyes.

“I assume that you are trying to get to know her.” He said with venom in his voice. “But rest assured, if you hurt her, make her cry, or anything of this matter… I will destroy you and erase the name Nott from this earth.”

“Draco,” Theo gasped . “I know, but first of all, your sister is an adult, and she does not need protection. Secondly, hurting me means hurting her, so you'd better contain yourself.” He tapped on Draco's shoulder while proceeding to go to class.

“Oi Nott !” Draco screamed behind his back. “Stay sharp!”

Theo was not afraid of Draco. After what he shared with Diana, he was only focused on her and being back in her arms. A deep, yet strange feeling blossomed within him, which was the only thing that scared him.

Chapter Text

It seemed that fate was playing annoying tricks on Hermione. The more she wanted to avoid a certain Slytherin prince, the more she was confronted with his image. Draco was everywhere, in her classes, during breaks, looming in the corridors, at the library, and most agreeably in her mind. The brightest witch thought she was going crazy. Draco did not help. Every time they crossed paths, he made sure to stare at her with an uncommon intensity. It for sure made her blush every single time, which made Hermione spiral into despair. How could she avoid him when she skipped a beat every time his grey eyes met hers? 

She wanted to leave and hide forever to avoid Draco Malfoy tormenting her heart. One afternoon,  after a successful day of avoiding him, Hermione was regaining her quarter peacefully when she bumped into yet another Slytherin. 

It was Theo. She had not seen him since the episode at the Gaunts’ estate. To her great surprise, he looked very well and rested. She knew it was due to the link he now shared with Diana. With twice the double amount of magic coursing through his veins, he could only feel stronger. 

“Theo,” she greeted him casually. 

“Hermione,” he replied with a soft smile. “Draco sent me, as he said you avoided him all week,” the boy blurred, which made Hermione sigh in exasperation. 

“What does he want?” She asked, exasperated. 

Theo smiled again, maybe because Hermione did not reject him directly. 

“We are meeting this afternoon to discuss …” he started to whisper, “the follow-up on the Gaunt mystery.” 

Hermione felt her curiosity ignite. She and Draco had suspected that there was more to the Gaunt story. The thought of a new investigation excited her. Her mind raced through their previous findings and hypotheses. How could the ministry turn a blind eye for so long to such a 'dangerous' family? Who helped them to hide? Surely they had a mole, or were they corrupted by some underworld organization? 

All these possibilities filled Hermione's heart with joy. She craved adventure and investigation, but she also had to remember her promise to Ron. If she were seen again with Draco, Ron would lose it. Although people often saw him as the sidekick to Harry and Hermione, Ron was clever, and in his anger, his bitterness could push him to serious actions. 

“Hermione,” she heard Theo ask her with a worried look. 

“I apologize. I will not be able to join. I leave it to you guys.” She forced herself to articulate. 

“You cannot be serious, Hermione.” Theo contested. “We need you. Diana needs you,” he pleaded. 

“I understand, but…” she was about to reply. 

“ Is it Draco the issue?” Theo blunted

“Theo,” she could only protest. 

“I beg you, Hermione,” Theo pleaded, starting to drop to his knees. Hermione wondered why he always needed to beg like that; maybe it was emotional blackmail, but it worked. 

People started to stop to look at the scene, and Hermione felt her cheeks grow red in embarrassment. 

“Please stand up,” she hushed him back to his feet. “I will join to help for a bit, but do not ask me to talk to Draco. I cannot be seen with him,” she admitted frankly. 

“I promised.” He beamed. “See you at 4pm to the dot at the library. “Thank you so much for everything,” he added, letting Hermione be confused alone in the cold corridor. 

__________________

At 4pm to the dot, she arrived at the library. In a small corner, hidden between several rows of books, she saw Diana seated at a square table next to her brother. Hermione tried not to look at Draco, but he looked once again breathtakingly handsome in his Slytherin Jersey with some string of hair falling into his eyes. Both twins were reading, and Hermione could only remark how similar they looked. Both with icy blond hair, grey eyes, and high cheeks, both looking a bit pissed by everything. Hermione wanted to laugh at her discovery of the twins. 

Next to them, she recognized Theo, who was chatting with a newcomer in their group. 

When Hermione recognized Blaise, she had a shiver running down her spine. She remembered their previous interaction. The Slytherin wizard was cunning, and that day he had nearly put words on something that Hermione was hiding in her heart. Anxious, she came to sit at the table, hoping Blaise would not say anything distasteful. 

“Vous ici!” the Slytherin dandy said in perfect French.

“Speaking French now, Blaise! I thought you were Italian,” she replied acidly. 

“I am, my dear, but as I am from the 'noblesse', our education is also composed of foreign languages such as French, Latin, and Greek… for some reason, I can also speak Portuguese," Blaise replied, sending Hermione a flashy smile. 

In the meantime, Draco raised his gaze to her timidly, making Hermione turn her head abruptly to face Theo. 

“So…” she tried to change the subject. 

“So…” Draco initiated. It seemed that, as usual, he was the one leading the investigation. 

“We know now that Gaunt had been protected by someone. Either the Auror and the ministry as a whole, or someone in the underworld. We also know that someone from the intervention group who rescued Diana sold the details of the story to the newspaper. We need to know if it was an evil act or a bunch of brainless twats looking for fame. When it comes to the first point. Blaise generously leverages his contact in the underworld for us to start our investigation.”

Hermione and Diana turned to the wizard with stunned looks. 

The Malfoy girl spoke first: “What do you mean by contact in the underworld?” 

Blaise laughed with contempt. 

“Mistress Nott, it is pretty self-explanatory." 

Ignoring her new name, Diana continued: “Not really to me… Draco,” she turned to her twin brother. “If mother knows about that, she will skin us alive. Are you conscious about that?”

Draco replied with nonchalance: “Fear not, Diana, I did way worse, and I am still alive.”

Both Diana and Hermione scoffed at the time.

“Well, ignoring the fact that Blaise has some contact with the mafia, being an 18-year-old student. What will this contact bring us?”

“Good question! 100 points to Gryfondor.” Blaise proclaimed with a fake solemn tone.

Both Diana and Hermione rolled their eyes at the same time, while Theo exasperatedly pinched his nose.

For once, Draco seemed unaffected: “Blaise’s family owns several brothels and other illegal joints in the low world. Many syndicate members are frequent customers. Blaise secured us an audience with one of his informants.”

“See, I can be resourceful, Mistress Weasly,” the Slytherin Dandy beamed.

“Ok, for the first point, it is pretty clear, but is your plan for the second point?” asked Diana to her brother.

“I was hoping…” Draco paused, searching Hermione's gaze again.

“It is bloody reckless, but it would help us a lot. I was hoping we could impersonate Weasley to interrogate his team.”

Without thinking, Hermione shouted, "Absolutely not ! Over my dead body, we will do that.”

“It is a freaking clever plan,” interjected Theo.

“No, NO, and again NO !” Hermione repeated in indignation. She was burning with displeasure, but at the same time, a contradictory feeling was growing within her. It is true that the plan was risky, but at the same time, it was indeed brilliant.

“Told you guys, she will not buy in.” Draco lamented.

“Draco, are you hearing yourself?” she spoke directly to him this time, not escaping his gaze.

“You are asking me to drug my husband and use pollyjuice to interrogate his colleagues. It is nuts, what if he finds out?”

“What would happen if he finds out?” Draco smirked.

“Oh gosh!” she angrily replied. “I should never have come here.”

At that point, Blaise had retreated into his chair with an amused look. Diana looked completely appalled, which gave Theo the opportunity to grab her hand in comfort. Nothing existed outside Hermione and Draco. Her warth was infinite, and she had to let it out.

“What will happen if he finds out?” repeated Draco in a now dangerous voice.

Hermione was so mad that the words were escaping her mouth alone. 

“He will destroy our life, Draco! He knows for our time during the sixth year, he knows about our past, about how…” She was about to continue when she revealed she had spoken too much. Blaise and Theo were gasping in surprise. Diana looked sorry as Hermione knew she was already aware. 

“He knows? How does he know?” Draco asked in disbelief. 

“I do not know!” Hermione cried

“I think I know.” Diana intervened shyly. “At the wedding, George made me understand that he was aware. I do not know how, but maybe he had one of these maps where you can see people’s whereabouts.” 

“I will kill him,” Draco added in his fury. 

“You will not!” Diana replied to him, now standing to face him. “Not everything can be solved by blood, Draco!” 

“You say that because you are still in love with George. Am I not right, Sister?” Draco replied arrogantly. 

“AND SO WHAT?” Diana sobbed with hurt in her voice. 

It was now Theo’s turn to stand up, apparently leaving the room. Diana ran after him after having shot the darkest death glare at her brother.  

Blaise was still chilling on his chair. Right at the climax of the argument, the dandy thought it was a good moment to ask Draco and Hermione: “ So, how will we organize the rest of the investigation?”

