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A Week in November	By : TempestLore Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 8838 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter Universe and I make no profit from it

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
Chapter Fourteen

     “What happened?” Draco was still groggy when he popped his eyes open. I’d given him essence of poppy, a potion that I found in his bag, this after I heard him moaning out in pain during his sleep. It had been two hours since he’d blacked out cold.
     “I don’t know Dragon, you tell me? You collapsed.”
     “It’s fine. Now,” he said and he closed his eyes.
     “Don’t want to talk about it? Your hand was really beat up and broken, but I healed it while you were out. If you feel a little woozy it’s from the essence of poppy that I gave you. It should wear off in a few hours, until then you really shouldn’t try to get up.”
     “Are you the Healer now?” Draco asked and then he opened his eyes and lifted his hand to look at it. He flexed it many times and then made a fist. “Perhaps you are a Healer, you did a good job,” he said and then he shot me a ghost of a smile.
     “Well, I cheated. You had a Healer book in your bag and I looked up how to heal broken bones.”
     “That’s okay. I’m thankful that you did. It’s a difficult spell and with so many bones in the hand, I imagine you had to perform it—“
     “Eleven times to be exact.”
     “And after that, did you—“
     “Rub the anti-swelling ointment on your hand to get rid of the swelling and bruising? Yes, I did that,” I smiled.
     “Amazing,” he uttered under his breath.
     “Who me?” I asked cheekily and I crawled onto the bed where he was laying.
     “Hmm?” he feigned ignorance but I saw the small smirk.
     “That’s why you married me, for my brains and for my ability to adapt in emergency situations,” I boasted.
     “I married you for your arse,” he said and my jaw dropped. “And your perky tits,” he mumbled out and then he drifted away back into a drug induced sleep.
     I lay down next to him and was soothed by the soft sounds of his breathing. Before long I caught myself caressing his arm with the tips of my fingers. Who was I kidding, I couldn’t ever leave him? I yawned and when my eyelids felt heavy I drifted off to sleep. It was amazing how easy rest found me once I was next to Draco again.