When both Draco and Hermione turned to him with a dangerous look. Blaise had a mundane laugh before saying, “ I let you sort your things out. Mimi, my contact, will be waiting for you this Saturday at one in our Mayfair club. I wish you a pleasant afternoon and a pleasant night.” Blaise winked at them, which ignited even more anger in Hermione's system. She would now have to confront Draco and come clean about her lies.

Chapter Text

After Blaise left, Hermione stayed a couple of minutes looking at Draco. He still looked infuriated, matching her own fury. 

Calmly, she regained her seat facing the blonde wizard. 

“I think it is long overdue. I owe you an explanation for my recent behavior.” Hermione tried to articulate. She had to remain mature and handle the situation with calmness and patience; two qualities that Draco never exhibited in her. 

“Please, be my guest,” Draco said through his teeth, trying to also remain calm.

“Ron, for a reason or another, knew about us. After our little stroll at the Gaunt house, he confronted me. At first, he was not really clear, but out of rage, he revealed that he knew.”

Hermione did her best to keep the details of that terrible night, but Draco had other plans.

“Was he ungrateful to you?” Draco asked with shining eyes. She knew even pissed Draco cared tremendously about her, and was trying to understand if Ron had any distasteful behavior with her. 

“It is not his style.” She plainly remarked. “But he made me swear I will not have any contact with you.”

“Controlling as ever.” The Slytherin prince scoffed. 

Hermione looked at him, exasperated. 

“He threatened me…” Hermione regretted her wording as Draco started to stir in his chair like an enraged dog. 

“Verbally.” She quickly corrected it. “To reveal our idyll back in sixth year to ruin my reputation, and drag both of us in the mud.” 

“And you choose him as Husband?” Draco asked disrespectfully.  

“What is done, is done !” she could only reply. 

“No, not always !” Draco said while approaching her. “If I were your husband, I would not have done that.” Hermione did all she could to hide the fluttering of her heart. Thinking that Draco could have been her husband was a dangerous fantasy that she should not entertain. 

“But you are not Draco! and never will you be.” She blushed, trying to hide her growing feelings. 

A painful glow painted on Draco’s face, but he replied to her with defiance. 

“We never know!” 

An awkward silence fell between them. Hermione had more and more trouble hiding the commotion happening in her heart. 

“Let’s close this investigation and not talk to each other again. It is too risky. We both sacrificed too much to have it ruined by our past mistakes,” she tried to remain stoic, even though those words broke her.

“Past mistakes? What we had was a past mistake for you?” Draco added in a dangerous tone.

Hermione could only shake her head in agreement to Draco’s words.

“I see,” Draco said while raising from his seat. “It was maybe a mistake for you, but not for me. You know it, Hermione. You can listen to your lunatic husband as much as you want. He does not control my acts, and if I want to see you, I will. I lost too much time already.”

Once again, bending toward her face, he searched her gaze.

“I could not have you as my lover or my wife. I will not sacrifice you as my friend. I will stay by your side even if you don’t want me. I will be the fly on your wall, always annoying you. I promise, Granger. You will never ever be able to get rid of me. Your presence is mandatory in my sorry life. If you are not in it, I do not see why it would be worth living… so you can say to your bloody husband to shove his wand up his ass and let us be.”

His eyes looked like pools of mercury. Hermione believed him, as when Draco swore about misconduct and borderline, he was always right.

Too stunned to speak, she could only marvel once again at Draco's perfect face still so close to her face. Lost in the thought of his lips on her, Hermione did not remark that the boy had left. She was once again alone in the library with her heart running so fast that she thought she would die. Deeply buried in her heart, she knew that she never stopped loving him. Draco had so many sins, but his soul was completing hers perfectly. He was her childhood bully, her teenagehood crush, and the man who broke all her boundaries unapologetically. The one who could fend equally with her. The one who would on every occasion feed her intellect, nourish her inner self, and worship her heart. The revelation threw her into a well of despair so deep that she was not sure how to climb back from it.

—---------------

Diana was running behind Theo in the corridor. The boy had left after her unexpected and pathetic revelation of her feelings for George.

She had loved him dearly, even if nothing had happened. Both of them were young and innocent, caught up in a war they did not choose. Love was not on the program, and when the time came, it was too late. George's heart never accepted her, and was now so shattered that he would never welcome anyone outside of grief. Diana felt sorrow and bitterness when she thought about George. However, since she had linked her destiny to Theo, it seemed that the scar on your heart had started to heal. She did not know Theo for a long time, but the wizard had proven himself to her, saving her countless times and always being gracious and patient with her bad temper. She could not say that she loved him yet, but she had learned to care for him. Seeing him so heartbroken made her heart bleed. She needed to see him to let him know that what was for George was fleeting and that she would be ready someday to love again.

Running as fast as she could, she could rejoin Theo on the patio.

“Theo, wait!” she yelled. The boy stopped in his tracks an instant before charging back again.

“WAIT! THEO, PLEASE!” she screamed in despair.

When he turned to face her, Theo worked to keep his expression neutral. Diana saw this effort, but sensed the deep turmoil behind his eyes.

“I am so sorry. We should have talked about it. I apologize,” she tried telling him.

“Nothing to apologize for. We never promised each other. You are free to love someone else.” He said in a husky voice that betrayed his state of mind.

“I loved him, but not anymore! He rejected me so badly.” Diana admitted, ashamed.

“He rejected you, but you still admit you love him. Rejection does not make someone fall out of love,” he replied, looking at her with the shinnest eyes.

“You are right, but in that case his rejection is definitive, and I have been trying to heal ever since…. have you already been in love?”

She did not know why she was asking this at this moment.

“No.” Theo blushed.

“Then you cannot understand heartbreak.. I was heartbroken, I still am, but I am learning to feel better about myself, and hopefully I will love again.” Diana felt so sad. She looked pathetic, but Theo had to understand her. Love wounds were the hardest to heal, but she was trying. Happy about her explanation, Diana was not expecting any reaction from Theo. However, she was sourly mistaken. In a fraction of a second, she felt a dark and twisted energy emerging into the small patio while Theo was frantically laughing. In a sharp movement, he pushed her to one of the nearby walls, forcing her to look into his eyes. Diana was terrified. The men in front of her did not look like Theo. His emerald eyes shone in a strange glow beneath a furred brow. His jaw contracted with violence: “How do you dare teach me about heartbreak?” he uttered in a low rumble.

“How dare you pretend your heart has been broken? Do you know how it feels to feel crushed below walls of pain, not being able to breathe? Do you know how it feels to feel one's heart shredded over and over so you can only feel the taste of blood in your mouth?

“I am the one who grew up in darkness, without a mother, and with broken bones as far back as I remember.” As he spoke, his hands tightened on Diana’s neck, his claws pressing enough to bruise as she struggled for air.

“Do you know how it feels to nearly die ? losing consciousness? Praying for a better life. Do you ?” he said while squeezing his hand so much that Diana started to gasp for air.

“Will you die for me? To know what I went through, what heartbreak truly is?”

It was too much for Diana, who felt her vision blurred and tears running down her cheeks.

“Theo..” she managed to plead verbally and through their bond.

Just as suddenly, Theo’s expression shifted. His eyes widened in shock, and he released his grip on her, stepping away as if burned. He retreated like a wounded animal. Diana, gasping, saw tears well up in his eyes as he fled, leaving her to collapse to the ground, nearly unconscious.

Chapter Text

Theo was burning with anger and shame. When Diana revealed that she still somehow loved George, his heart stopped beating for an instant. He felt sorry for himself. The person who would be stuck with him in life loved another. How pitiful he was, thinking that for once he was lucky in life. Lucky to have the beautiful Diana Malfoy in his arms. The witch that had awoken so much within him, even before tying their life together.

Bitter, he had fled the library, gasping for air. He was searching for a calm place to calm his overrunning mind and labored breathing.

Despite all his efforts, Diana found him in the patio. She looked utterly concerned and proceeded to explain herself in an awkward manner. Theo did not mind her explanations, even if they were resonating like a hollow whisper in his heart. He knew that her heart had been bruised by another man and that for now she was not really capable of loving anyone. Theo felt his sorrow deepen, reaching the deepest part of his heart. A part he was not even aware of himself. When the flame of his sadness ignited this submerged part, Theo did his best to contain the vile anger that was emanating from it. However, when Diana started lecturing him on heartbreak, Theo's small effort to retain a wave of agony was in vain. As if he had lost the driving seat, his wrath took control of his body and manhandled Diana to the wall.

The way her eyes widened in shock reminded him of the way he used to look at his dad. The venom he launched at her face like she was being burned by his mouth. His ire blinded him; the only thing he wanted was to shut her mouth to make her understand how bruised and hurt he was. Her little heartbreak was nothing compared to years of blood and sorrow. He felt his nails digging into the tender skin of her neck, blocking her airways. He felt the fire in her eyes flicker for the lack of oxygen, yet his anger was not satiated. He wanted her to suffer as much as he had suffered for her to understand. Pain and agony poured from their bond and all his body. She felt so frail, so afraid of him. In despair, Diana reached out to him, calling his name with difficulty. She was begging him to stop as her life was now on the line.

Like a bucket of ice pouring into his head, consciousness reached back to Theo. He was suffocating the girl, nearly killing her. The wizard felt tears welling in his eyes. It was not sorrow, it was shame, disgust for himself, for who he had become. When he ungripped his hand from Diana’s, she coughed for air, falling to the ground as her force escaped her. Theo did not debate any longer. Like a coward, he fled the scene at record speed. 

Just like in his youth, he had to find a hiding place to revel in the dark. Just like a mirror of his difficult youth, Theo felt that he was now the executioner. A promotion he did not ask for, especially when it came to Diana. 

He had to admit that her love for George was troublesome for him. He could not bear knowing that she loved another man, yet he felt helpless. His bound was urging him to come back to her and apologize. However, the darkness within his heart was compelling him to hide in a remote corner to punish himself. He was not worth it. He was not wanted, and just like his parents refused him, Diana would refuse him too. Draco was right; he was a pitiful human being; nothing very worth knowing, only a broken soul that would eventually bleed out and die. When Theo reached his room, he barricaded it just like he used to do when he was at home. Collecting his blankets, he squeezed himself below his bed in a fetal position, hoping the world would end for him and his sorry life. 

A couple of hours passed. Theo was unsure whether it was days or hours. His eyes were rimmed in a red and irritated stains from the tear he had shed. His body and heart felt numb. His only wish was to disappear from this earth to have a little rest. He was feeling too much, and too little at the same time. He was not able to feel Diana as strongly as his sorrow was. Life felt suspended, yet he also felt so apologetic and wanted to reach back to Diana and beg for her forgiveness. He tried to escape his misery, but he was not able to move his body due to the numbness. He fell into slumber again to meet the shadows that were the only place he felt understood. His comfort zone. 

__________

Theo had left Diana nearly unconscious on the floor. She was gasping for air, but mainly her heart was bleeding from Theo’s behavior. She had no resentment as far as she was concerned. She just wanted to understand. Deep down, she also wanted to care for him. It was obvious that he had a traumatic life filled with beatings, reproach, and horrible visions. Diana truly wanted to understand him. She wanted to be the person he could lean on to rest his bones. He did not deserve his past; no one did, and she was determined to hold on to him. She truly wished he could finally find peace, as she knew for a fact that in spite of all the horror, Theo’s heart was still good. She needed to find him, so once again she put herself into mission mode. 

It was not easy to break into the Slytherin dorm as she knew he was there. She knew the password as her brother had let it slip during one of their conversations. She also knew where Draco's room was, which she supposed was close to Theo’s. Her only challenge would be to avoid the students, and mainly her twin brother. At that hour of the day, most of the kids were having their dinner in the common room. She hoped that her absence would not alert her brother. 

Carefully, she reached the common room, which was emanating with a creepy glow. The Slytherin dorm was the former dungeons, and she had not a lot of trouble imagining it. Making it past the leather sofas, she tried to act normal, as if she were visiting her brother. The young Slytherins were launching shy looks at her, some of them blushed when she passed, and others had fear in their eyes.

When she reaches the dormitories, Diana searches for the doors to Theo’s room. It was not difficult, as a tiny copper plaque indicated the students' names in their dorm room. 

At the end of the corridor, next to Draco’s room, she could read: “Theodor Nott.” 

Taking a deep breath, she tried to penetrate the room without too much noise, but the door seemed blocked. Thankfully, she was a Malfoy, and a door was only a mere obstacle for her. She pushed with all her strength, whispering some spells to move the furniture that was blocking the other side of the door. She could only thank Fleur for this technique, as the French witch was a master in breaking into blocked rooms back in Beaux Batton. Diana entered a pitch back room. The air was charged with a damp and sad energy that sent shivers down her spine. She hoped she was right and that Theo was there.  In the dark, she tried to locate the wizard. When everything was silent, she finally could locate a faint breathing coming from underneath the bed.

“Theo,” she whispered while kneeling down to search under the bed. Her stomach nodded like a little kid afraid of what was under the bed. To her great surprise, she found a bundle of blankets from which she could locate Theo's sleeping face. His breathing was labored, dark curls falling in front of his puffy eyes. Diana felt her heart break… He looked like a little child. 

“Theo, I am here. I came, I am sorry I hurt you back there,” she breathed again while pressing her finger to his cheeks. His eyes fluttered open, but his gaze looked utterly confused. 

“Theo,” she added tenderly, reaching to cup his jaw. She was now completely buried under the bed into Theo's wall of blankets. 

“I am sorry,” he sobbed. “You should not be there. You should let me rot here. I am a terrible person, Diana.” 

Instinctively, Diana reached out to embrace him. He was so weak that he did not even flinch. 

“It’s my fault. I was selfish. I dragged you down with me in that bound to regain my peace. I didn’t think about you or your wellbeing. I am a terrible person. On the other hand, Theo, please rest assured that you are a good one. You gave your life to save me. You jumped into the danger to rescue me. You are sweet to your friends and others.” 

Theo shrugged on himself. 

“You lie! I hurt you in my ire. Your neck has been bruised by my fault.” He reached for her neck, grazing her bruised skin as if it were porcelain. 

“I hate myself for that… I have this anger within my blood that does not go away. It plagues me. I cannot bear seeing you a victim of my temperament.” 

“It is ok…It is also my fault. Your life has been complicated. Your heart needs rest. I cannot do the work for you, but I will be there. You can lean on me. You are not alone anymore.” Diana took a pregnant pause. 

“I am not pretending I understand what you went through. However, I felt it in our bond when we first connected. This pain and anger, I will help you resolve them.” 

Theo got closer to her, resting his head on her heart. She felt his silent tears running down her skin. 

“You are not alone.” She soothed him, humming to appease his pain. They both stay tangled under Theo’s bed until the night, both peacefully asleep. 

Chapter Text

 Theo opened his eyes again in a delightful warmth. He was still hidden under his bed. However, something felt odd. Some ice-blond hair and a Gryffindor uniform blocked his vision. Interrogating himself last night, the memory came flooding back. The meeting in the library, Diana’s revelation, his anger, and how gently she came to comfort him in his hiding spot. Theo could not help but blush at the last souvenir, as the tender moment had soothed his wounded heart. He could not admit it to her, but his feelings were way more than those of a friend. Stirring a bit not to wake her up, he marveled once again at how peaceful her night seemed to be. She was snoring lightly on his side, breathing warm air on his skin. Judging by the dim light entering the room, it was the next morning. 

Theo tried to extract himself from under the bed. He also tried to carry Diana to his actual mattress to let her have a peaceful morning. It was Saturday, so leaving her to have a bit of extra rest was not a problem. He secured Diana on his mattress without waking her up; she was a heavy sleeper. He started ordering his room to avoid her seeing his mess upon waking up. 

“Everything is going fine”, he kept repeating to himself. True, he had physically hurt Diana, for which he had deeply apologized. However, it seems that the girl was more forgiving than her brother. It seemed that she was reading to him like an open book and that she understood all his grievances. Even before their bond, she had nearly had him figured out. Minutes passed in a peaceful silence. Theo had installed himself at his desk to read while keeping an eye on his witch sleeping next to him. 

Until a knock echoed from the door. Theo had no trouble knowing it was Draco summoning him for their morning walk. 

In an instant, he threw a blanket over Diana to conceal her form and her hair, and rushed to open the door. Trying to keep a casual appearance in spite of his puffy eyes, he answered: 

“Good day, my friend!” 

Draco had a first look of disgust on his face, and Theo knew that his casual facade had been discovered. 

“Who are you? Where is my friend?” Draco playfully teased. 

“Sorry mate, I had a long night,” Theo replied honestly. 

“I can see it… You look awful," the blond replied. 

Everything seemed to go fine for Theo, but Draco had not realized that someone else was in the room. 

“Let me get ready, and we can go,” Theo commented while Draco was making his way into the room. To that reaction, Theo screamed at the top of his lungs: 

“No!” rectifying himself with a normal tone, he added: “My room is a mess, wait here, I am coming.” 

“Come on, Nott! Your room is always a mess.” Draco tried to push the door. Theo felt it could not get worse when he saw his friend's face change from joking to cold as ice. 

“Theo,” he heard a sleepy voice behind his back. He understood now. Draco changed his expression. 

Draco pushed the door open, pushing Theo in his course to stride to his sister. 

“What are you doing here? in Theo’s bed?” Draco interrogated her with concern. 

“Brother…” Diana sighed, exasperated, going down Theo’s bed still wrapped in his sheets. It made him blush very hard. 

“Theo was feeling low. I came platonically to listen to his concern.” She stressed every one of her words. “I fell asleep and Theo, being a gentleman, lent me his bed.”

“He did what?” Draco asked, outraged in a higher pitch.

“He lent me his bed, come on, Draco, don’t be a prude! It is not as if Theo and I weren’t married.” She pouted.

“But you cannot be seen late at night with a boy and in another dorm,” Draco argued.

“Are you my dad?” Diana glared. “Don’t pretend you never did it. Above all, I am of age, I am free from my acts.”