     I hadn’t really meant to fall out as hard as I did. Light streamed through the windows when I awoke. I heard the pattering of rain outside and I snuggled back under the covers and flopped an arm over Draco. That’s when I noticed that he wasn’t next to me any longer. I sat bolt upright in bed and craned my neck scanning the room. Something stirred in me when I caught sight of him. His shirt was off and he wore a pair of army green, cargo pants that had numerous pockets and that sat low on his waist. I inhaled when I feasted on the sight of that small line of dark blond that started at his belly button and then fell down his abdomen. God, I’m horny. He was standing at the sink staring into the mirror with a face full of shaving cream as he rinsed the razor under the tap. I admired his lean frame, oh boy did I. I loved the definition of his arms the most, the sculpted way one muscle stopped in perfect masculine curves and then the next manly bulge began. Arms that wound themselves around my body and held me tight while his other muscle, the one below the waist, made love to me all night long. He could go for hours too. He was a superb lover.
     “Ah, you’re awake?” he said and he smiled at me but then he turned back to the mirror and continued shaving.
     “You didn’t have to remove the beard. I rather liked it, you know for a change,” I said and he chuckled.
     “Well it’s gone now, just like I will be in a few minutes.”
     “What? No, you can’t leave, not yet. I mean…,” I said. It was a vain attempt to keep him there. I didn’t know why I didn’t want him to go only that I didn’t. I guess I missed him. A lot.
     “Scouting party with Potter tonight. I have to get back,” he said and then I watched as he brushed his pearly whites.
     “And Janet?” I asked. “Will you be seeing her today, I mean on your way out of town?”
     “Why would I?” He threw my question back at me.
     “Because of your daughter.”
     “Yes, I am going to pay Effie a visit today. I’m sorry, I should have told you,” Draco said and I suddenly grew angry. He was keeping it from me, how dare he!
     “So that’s how it is, hmm? You and my former Healer keeping secrets from me?”
     “Hermione, it’s not like that. Look, I don’t want to see Janet at all, but I have to deal with her if I want to see my daughter,” Draco said as he wiped his face with a towel and splashed an ample amount of after shave on his face.
     “So that’s why you shaved? For her? Hmph!” I stewed.
     “I shaved for you love, not anyone else. I had hoped that you and I could spend some time together, mending fences once I get back. I wanted to show you the grounds. They’re quite spectacular.”
     “Are you fucking her?” I asked snidely. I couldn’t help it.
     “Pardon?” he was flabbergasted. “No, of course not.”
     “Are you sure you don’t remember anything about that night you made a child with my former, bitch from hell, Healer?” I asked. I was seething. I was green with envy or jealousy or something! Whatever it was I was hurt and angry and there I was once again acting out in passive aggressive behavior towards my husband.
     “No. Sweetness, you and I—“ Draco began but I cut him off as I leapt from the bed and held my wand on him.
     “Don’t you Sweetness me! I’m your wife!” I said and I stabbed my wand into his chest. “You’re sneaking around behind my back. I bet you were hoping I wouldn’t wake up and that way you wouldn’t have to see my ugly mug and then you could go spend the whole day with your new family! I’m right aren’t I—?“ I shouted and I was out of control.
     “Get your wand out of my face woman! Do you hear me?” he howled and he snatched my wand from my hand, stomped to the window where he threw it open and then he tossed my wand straight out as it sailed downwards. “Molly Weasley broke my hand last night in the door and then she Cruicio-ed me! The only reason I didn’t give that old bat a dose of her own medicine was out of some misplaced respect for you! Now, you want to act like a child some more?” he challenged and I’d never seen Draco so angry. His eyebrows were furrowed and his cheeks were flushed hot.
     “You’re just a cheater, nothing more. At least I was faithful to you! That’s right, Draco, I never slept with Ron! It was only a bewitched toffee from the Joke Shop, so you’re the only cheater in this marriage!” I shrieked.
     “Right, I’ve had enough of this,” he said and suddenly I was being picked up over his shoulder as I flailed and kicked and slapped at his back. He threw me down on the bed and then he climbed over me where he straddled my waist. I was wild and out of control as I hysterically ranted and raved like a scorned woman, which was exactly how I felt. He pinned my arms down against the mattress but my mouth would not quit. “Silencio,” he chanted and I was immediately silenced. “Done acting nutters then? Going to give me a chance to speak? Nod your head if you can hear me,” he ordered and I reluctantly nodded. “Good. I was going to say that you and I need to see a Couples Healer, but that was before you threatened me with violence. Fuck!” he shouted. I was breathing hard as I gazed up into his cleanly shaven face. His after shave wafted in my nostrils, alluringly, and I all I wanted to do was to either kiss him or throttle him for smelling so damn good. “I don’t want to fight with you,” he said sounding mortally wounded and then he waved his wand removing the spell from me. “I know how to fight with you though, so if you want to go back to me calling you Mudblood and you punching me in the nose just let me know. Is that what you want? Is it?” he asked and tears burst from my eyes.
     “No! I don’t want that Draco. I—we’re--losing us, we are. I can feel it and I’m scared,” I admitted. “Can’t you feel it too? Be honest!”
     “Yeah, I bloody well feel it. It’s hard not to when it’s a few days to Christmas and my wife kicks me out of her bed. Sleeping alone isn’t all its cracked up to be,” he said. I should have just shut my mouth. There was no need to carry it on further, and yet I didn’t. Stupid.
     “Well then why not ask your snake girlfriend to spread her luscious, long legs for you again? I’m certain that she would. Perhaps you could make another baby even? Why not invite her to live with us? In some societies the rich like to take multiple wives. You know, when one just isn’t cutting it, it’s nice to have something blonde to fall back on!” I said viciously and no sooner had I uttered the words I wished that I could swallow them back.
     “I’m not doing this,” he said coldly and he got off of me. “This is childish. I can’t change the past. For the last time, I’m sorry for what happened long ago. I can’t change it though, so you either have to forgive me and let’s heal together and move on, or you have to leave me. I won’t do this with you, I love you too much to reduce our marriage to…THIS!” he said angrily.
     “Draco…stop,” I said when he reached for his medical bag and turned to leave. “Don’t go like this.”
     “He whirled on me at that and he gripped me by the arms, tight. “You’re it. Don’t you get that? Get my son the hell out of the Weasley nuthouse! I expect to see him here when I return. Now go fetch your wand. Beef up the wards like you were trained to do. I expect these things done by the time I return,” he ordered and he was all too serious. I’d pushed him too far.
     “And when will that be? Draco, when?”
     “I don’t bloody know now do I? I have to kill a fucking vampire who wants to molest our son before I can come back to a woman who thinks I’m utter shit!”
     “I’m sorry. My moods are all over the place. I was thinking I’d ask Professor Snively to come stay with us. He’s all alone at that cabin and honestly I don’t want to be alone.”
     “I think that’s a brilliant idea. You should owl him promptly. Now I need to go. Janet and Effie will be waiting,” he said and I instinctively swung at him. He caught my arm and then held it there as cold, gray eyes bore into me.
     “I didn’t want to lie to you. I’m meeting them at the park if the weather lets up, but Janet will not be staying. This is how visitation must go, per her rules. For now anyway. I’m sorry if that bothers you.”
     “Are you? Sure, go, have fun,” I said like an unaffected ice princess, but inside I was screaming from the rafters I was livid.
     “Good day,” he said and my husband and I might as well have been a million miles away from each other. The distance was taking a toll on me and I was once again falling apart. This is all your fault Janet and I will make you pay!