Both siblings were glaring at each other, and Theo felt a threatening electricity in the air.

When Draco saw Theo’s mark on Diana's neck, the tension rose a step higher .

“And what are those?” he pointed his finger at the bruises adorning her white neck.

Theo felt so scared that Diana informed him about their discussion, because he would , without a doubt, be punished by Draco. In the end, he deserved it, but he was not ready to bleed again.  

“They are none of your business.” She proclaimed with nonchalance. She dropped Theo’s sheets, revealing that she was fully clothed. Draco was stunned and unable to speak.

“Now, if you excuse me. I have some homework to do.” She moved past her brother.

“Before I forget,Draco. If I see any sign of torture, blood, or anything of your sick games on my husband… I will kill you myself. Without weapons, I will skin you alive with my teeth.” She piped before disappearing into the corridor.

Draco stayed frozen in place for a second. The only thing he could mutter to Theo before leaving was: “You are a dead man, Nott.”  

—---------------

Draco was fulminating with rage: How dare Theo corrupt his sister?

He wanted to rip his head off. It was not long after he discovered he had a twin sister, and he was not ready to share her.

His mother's words echoed in his mind, “Do not be that possessive, my dragon.”

He was indeed very possessive and could not stand anyone trespassing. Sure, Theo was soul-bound with Diana, but she was his twin sister.

Draco spent the day in a very sour mood. He barked at anyone who had the misfortune to cross his path. 

At night, as discussed, he got ready to leave via Floo to Blaise's club in London. He dressed in a pinstriped suit with a crisp white shirt. Thankfully, Draco once again easily ditched the prefects rounds to join Blaise and Hermione waiting for him outside of the castle. 

“The Notts will not join our party?”Blaise Laughed. He was dressed in an elegant burgundy suit with a black shirt. 

“Do not utter this name in my presence. Diana has been grounded since the incident, and well, the other tosser has to stay with her.” Dryly, Draco did not want to reminisce about the image of his precious sister in Nott’s room. 

“Now I understand your sour mood. He made some first-year students cry this morning in Tutoring.” 

Hermione remarked. She too looked stunning. In a long black dress that gracefully highlighted her body. Her hair cascaded to her shoulders and cleavage. Draco gulped and turned his gaze not to look intensely. All his anger quickly washed away, replaced by an intense warmth spreading all over his body. 

“Well then, chop chop, let’s go, kids!” Smiled Blaise, dragging them to the floo. 

Arriving at the Mayfair club was a piece of cake thanks to Blaise. All the doors open on the luxurious villa of velvet floors and leather sofas. 

“This place smells odd,” Hermione remarked while placing a mask on her face to not get recognized. 

“It smells like money, sex, and crime, my dearest!” Joked Blaise while leading them to the bar. 

“Anything for the lady?” he asked. 

“I would take an Old Fashioned,” she politely asked while seated on a sofa nearby. 

She looked so natural that it made Draco question himself. 

“For me, just whiskey, you know how I like it,” he launched while sitting next to the girl. 

Blaise soon arrived with an arm full of cocktails. 

“Old-fashioned for 'la connaisseuse', and plain old whiskey for grandad Draco.” Blaise jokes while sitting next to them. 

“Mimi will receive us soon. Be careful with her; she is a very skilled woman.” He added mysteriously. 

“What does it even mean?” Hermione asked candidly while sipping her drink. 

“You will see, ma douce,” Blaise replied, as Flamboyant as usual. 

“If she is anything like you, I would need the full bottle of whiskey.” Draco lamented. 

“Like whom?” a velvety voice with a strong American accent asked. She was a stunning, tall woman. She had dark skin, emerald eyes, and the most luxurious dark curly hair. She was dressed in an elegant velvet dress with long white gloves covering her hands. 

“Mimi!!” Blaise beamed. “Guys, meet Mimi ! the most exclusive, exquisite, adorable, lovable princess of the Zabini business.”

Mimi smiled shyly, her eyes falling directly on Hermione. Licking her painted lips, she spoke:

"Oh my dear B, you flatter me. I am glad you brought me some new friends to have fun with. I was getting weary of all those old criminals. Come on, my sweets, let’s talk somewhere more private.”

Draco had a bad feeling when he entered the small private salon. The room had no windows, only a very long leather couch facing a blazing chimney. The atmosphere was deemed, and the room emanated a strong rose odor that gave Draco nausea.

“What brings you here?” Mimi asked, facing the group, narrowing her eyes to each of them for a moment.

“Mimi, we are here to ask you some intel on a certain person,” Hermione said directly.

“Oh, Blaise, my cupcake, close the door, would you?” Mimi ordered Blaise.

“Everything has a price, you know, right?” she continued.

“We paid already,” Draco replied bluntly .

“Drake. You compensated me already, but not Mimi.” Blaise laughed .

Draco cursed between his breaths. He was fed up with the underworld tricks.

“What do you want?”  Draco blunted.

“I want this little sweet pea to spend a couple of delicious minutes with me, and I will only talk to her.” Mimi pointed to Hermione with her gloved finger.

“Very well! ” Hermione spoke in approval without delay.

“You cannot be serious?” Draco asked in agony. Jealousy was burning through. Even if Mimi was a lady, he could not bear having Hermione coveted by someone else.

“Please, Draco, Blaise, go out of the room. Mimi and I have to talk.” The brown witch commanded while taking a very long sip of her cocktail.

“You heard the lady,” Blaise said, dragging a reluctant Draco by the collar.

“Wait, no !” he could only protest when the door closed on the ladies.

Draco was agitated. He could not leave Hermione alone in his situation. He was standing in the corridors, and he was passing like a madman.

“Come on, Drake ! Grab a cig, take a drink, and let the women do their business. She is not made of glass; she did way worse before.”

“She…” Draco could only protest. He knew Hermione was tough, and she lived worse than this, but it was not for her safety that he was fearing. He saw how Mimi was looking at her like a piece of candy. Jalousie boiled in his blood, and he could not stand having her out of his sight.

“Calm down, Draco. Mimi is a flirt, but she will not attack Hermione.” Blaise chuckled, handing him a cigar.

“How can you be sure of that?” Draco barked.

Blaise rolled his eyes, puffing on his expensive cigar.

“Relax, you smitten little punk.” Blaise wanted to die tonight, Draco thought while glaring at him with anger.

“She said a couple of minutes, and it has already been more than 15 minutes. What are they doing? I will go knock.” He couldn’t stand it anymore and had to verify.

“Stop or you might regret what you see,” Blaise said in a warning tone. Draco was about to charge at Blaise to finally shut his extravagant mouth when Hermione exited the room.

Her lips looked swollen, and her cheeks heated with color. Jalousie was burning in his blood like a giant wildfire. Draco had so much trouble containing it that he had to remind himself like a mantra: “It is not your wife. It's your friend. You do not own her.”

“Soooooo,” Purred Blaise, “Did you like it, Mistress Weasly?”

Hermione blushed strongly.

“Very much, Mimi is a pure jewel. You were right. And she also has a nice amount of information.” Granger added.

“Well then, sit down, you dashing beauty, and tell us everything,” Blaise said while notifying his staff to clean the little salon they were installed in. Hermione proceeded to recall everything Mimi had told her, and Draco was not even expecting half of it.

Chapter Text

Hermione felt the door click behind her back, leaving her alone with the mysterious Mimi.

“Well, first of all, sweetheart, I would like you to take off your mask. Don’t worry, your identity is safe with me,” she reassured Hermione, who took off her mask.

“Right now that I can see your beautiful face, don’t you recognize me, Hermione?”

Hermione blinks several times, not sure whether to recognize the woman in front of her. Mimi surely knew her as she was using her first name.

“I might be a bit more grown up, but come on, girl !” Mimi said in an uncharacteristic voice.

“Whitney?” Hermione tentatively asked. It is true that the stunning woman in front of her looked a lot like the American exchange student she had to manage back in her third year.

She did save the world this year, but she also had to help Whitney navigate the school for the fall semester. At that time, they were both so very young, and Whitney, a couple of years older than her, still looked like a teenager.

“Yes, you do remember, and we both write to each other still !” the woman smiled radiantly.

“How?” Hermione started to ask.

“How do I work in a brothel?” Whitney laughed, mouthed. “Ow, kitten, that's a very good question. Back in my third year, I became friends with Blaise. How very handsome he was .... too bad, even at that time I knew I was not from that side of things.” Whitney grabbed Hermione's hands and winked.

“My parents are muggles. They rejected me without any means of subsistence. However, back then, Blaise saw my potential… not as a prostitute, rest assured, but as a spy.”

Whitney stood up elegantly to refill her glass of wine at the tiny bar.

“I am a born actress and a born Legitimen…so bad that your angry dog did not figure me out sooner. He is also a skilled Legitimen.” She was referring to Draco.

Hermione stood mesmerized at her, at her glorious curls, shining skin, and how exciting life should be for her.

“Are you sleeping with those criminals?” Hermione gulped.