__0__

     Spending time with Effie was aces. He was so tense when he arrived at the park, this after a blistering fight with Hermione. He hated fighting with his wife. Hated it! He put that Draco to bed long ago, the one who taunted Hermione Granger for attention, negative or otherwise. He was young and immature back then, but there was no excuse for his behavior in the bedroom at the Graylady Estate and he hated himself for losing his cool with a woman who lately was as fragile as a China Doll. Seeing Janet hadn’t improved his mood any either. She pretended to be the doting friend when they met in the park. It took everything in him not to hex her when she casually reached up and brushed her fingers through his hair, claiming that a bee had landed there. A bee, in December? Not likely. He swatted her hand away without haste and then took Effie by the hand where he led her to the swing.
     “I have a surprise for you Draco,” Janet beamed as Draco helped his daughter onto the swing. “I spoke with Lucius and I agreed to let Effie stay with your parents at the Manor until New Years. He and Daddy are doing business again, so it makes sense to extend the hand of friendship to you and your family. You can thank me if you wish?” she said and then she puckered her lips and pointed to her mouth. Draco scoffed as he pushed Effie on the swing.
     “Why must I keep reminding you that I’m married?”
     “A minor technicality. Tell me, because you look positively out of sorts, trouble in paradise?” she smirked at him and he grit his teeth.
     “No, not at all. Things are going swimmingly well,” he lied, but it was worth it to see the deflated look on Janet Mungo’s face.
     “Persephone may not have any candy or other fattening foods. She has to watch her lady figure,” Janet patted Effie on the head and Draco observed that his daughter recoiled from her touch. Janet played it off as if it didn’t happen as Draco watched her interact with his lovely daughter who was far too skinny in his opinion. He would be sure to feed her sweets and whatever else she wanted, and Malfoy Manor was ripe with sweets especially around the holidays where Narcissa had the house elves cooking in the kitchen day and night in preparation for the annual Malfoy Pureblood Christmas party. Of course the Pureblood bit had been dropped off the invitations after their side lost the war, but everyone still knew what it was.
   “Anything else I need to know before you go?” Draco asked hurriedly. The sooner the bint left him alone with his daughter the better and from the looks of it that applied to Effie as much as it did him.
     “She has difficult hair, and she is sensitive to certain shampoos, best to leave the hair washing to me. Just use dry cleaning spells to freshen up the style but nothing else. Is that understood Draco?”
     “Oh yes I got it,” Draco said sarcastically and he cursed under his breath. “Goodbye now,” he said.
     “Be nice,” Janet ordered and Draco narrowed his eyes on her. He shot her a look that told her not to push her luck. It took every ounce of strength to not lash on her for betraying him in such an evil way. He had thought her to be a friend, even a good friend and one who had kept their one night stand a secret from all prying eyes and ears for years. He thought he could trust her even if he had absolutely no hidden desires or unrequited feelings towards her. She ruined all of that when she willingly tried to destroy the one thing Draco cared about the most in the world, his wife.

     “Daddy, are you a good wizard or a bad wizard?” Effie asked as he stood behind her and pushed her on the swing.
     “Life isn’t that way sweetheart,” he drawled. “Nobody is all good or all bad. I’m a Healer though, so most would say that I’m good. That wasn’t always the case though.” He didn’t believe in lying to his kids and he wanted to be truthful with both Edmond and Effie.
     “Janet is bad,” Effie said and a cold chill swept through him. There was sadness in his little girl’s voice that was heartbreaking.
     “Why do you say that Effie? Does your Mummy…does she hurt you?” Draco asked and he stopped the swing and crouched down in front of where she sat. He sensed her reluctance, her fear to divulge anything about Janet. “You can tell me. It will be our secret.”
     “Promise?” she asked and something about the way she asked sounded exactly like Edmond to him.
     “Cross my heart,” he said and he did just that so the little girl would know that he was genuine. “It’s just between us.”
     “She hurts me with da’wand,” Effie said and her upper lip began to tremble. Draco scooped her up from the swing and held her in his arms. “Please don’t make me go back. Please, Daddy!” she said through sobs and she began to rub her eyes with her little fists.
     “Shh it’s okay. I won’t let her hurt you anymore. Do you want to tell me which spells she hurts you with—no, you wouldn’t know any spells yet.”
     “I want to live with you and the nice lady. Please don’t make me go back!” Effie wailed and Draco soothed his daughter.
     “You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do honey,” Draco promised. Now if Janet would just let me have her. He was certain that his promise to the girl would not go over well at all with her Mother.

__0__

     “If she gets too much for you to handle while I’m away, just take her to stay with my parents,” Draco said awkwardly but Hermione smiled instead. He wasn’t expecting that. He half expected his wife to fly off into another rage when he showed back up at the Estate with his daughter in tow. Worse was the fact that he had to leave for France if he hoped to join the scouting party that Potter had set up to find and kill Barnabus—the Pureblood killer, which was what the papers were now calling him.
     “She and Edmond will love playing together. I was just going to gather him from the Burrow. Looks like I will have some company,” Hermione smiled and winked at Effie and his little girl beamed at his wife. That was a relief to Draco. It was vital to him that Hermione and Effie got on well together if he ever hoped to repair his damaged relationship with his wife. “About earlier—“ Hermione said but Draco raised his hand to stop her.
     “Not now,” he said and he motioned to Effie. “I really must go. Thank you for doing this,” Draco said sincerely and he took Hermione’s hand.
     “Be careful,” she said and he nodded. “I—should be going too,” Hermione said after some pause. It was as if she couldn’t quite bring herself to tell him she loved him which weighed on the blond’s heart as he turned to leave.
     “I love you Daddy,” Effie said.
     “Yes I suppose we both do. Come back in one piece,” his wife finally said before closing the door.