“Absolutely not! My special skills help me to proceed without compromising myself. Although sometimes, I do not refuse a charming lady.” Whitney purred while dragging her gloved finger across Hermione's face. Hermione blushed.

“What do you want to ask, darling? For you, I would answer anything.” Whitney asked with a satisfied look. 

“The Gaunt, have you heard about them, or anyone related to them?” Hermione knew the woman was her best chance. 

“Let me think. There’s this guy, Calum, who often comes, but most of the time his memory is all over the place. However, sometimes he comes with this red-haired guy. He has a puffy face, always looks a bit pissed, but his memories are fun to watch. He is an Auror.” 

At this description, Hermione's heart dropped to her knees. Could it be Ron ?

“How old is he?” Hermione asked with a trembling voice. 

“Kinda old,” Whitney replied, tapping her finger on her chin. Hermione breathed again as Ron was still very young. 

“Calum has been bribing him for a very long time. He has a high position in the ministry. Pureblood and he secretly abide by the conservatives' views. ” 

“Do you have a name?” Hermione tentatively asked. 

“Oh my!  Time is running.” Whitney gave as an answer. “However, maybe a little kiss could extend this charming conversation a bit.” She batted her lashes at Hermione. 

Hermione had never kissed a girl before, but she had no time to hesitate when it came to finalizing her mission. With a shy movement, she showed Whitney that she consented to the kiss. 

“Do as you must, but tell me the name,” Hermione begged Whitney. 

“Of course!” Whitney beamed while approaching her face. The American witch smells like roses, her silky gloves grazing Hermione's jaws. She was happy to remark that Whitney did not use her Ligitmen on her. Her only goal was Hermione's lips. The kiss was fast yet sensual, and she felt that Whitney was enjoying it way too much. When their lips parted, she heard her American counterpart whisper: "Macmillan, that’s your guy.” 

“If that’s all, my dear, you can go; I have a busy night. Although I have to admit that I am already longing for your company. Even though your heart is already taken by a certain grumpy Legitimen. See you later, precious. Take care.” Whitney said while hugging Hermione and sending her on her way out of the little salon.  

______________

On their way back, Hermione was still shaken by her meeting with the beautiful Mimi. Especially by her farewell. What did she mean about Hermione’s heart being taken by another Legitimen. It could not be Ron.

On the other end, Draco still looked in a bad mood.

“I cannot believe you kissed her!” Blaise giggled childishly.

“I can’t either.” Hermione blushed.

“Can we accelerate? I really want to go to bed to erase that horrible day.” Draco cut them, exasperated.

“Don’t be sour, Draco ! It seems that you are the only one tonight who did not get laid.” Blaise was playing with fire, and Hermione knew it. She did not want to clean some more blood from her clothes, so she did what she had to do: “Blaise, would you mind giving me 10 minutes? I have to discuss a private matter with Malfoy.”

Blaise had a cheeky smile before answering: “Everything you want, Mrs.” Then he left in front of them.

Draco stayed deadly silent at her side. She knew he was trying to remain calm.

“What’s going on?” She asked.

“It is nothing. I assure you everything is fine.” Draco replied in a dry tone.

“Malfoy, I know something is troubling you.” She tried again.

“As I previously mentioned, I would rather go home in silence. I am fatigued by this atrocious day.” Draco started to accelerate the pace to reach the castle.

Hermione knew he was acting like a coward again, not owning his feelings, so she provoked him to lure him out. Childish but she could not resist her curiosity. 

“Is it about Mimi?” she smiled, happy about her trick. Draco abruptly turned to face her. “She is not the first one I kiss outside of my marriage to obtain something.” Hermione thought that her joke worked, but Draco's anger rose to the surface.

“Indeed, but it was unnecessary, and you know it !” he barked.

“Come on! We would not have had this very important info on Macillan. We know whose Auror protected the Gaunt. Without that kiss, the investigation would not have continued, or painfully.” Hermione exclaimed.

“The way she looked at you was outrageous. You looked like you were her little piece of candy.” He continued as if he was not hearing Hermione.

“The way she licked her lips when she saw yours. The way she clumsily picked at your cleavage and grazed your skin with her gloves.” The last part was only a faint whisper escaping Draco’s lips.

Hermione was no longer focused on anything Draco was saying. Her heart was beating at an unnatural rate, and her skin was burning. Draco was dangerously getting closer to her. She knew if something happened, she would not be able to resist him.

“You are jealous, Draco, aren’t you?” Hermione managed to utter as Draco stopped just centimeters from her. She knew what she was doing was so wrong, but she was unable to resist. 

In one swift motion, he pulled her closer, his gaze locking onto Hermione.

“I am not jealous,” he uttered, “I am burning with jealousy because of you.”

His mouth was dangerously close to hers. She felt the warm air fluttering on her lips. Hermione was entranced by the proximity of the wizard.

“Draco… I’m…. married,” she managed to stammer.

“I know, and it fucks me up,” he breathed, while resting his head on her shoulder.

They stayed like that for a moment. They listened to the beating of both their hearts as if time did not matter. Hermione could not say that Draco was not making her heart flutter. She felt things that she had never ever felt with anyone else, not even her Husband. He deeply affected her, and he broke her heart because she was unable to share her feelings with him.

She breathed into the Draco wood perfume one last time. Hermione used all her forces to tear him from her.

“Let’s go, Draco.” Heartbreak painted on his face mirrored the shattering of her own heart. When he let her go, the only thing he could utter was: “You looked absolutely beautiful tonight.” Closing his eyes to not see her image again, he then disappeared into the shadows. Leaving Hermione once again on the brink of tears, with her heart and her head all in a mess. The first tear she shed filled the silence, before she could hear herself sobbing in agony. He will never be Hers, and she could never be his. She thought about Ron and how horrible she was, kissing people in the dark to get what she wanted. Her image of the perfect witch being destroyed bit by bit. Her whole identity was going down the drain. She heard her husband's voice echo into her mind: she was a horrible human being, a liar, and he was right.

Chapter Text

The next day, Hermione woke up sore from crying all night. This situation could not continue; she had to complete the investigation as soon as possible, or her heart would shatter completely. She could not erase from her mind all the words Draco had told her, nor the feeling he ignited within her own. Even though the bunch did not sleep that much the night before, they would need to complete part 2 of Draco’s plan.

Theo and Diana would still have waited within the castle, covering for Draco and Hermione while they were away. The second step was the most delicate one. It consisted of impersonating Ron to find who could possibly reveal Theo and Diana's soul bound to the newspaper. Understanding who the culprit was could cement their previous discovery on the Gaunt or open a new side of the investigation.

Nonetheless, Hermione would go to London that night. She would pretend to see her husband and would use a draught specially prepared by Diana to knock out Ron during the day.

“Only 3 drops max of the drought, dear,” Diana instructed Hermione before leaving. “One more and you might kill him. Although I believe it serves someone's interests.” She grimaced at her Brother.

Draco looked at his sister with dread: “Suffer that I use your own potion on your useless soul-bound.” He shot daggers at Theo, who was leaning on the wall, pretending he did not hear what Draco just said. 

“Have fun, both of you! Daddy would take care of the kids at home.” Blaise joked, shooting a knowing gaze at Diana and Theo. 

“Thanks, Blaise.” Hermione smiled. The Slytherin Dandy was pretty twisted, but he greatly entertained her when he teased Draco. Also, she was grateful that he helped Whitney, her American friend, even though she was a Muggle. Blaise did not seem to be biased by blood status, and she wondered why. She did not get the time to entertain that thought when she felt Draco dragging her through the floo. 

They both landed abruptly in a dirty apartment in Diagonal Alley. Draco lost his balance, and Hermione felt his strong hand grab her back to avoid falling forward. Once again, her body reacted without her consent, and she felt a burning warmth spread everywhere. 

“Apologies,” she heard him pronounce cordially. 

“It is nothing,” Hermione replied, trying to avoid his gaze. After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, she felt responsible to restate their plan before parting.

“I will be going now to Ron’s, pretending a romantic surprise, I will spike his drink with Diana’s decoction . Monday, during morning hours, I will reach the ministry. Let’s meet there. What would be your disguise ?”

“I will impersonate some random guy. I will wear your ugly crocheted scarf so you will recognize me.” he paused, looking at her reaction. Hermione was, of course, looking at him with disapproval. This ugly crocheted scarf was a gift from her mother before she left for Australia.

“What will be my sign?” She remembered that they had not discussed this. Without a world, Draco gently grabbed her hand. With even more caution, he handed her his signet ring.

“It is yours to wear. Take it around your neck, and I will know it’s you.” Hermione saw the Slytherin prince blush for the first time in his life. He looked like a little kid. On the contrary, as when he was young, he looked more lonely and melancholic than mean and posh.

“Are you sure?” She asked him. It meant a lot for Purebloods to have a signet ring, even more so when giving it to someone. It was a precious artifact passed down in families that represented pride and status.

“Yes, it's yours.” He replied, making his way out of the old apartment. Hermione was unsure whether it was hers for that mission or if he was giving it to her forever. Confused, she wanted to ask for clarification from Draco, but he had already left.

_________________

When Hermione arrived at Ron’s apartment, she found Harry in the kitchen. Suddenly, she was confronted with the fact that she had not spoken to her best friend in days. She felt so guilty for neglecting him.

“Hermione? What are you doing here?” He asked, unsure.

“Hello, Harry!” She beamed, jumping into his arms to hug him. She was genuinely so happy to see him.

Harry reciprocated her hug happily, but Hermione felt he was acting weirdly.

“I am glad to see you! My friend. I have missed you.” Harry smiled sweetly at her.

“Me too, Harry! I feel so bad for not being more present in your life, with everything that is happening.”

“Do not worry for me.”  He had a curt laugh. “I lived worse.”

“Where is Ron?” She searched the room for any sign of her husband, but it seemed that the apartment was empty.

“He went out a couple of hours ago…” Harry seemed to be thinking hard, and after several seconds, he blurred out: “He might be at the gym.”

The Gym? Hermione though. Ron liked sports, but he was more of a Quidditch boy than a gym boy.  Above all, a Sunday night right before a new work week seemed uncharacteristic for Ron.

“Gym on a Sunday night?” She asked doubtfully. Harry suddenly became red as a tomato.

“I do not know,” he stammered. Hermione knew that her best friend was the worst liar. He had a pure heart, nonetheless, and seemed to be protecting Ron. All of Hermione's alarms triggered themselves, but as a good professional, she decided to ignore them for the good of the mission.

Pretending to believe Harry's obvious lies, she smiled sweetly before adding, “I will be waiting for him, no worries. Do not trouble yourself for me.”

She sat on Ron’s sofa, getting herself comfortable, witnessed by a very confused Harry.

“As you wish, I will get going. Do you need anything?” Harry was not dumb; Hermione knew he understood that she did not swallow his lies.

“I will make tea and read a book. Good night, Harry.”

“Night, Hermione.” He smiled before going to sleep.

Hermione waited for her husband for a good chunk of the night. Gym, what a weak excuse, she thought. Something was going on, and she would soon find out.

Around 2AM and in an atrocious cacophony, her husband returned home. On the contrary, Hermione decided to keep quiet until Ron realized she was there. She was too pissed to greet him.

Ron looked intoxicated, but he could still stand and walk almost normally. Entering the place, he tossed his shoes and coat on the floor before making his way to the kitchen.

“Care for a tea?” Hermione asked, notifying her presence. At the sound of her voice, Ron jumped out of his skin, but he was not fully able to grab his wand. Hermione was relieved to see that her little trick worked; Ron was hyperventilating in the kitchen.

“I wanted to surprise you. I guess I succeeded. Welcome home, my love.” She grinned.

“Blimey, Hermione, I was not expecting you here, you scared me.” The red-haired replied.

“You too for being home late. I started to fear for your safety.” She tried to joke even though she was immensely annoyed.

“I am sorry, I was working late and we decided to grab a drink with the guys.” He explained without thinking too much. Obviously, it could be an excuse as it did not match with Harry’s gym alibi. However, Hermione knew that confronting Ron now would mean compromising her mission, which at the moment sounded way more important than the state of her marriage.

“I should have told you, my fault, sorry.” She said, biting the inside of her cheeks in frustration.

“No, it’s my fault, I am sorry for being home that late and a bit intoxicated. “ Ron told her.

“It’s ok, dear. I will make us some tea, and we will be able to go to bed. You might be tired.” Hermione wanted to puck. She sounded so out of character. Of course, in the marriage, she had a very happy moment with Ron, but lately their interactions were more open battles than real conversations. Luckily for her, Ron was too drunk to notice it.

“With pleasure. Let me get changed, and I will be with you,” he smiled at her.

Hermione knew what to do. As soon as Ron turned his back, she prepared two cups of tea. Since Ron was already pretty intoxicated, she took the executive decision to reduce Diana’s dosage to avoid any complications with alcohol. She remembered her friend's sermon to not overdose under penalty of death. The night continued as planned, Ron eagerly drinking his tea and chatting lightly about his life at work. Upon going to sleep that night, she kissed her husband, knowing that tomorrow she would be taking his place at work. Deep down, Hermione felt a extremely bad for betraying Ron like this, but the exhilarating feeling of adventure was strong.

Chapter Text

Seeing Hermione Granger break down was not what Draco had expected that day. Everything had begun quite normally, even if it did include kidnapping an Auror before breakfast. Once Draco was dressed and polyjuiced as an Auror, he had a dark coffee and an egg and bacon sandwich for breakfast, before meeting his nemesis—Ronald Weasley. But Ron was actually Hermione. Both had recognized each other. Draco wore the ugly crochet scarf, while Hermione discreetly wore Draco’s signet ring around her neck. Draco did not like that she looked like Ron, but he was glad she had accepted his gift. He wasn't sure if the witch understood, but the ring was meant to be hers for life. Draco no longer wanted just to be Hermione's friend. He only wanted to court her, without regard for the fact that she was married. Even being her secret lover would be enough; he would do anything for her.

Draco had decided to impersonate one of Ron’s colleagues, called “Adam,” a second-class Auror with the charisma of an oyster. It was perfect as a cover-up.

“Out of all Ron’s colleagues, you choose Adam,” she managed to whisper to him after meeting in the hallway.

“It is a clever choice, isn't it?” he asked seriously.

"Well, Adam is a bit..." she began, but didn't finish because Harry appeared.

“Ron! How are you, mate? How was it with Hermione yesterday?” He asked gingerly.

“It was alright, mate, but she might have been on to something. I managed to smooth her out, if you know what I mean.” Draco could not refrain from looking at Hermione with disgust. What a terrible actor she was.

“Well, I do not know what you mean, but I'm glad it went ok. You should tell her that you often go out with your colleagues. She might get worried.” Harry said with concern.

Draco did not understand anything of the conversation, but for what he could fathom, Ron did not look as dutiful as he thought.

“Well, I will try when she does not scream in my face,” Hermione added. Harry looked sorry for his friends and added.

“I know. Couple dynamics are often hard. I hope it will get better.”

Draco was stupefied at all those revelations about Hermione’s marriage. He was regaining hope that maybe something could be possible between him and her. Hope was a dangerous little thing, he thought.

“Adam.” Harry greeted coldly. “Looks like you are a bit tired today. Interesting choice of scarf," he added politely.

“I am, and thank you,” Draco added. The less he said, the better it was.

Shortly after this interesting interaction, Harry invited both of them to go to a meeting.

“You were talking about Adam?” Draco questioned Hermione. She still looked horribly like Ron.

“He is a well-known Playboy… Well, he is not that exquisite, but all the girls love him,” Hermione explained.

“Exquisit.” Draco pointed out Hermione's weird description of the man.

“Let’s go.” Hermione could only utter when an important red-haired guy faced them. Judging by his physique, it appeared to be Macmillan. What a nice coincidence, Draco thought.

“Weasley, Cavendish. In my office right now!” the lead Auror commanded.

Hermione and Draco stood up and marched toward their superior's office. It was a dusty and small office, with files everywhere, nothing showing that Macmillan had been bribed. It was more the contrary. How could someone being bribed for so long keep a low superior rank within the Ministry of Defence, and above all, not show any sign of wealth? Macmillan was dressed in cheap and outdated clothes; his office was dirty and small. Absolutely nothing proved that he had gotten into dirty business. That was maybe his strategy, though, Draco. If so, the man might be more cunning and dangerous than they originally thought.

“Well. I have received another report about you two.” The lead Auror started without transition. Becoming red under like a cherry, he proceeded to verbally trash the two young Aurors seated in front of him.

“It is intolerable for Auror to be seen in such a disarray. Weasley, you are a war hero, a married man, and you dare to intoxicate yourself and frolic with other women using an Auror uniform as a way to attract pussy.”

At that moment, Draco felt his stomach drop, and he unconsciously turned his gaze to Hermione, still impersonating Ron. Her… well, his eyes were clouded with such agony that Draco felt anger rising through his throat. At that instant, seeing Hermione Granger, his only love, crumbling to pieces, was the most horrifying thing he had ever seen in his life. She remained in character, but Draco could understand all the turmoil she faced internally. He wanted the Macmillan guy to stop talking and shield her from everything, but it was impossible. Their superior continued, “It is not the first time you two have misbehaved.  You also sold some confidential information to the press. What is wrong with you guys? Cavendish, you were supposed to mentor Weasley, not drag him into your petty games. This is your last warning. Next time I will both throw you out and worse… Now pick up your files and start working, idiots.”

Both Draco and Hermione exited the office promptly.

Draco was still stunned by the revelation. However, judging by the situation, he decided to take the problem at hand. He first dragged Hermione out of the Ministry, which he surprisingly managed in less than 10 minutes. Upon hitting the streets of London, Draco decided to bring her to safety as soon as possible, which meant apparate to the Malfoy apartment down in Chesley. One of the many good investments his dad made.