__0__

     They were gathered around a roaring fire, the team of Aurors and wizards alike. Harry Potter was in charge, naturally and his redheaded sidekick was once again where else but at his side. His speech was long and quite frankly boring as Potter droned on and on about safe tactics and standard operating procedure for taking down vampires. He only briefly mentioned that angering a blood sucker weakened their defenses against spells but Draco was sure that Harry had a reason for not elaborating more on what Draco thought was a fairly good tactic. “Take five to gather up what you need and then we head out,” Potter finally said and the group of wizards dispersed.
     “Hey Malfoy,” Potter strode up alongside him as the blond warmed himself by the fire. “Bit surprised to see you here after last night,” Harry said and he bit his lip.
     “I told you I was coming,” Draco said coolly.
     “He means because my Mum beat you up,” Ron interjected. “I’m really sorry about that Malfoy. George took her to the Healer’s today so you don’t have to worry.”
     “She didn’t bloody beat me up,” Draco hissed.
     “Poor choice of words Ron,” Harry said and he gave him some sort of ‘insiders only’ look.
     “She didn’t!” Draco defended. “I could have hexed her into oblivion had I wanted to. Perhaps I should have,” he said and his jaw tightened.
     “We know Draco, it’s just that you’re a target of Barnabus, you know…the list? I thought I told you that it isn’t safe to be here,” Harry said diplomatically and Ron nodded in agreement.
     “Someone has to make sure the job is done properly,” Draco smirked and Harry busted up into a fit of laughter.
     “Right you lot, split up in two’s. Malfoy, you’re with me,” Harry turned to the blond and smiled.
     “Uh Harry?” Ron gaped. “I figured I’d be with you.”
     “Not this time Ron. Malfoy is vampire bait,” Harry quipped. “Sorry, but you are,” he turned to Draco and said but the blond only nodded.
     “That’s not the main reason I wanted to be with you though,” Harry admitted once the teams set off on foot through the dense forest.
     “Do I even want to know?” Draco drawled.
     “I wanted to get your opinion on well, er—women I suppose.”
     “Understandable,” Draco said, “although I might be the last one to seek advice from.”
     “You and Hermione still at it?” Potter asked and Draco answered with a resounding yes.
     “Yeah but you lot were made for one another, so you’ll work it out,” he said in such a breezy voice as if it was a no brainer. His revelation actually lifted Draco’s spirits somewhat.
     “Staking this bloody vampire tonight would be a step in the right direction. Lately I can’t seem to do anything right.”
     “Yeah, I know the feeling.”
     “Just ask Potter. I’m not one for pretense so stop pussy-footing around the question and just ask it already,” he said as he flicked his wand and watched as the tree branches moved, no longer blocking his way.
     “It’s Ginny. I think I want to ask her out again, but I’m not sure if I should. What if she’s not the one either? Professor Snively said—“
     “She’s the one Potter. Ask her out already.”
     “How can you be certain though?”
     “Do you fancy her?” Draco asked.
     “Well, yes.”
     “Have you always fancied her?”
     “No, I married Luna. It wouldn’t be appropriate,” Harry said and Draco rolled his eyes.
     “Stop bullshitting me. You want to fuck her. You’ve always wanted to. Right?”
     “Well—alright, I’m nearly divorced anyway so there’s no harm in—Yes, I want her badly,” Potter divulged and Draco smiled.
     “She’s the one. You have to seal the deal. Do you know where you’re going?”
     “Thanks, I think I will, and yes I know where I’m going. It’s just over those boulders. We may have to climb a bit.”
     “The boulders just there,” Draco pointed with his arm to the enormous pile of rotting deadfall that looked as if it washed down river and settled on the sandy shore of the river bend. Next to the pile of deadfall was a rocky outcropping that was hundreds of meters tall. “Do you see somebody, just up there?” Draco pointed and Harry grabbed the blond’s arm and pulled him down into the crouching position.
     “Whoever that is they shouldn’t be there,” Harry whispered and he went on alert.
     “Perhaps its just one of the teams.”
     “If it is they’re not following orders. Let’s get a little closer and have a look. Get your stake ready.”