During their whole journey, Hermione stayed silent. Draco feared she was too broken to speak or was getting ready to explode. Either way, his goal was to allow her to do it in a safe place. Arriving at the Malfoy flat, they were both greeted by none other than Emile, the elf that I snitched on when he was on the run. Emile was young and very much dedicated, so Draco had long forgiven him.

“Emile, would you prepare a fresh pot of tea? Please.” He asked, dragging Hermione back to her normal appearance, to the sofa.

“Oui, Draco!” Emilie smiled. Diana had taught the elves to call everyone by name, which made things a bit awkward.

When Emile was back with tea, Draco saw life again on Hermione’s face.

“Drink,” he commanded her. Draco hoped it would encourage her to talk.

“Do you need anything?” Draco asked as if he were walking on eggshells.

Long minutes passed, and Hermione remained stoic, which killed Draco. Her eyes were stuck on the cup of tea she was holding.

“I can inform the Prophet if you want?” He tried to propose a potential solution. Still no answer. “I can inform his family. Finding proof should not be too complicated. I can kill him if you want?” Still nothing. Draco was getting crazy. Kneeling in front of her, he tried to search her gaze. “Hermione, I beg you to say something,” he tried.

Her eyes slowly moved to meet his. They were still the eyes of the women he loved so dearly, but something broke in them.

“I do not need a solution now. I need answers,” she said in an emotionless voice.

“What do you want me to do?” he begged her.

“There’s nothing you can do. It is a matter I need to take into my own hands.” Hermione dropped the teacup on the coffee table. Draco was amazed at how contained she was. Though again about the time he had been heartbroken: He had burned his ancestral home, and went on a killing spree for several months. How mature of you, Draco, he thought.

On the flip side, Hermione was using all her strength to remain afloat. She kept a cold head, at least Draco thought so.

“I need to talk to Ron.” She struggled to stand up.

“You are gonna talk to this bastard? Are you sure you can do that now? What if he refutes everything you say? What if he is violent with you?” Draco was in disbelief.

“Before being my husband, he was my best friend. He is not perfect, but I know the kid he used to be. Ron is emotional and stubborn, but he has a good heart. Even if he does not love me romantically, he might still care for me. I hope.” She delicately placed Draco's signet ring on the table. “Thank you for this. It was helpful.”

Draco felt the inevitable advance of time when Hermione started to leave. She was slipping through his fingers toward an inevitable fate.

“Wait!” He stops her. “If anything, please know I am… We are here for you.”

“I know, Draco. Thank you.” A sad smile flashed on her face before she disappeared on the floo. As soon as Hermione exited the room, Draco's brain spiralled into the worst panic he had in years. He knew Ron had already threatened Hermione, and he feared that it might happen again. Flushing the signet ring she had just worn in his fist, he decided to head again for the ministry. He needed to see Potter.

Chapter Text

Hermione was standing in front of Ron’s door. Her husband might still be sleeping from the potion she had given him. It was a good thing. She felt as if she was out of her body on autopilot. Her brain needed some answers, so that her heart would not fall into despair.

She was not all white in this story, and she knew it. Since her wedding, she had kissed two people: Draco to save their lives during their intelligence mission, and Mimi/Whitney to get intelligence. Every time it was out of necessity, but she knew that her mistake had been keeping it secret from Ron. Tonight her goal was to come clean about her own weakness, but also hear about Ron’s excuses for his very distasteful behavior.

Bitterness tasted in her mouth as she felt so dumb for having torn her heart to remain faithful to someone who was not from the start.

Still as if she were having an out-of-body experience, she sat on her husband's bedside, making sure to hide his wand for safety measures.

She did not have to wait too long until Ron woke up from his slumber. It was mid-afternoon, and the bright spring sun was filtering through the windows.

“Morning.” Hermione managed to articulate, keeping her calm. She did not really know how she would start the conversation. To confront Ron, she also had to admit that she impersonated him at the ministry, which she knew would irritate him ostensibly. However, at that point, she had no other ideas.

“You are still here? What time is it? ” he stretched his arms.

“Mid-afternoon, I reckon,” she breathed.

Ron's eyes went wide in shock: “Wait, what? I overslept. Fuck! Why didn’t you wake me?”  he cursed.

“Because it was part of my plan for you to remain asleep.” Hermione braced for the impact, which arrived without waiting time.

“Blimey, Hermione! You are out of your mind! I have a job! and an important one! Part of your PLAN, WHICH PLAN ?” He screamed the last part of the sentence, jumping on Hermione and pushing her to the bed to block her.

“I went to the ministry impersonating you,” she added in a plain tone as if she wanted to counter his anger.

“What the fuck ! WHY?” the red-haired cried.

“We needed to find evidence in Diana’s case. The Gaunt family bribed the Aurors, and we needed to understand who was responsible.”  

Ron's gaze was hard on her, and he used all his venom to pronounce the next phrase:

“I told you to stay away from Malfoy, and you keep helping that girl. What are you gaining? Being able to Fuck Draco once again?” Hermione knew that her husband, her friend, was now not himself. Ron had a very difficult time managing his anger. Grabbing her neck to push her deeper into the mattress, he shot at her face: “ANSWER ME!”

It was the moment Hermione was waiting to launch her “theoretical” grenade at Ron’s face.

“I am helping a friend. I am married to you, I am not frolicking with random people.”

Half-truth, she thought, maybe it would be great to go one step at a time. Even if she confiscated Ron’s wand, he was still physically more in shape than she was.

“What do you mean?” A spark of fear ignited in his eyes.

“I saw the report at the ministry when I was impersonating you. You use your Auror status to get laid! Ron, do you realize how hurtful it is? I am your childhood friend. We grew up together. I am your wife now. How could you do such a thing openly as if I meant nothing to you?”

Ron ungripped her neck. His anger seemed to have washed away, replaced by a deep affliction. He sat on the bed next to her. His head sank into his hand, reflecting a deeper turmoil.

“I did not want to hurt you, Mione,” he breathed.

“But you did.” She replied, feeling her heart breaking bit by bit. She knew she never loved Ron as she should have, but the failure of their marriage was still a failure.

“I know our marriage was not what we expected. We fight more than we speak, and we hardly see each other, but I did not deserve it.” She felt her eyes water. She sat next to Ron in bed.

“I did not deserve it either.” Ron continued. “You neglected me with this mission. It isn’t  even about this side quest. You never really considered me since we got married. Gosh, I was so dumb thinking the brightest witch of her age would love me.”

“That’s why you went to see others?” Hermione replied, heartbroken.

“I went to see others because I felt lonely. You are so cold.” He lamented.

”You never talked to me about how you felt. How could you have known!” Hermione felt tears running down her face. Above all, she felt betrayed and dumb. She had summoned all her strength to remain faithful to Ron, tearing her heart away when the red-haired man had fallen for it at the first occasion.

“How could I have talked to you, as you were always hanging out with the other piece of shit?”

He growled while punching the bed.

“Draco is a friend! He was a Death Eater at some point, but he was forced. Everyone has the right to a second chance.” Hermione knew that Ron was very jealous, and rightfully so.

“He CANNOT BE your friend. He is a bloody deatheater, an assohole. He is only using you to sort out his personal matters. He never loved you. How could he love you?

You were a swot back then and a muggle, and now he just wants the fame of being friend with the brightest witch of the century. He does not even know you.” Ron was red from anger.

“And do you know me? Did you ask how I felt after the war? Did you ask if I was happy your mum managed my own wedding? How sad I felt for my parents never coming back, for losing my friends? for being tortured? for being called a “mudblood” all my life? Did you even care to ask once?”

Ron glared at her with so much ire. Hermione was also on the verge of madness.

“Then go ahead, divorce me, the brightest witch of the age, divorce me, and the prophet will know about it?” He roared, pushing Hermione off the rails.

“Like you did for the Gaunt’s private investigation? You will also snitch on me like a little kid?” What Hermione was not expecting was the brutal slap Ron struck on her face, leaving a nasty red mark. In pain, Hermione touched the side of her face that was burning because of the impact.Hermione was too stunned to speak.

“I will not apologize for that. I do not find my fucking wand to hex you more, but you deserve it.” He spat in her face.

Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces as her best friend. The boy she lived all her best adventures with had just hit her. She could not bear seeing his face as it reminded her of the boy she used to love.

“Ron..Stop,” She said with a trembling voice. The fearful Hermione Granger, Heroine of the war, the brain of the golden trio, the best student at Hogwarts, the brightest witch of her age, felt as if she were a little girl. Tears were running on her burning cheeks, and pain was spreading from her heart to all her limbs. Above all, a deep-rooted fear emerged from her gut. She was scared of Ron because she never thought he could hit her.

“Take your stuff and leave. If you really want a heartbreak, you will have it. Those girls I am gladly fucking are ten times better than you. If you want a messy divorce, you will have it. I will not be the only one to suffer. Now leave,” he pointed to the door. Hermione hesitated because she had nowhere to go. “LEAVE!” He screamed while she hastily gathered her stuff to exit the room.

When she arrived on the lower floor, she could see Harry entering the house in haste. Raising his gaze toward her, the boy's eyes widened in shock.

“What happened?” he said, reaching to cup her hurt cheeks.

“It is nothing.” Hermione could not contain her sobs.

“Come!” Her best friend let her into his personal rooms. Hermione was sobbing violently, still utterly shocked . She still felt as scared as Ron under the same roof.

“I think I should get you out of this house. You trust me?” Harry smiled sweetly at her.

Harry carried her clumsily to the Floo as Hermione felt her legs no longer supporting her. Overall, she felt drained and tired, and the only thing she wanted to do was sleep and wake up when the nightmare had passed.

Resting her weight against Harry, the pair rapidly arrived in some familiar surroundings. Malfoy resides in Chelsea. Dread started to take over in Hermione's guts. Draco could not see her like that, or it would mean the end of Ron. Draco was not the most reasonable person. She knew he was a skilled hitman. He could easily take Ron down.

Struggling against Harry's body, Hermione tried in vain to regain the Floo. She could not bear having Draco witness her downfall. It was already too late.

Only a couple of seconds after her realization, Draco was already in front of them. Hermione, as a last resort, tried to hide her bruised cheeks.

“What happened?” she heard Draco inquiring.

“You were right.” Harry simply commented. Hermione could not resist looking at the Slytherin prince. He was wearing a casual house outfit, contrasting with his usual serious fit, but his eyes were full of concern.

“We should let her rest a bit. It has been a long day.” Harry said, speaking for her.

“Sure, the room is this way.” Draco points to Harry, maintaining his gaze on her.

When Harry dropped her on the bed, Hermione felt an instant release. She indeed needed to rest. Her best friend inspected one last time to make sure she was ok, before handing her a calming tea, most probably to help her sleep.

Hermione knew she would not resist sleep any longer, but before going, she had the strength to mutter.

“Tell him, please, not to do anything stupid. I beg you, Harry. Promise me.”

“I promised,” Harry added with a sad smile, and then Hermione fell into slumber.

Chapter Text

Flashback - Draco is at his house in Chelsea right after letting Hermione go to Ron’s House. 

As soon as the Floo ignited, letting Hermione disappear, panic kicked in Draco’s blood flow. The witch had told him Ron had been verbally violent with her. He knew that Hermione was smart and that she did not need his help. After all, she had lived through war and survived the worst atrocity, but Draco knew that when it came to Ron, Hermione would let her guard down. He was her husband, her childhood friend, and Hermione was deeply loyal to him, despite his frequent fits of anger; she still loved him very much.

For all those reasons, doubt was installed like venom in his brain. What if, while confronting Ron, something dire happened? What if Weasley decided to verbally abuse her or hurt her?

Draco could not bear the thought of Hermione being alone in this situation.

However, for the sake of the girl, he could not intervene. He knew all the hatred Ron fathomed against him. Draco knew that he was to rescue Hermione; it could engender a crisis that would ultimately affect Hermione.

Fighting against an urge to follow her and save him from Ron’s hands, Draco elaborated a much wiser plan. Hermione needed support, which would come in the form of Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and above all, Hermione’s best friend.

When his plan was established, Draco put himself in motion, striding to the Floo to regain the Ministry of Magic.

As fast as he had previously exited the place, Draco entered again, bold. He charged the Ministry of Defence, hoping to find Potter.

A welcome desk guarded the offices, stopping anyone from entering, so Draco had to be cautious. Blending into the crowd like a shadow, he used a simple spell to cause a distraction and slip past the agents with ease.

Draco found sneaking around almost too easy now. He was nearly bored, even though the place was full of Aurors.

Once he entered the Auror offices, he headed directly to the last place he saw Harry, which was the kitchens. Harry and Ron were young recruits, so Draco knew they were not often dispatched to the field. Most of the “intern” Auror had to go through boring administrative work or annoying surveillance missions. To Draco's annoyance, the kitchen was empty. Time was pressing, and fear started to eat him alive. In a reckless moment, Draco decided to go through all the offices with the risk of being discovered. People barely cared for him as they were busy with their work. Going through the corridor more naturally than he could, Draco started to grow restless on the inside.

When he crossed a frail young woman in the corridor, Draco decided to take his chance.

“Hello, Miss, Draco Malfoy. Nice to meet you. I had a planned meeting with Mr. Potter. Would you care to show me his desk?” He used his most gorgeous smile. The bigger the lie, the better. Draco also knew that using his given name was dangerous, but his face was too complicated to hide. No one would have trusted him with a fake alias.

She blushed, and her pale blue eyes illuminated: “Mr Malfoy. I know you. No need for a presentation.”  

“Mr Potter is in the closet office,” she plainly added. “Closet office,” Draco thought, what the hell was that. Seeing his confusion, the girl added rapidly: “It is the third room at the end of the corridor where we store archives. Our new joiners are often sent there to order the paperwork.” She smiled with a bit of contempt.

“I see. Thank you for the information.” Draco tried not to laugh. Saving the world did not save him from being bullied at work like all the new joiners of the world. How ironic! Draco through.

“You are very welcome, Mister Malfoy. If you have time after your meeting, you can stop by for a coffee,” the girl boldly said while winking.

“That would be with pleasure, if my meeting does not extend itself.” Draco said, smiling, leaving the girl to make his way to “the closet”. Draco could not care less about the girl’s name or this stupid meeting. He needed to find Harry as soon as possible.

The closet was an actual closet; a tiny room without windows, filled with mountains of paperwork and millennia of dust. It looked like a goblin cave minus the smell. In between the garbage, Harry was sitting on a ridiculously small desk. At first, the boy did not notice Draco entering the room, so after a couple of seconds, Draco cleared his throat before saying:

“I still see that you are admitted to a small closet. When was the last time? Right under your uncle’s stairs.” Draco was a brat; he knew it. He also knew it would not help him in his mission, but the prospect of making fun of Potter was too delicious.

Harry raised his glasses toward Draco. Harry looked more annoyed than angry.

“What are you doing here?” Harry added in a dull voice.

“Wow, the closet is really a punishment. I am here for Granger.” Draco commented.

“Hermione? What do you want from her? What did you do to her?” Harry’s voice sounded less dull.

“Calm down, bespectacled boy! I did nothing to her, I will never ever do anything to her. She …”

Draco stopped the words from being stuck to his throat. He needed to explain as efficiently as possible to Harry all their investigation, the fact that they impersonated Ron, and discovered Ron's adultery.

“Gosh, why is this so difficult?” he lamented.

“What? To ask something of someone? Daddy is not here anymore to provide.” Harry was acid in his comment, and Draco knew he deserved it. Yet, his ire bloomed at a disconcerting speed.

“Watch out, Potter! Do not make me regret being here.” Draco added on the coldest of tones.

“It is very complex to explain so…” Draco launched himself at Potter. Potter merely fell from his chair. It had to work. Draco thought it was the only way. His solution was to use his Legitimen skills to showcase his memories to Potter. He knew that only explaining it to the boy was not enough, as Harry would never believe him. It was too big for anyone to believe that. Harry did not have time to grab his wand. Draco was fast and skilled in his art. The boy who lived merely grabbed Draco's wrist to stabilize himself.

When Draco was done, he left Harry awfully silent, gazing at the wall in front of him. After a few long minutes, silence reigned in the small room until Harry's voice rang again.

“How do I know you are not planting fake information into my brain?”

“Go find the report your leader was talking about. I would be there waiting for you, but be fast, I fear for Hermione's integrity.” Draco commanded Harry.

Harry rose painfully from his chair and exited the room. Draco second-guessed himself. What if the wizard used this moment to alert security? Draco would be completely fucked.

However, after long minutes, the boy who lived came back, with several files in his arms.

“The reports,” he plainly said while dropping open a file on the desk: a picture of Ron and a random girl appeared on the page. Disgusted by the image, Draco closed the files with a loud thud.

“Do you believe me now?” He launched a serious glare at Harry.

“I do.” Harry simply replied.

“Will you help me? You need to go fetch Hermione as soon as possible. I fear for her safety.”

“Why are you doing all that for her? You hate her. She is a “dirty mudblood.” Harry said, trying to impersonate him.

“The air quotes are unnecessary.” Draco dryly remarked. “She is Diana’s friend. My sister would destroy me if I did not take care of her. Plus, she had been a great help in our investigation. I do not want her to be harmed.” He lied; what he would have wanted to say was: “She is the only woman that counts to my eyes, and I cannot bear seeing her hurt.”

Harry took several minutes to ponder his decision before adding:

“I will help you, if you are lying to me. I will not refrain from denouncing your illegal intrusion at the Auror office.”

Draco felt a wave of relief enter his system, hoping Harry would arrive on time to help Hermione, but he simply replied:

“Deal. If anything, I will open the Floo at my Chelsey residence. Here is the address.” He handed his business card, which Harry took hastily before heading out.

Draco took a breath, hoping things would go well and that Hermione would be able to discuss with Ron without incident. Little did he know that the worst was yet to come.