__0__

     “Edmond, this is Effie,” I said and I introduced my son to his half-sister. Draco should be here for this. “She’s going to be staying with us for a while so you will have loads of time to play together.”
     “Hi,” Edmond said cheerily and Effie smiled and took him by the hand. It was darling, I wish I’d had my camera because it was a moment to be cherished for sure. They were chatting away about cats of all things. It seemed that Effie had grown close to one of the strays in her neighborhood, an orange tabby. I smiled as I made Edmond’s bed at the Burrow and then gathered his things. The pair giggled as they bounded down the rickety stairs with me following close behind them.
     “Now tell Molly and Uncle George thank you for letting us stay,” I said. “A special thanks to you George for all the wonderful toffees,” I said and I raised an eyebrow. George chuckled but nodded.
     “Come back and see us soon,” George quipped and then like magic he produced two chocolate frog card packs out of thin air. Both Edmond and Effie clapped wildly and extended their hands to receive the gift from George.
     “Thank you Sir, but I’m not allowed to have sweets,” Effie said and she handed him back the chocolate frog.
     “Who says you can’t have sweets? It’s nearly Christmas, its just wrong not to indulge in holiday goodies, especially when it was a gift,” I said and I frowned.
     “Janet,” Effie said and she made a hideous face. I giggled under my breath because I too felt the same way whenever Draco’s other woman was mentioned.
     “Well I don’t see her here now, and since I was given charge of you by your Daddy, I say you can have the chocolate frog. We just won’t tell…Janet…about it,” I said and her name was like poison on my tongue. Still, I found it strange that Effie referred to her Mum by her first name, but I figured it was because like most Pureblood’s she was a snobby, insecure prat who didn’t want strangers to know that she had a child out of wedlock so she made Persephone call her by her first name. I could barely wrap my yhead around the fact that Janet, that bint from hell, had a child. With. My. Husband!
     “You must apologize to Draco,” Molly said wiping her eyes with her apron. “I feel dreadful over what I did to that poor boy. He could have had me locked up. Arthur owled and told me to invite Draco over and to thank him for not hexing me or telling the authorities about what I’d done to him. A Healer! I hexed a healer with an Unforgiveable curse. I should be cursed for such an outrageous and stupid act. I feel so bad Hermione!”
     “I’ll tell him, Molly. He was hardly angry at all about the incident,” I lied. “He will be delighted to know that you’re sorry.”
     “What I did though, to a guest at that! He’s family. I don’t know what got into me,” Molly went on and on, profusely apologizing. I should have kept my eye on what Edmond and Effie were up to. They were sitting on the floor playing with their chocolate frogs and comparing cards and then the next thing I knew Effie was screaming bloody murder. All three adults charged into the kitchen which is where the screams came from and then I gasped and covered my mouth at what I saw. The Weasley’s owl lay limp in Edmond’s hands.
     “Wicked,” George said, excited. He rubbed his hands together as we all watched in horror.
     “Busby! Oh no,” Molly cried and she scurried over to the window where Edmond stood with blood dripping down the sides of his mouth. “He’s dead,” Molly cried, holding the corpse of the old owl in her hands.
     “This is why I love having the Malfoys’ over,” George laughed. “Classic!” he clapped.
     “Edmond, what have you done?” I said in a state of shock and I swooped on him. Effie cried against my leg and I tried to comfort Draco’s little girl with one hand on her and the other on Edmond who was now also crying. “Why did you—oh let’s just clean you up,” I said and I wiped his face with a dish towel.
     “I was hungwy,” Edmond wailed once he realized what he’d done to the owl.
     “I’m so sorry Molly. He’s never done anything like this before.” Now it was my turn to apologize. My heart was pounding in my chest and all I wanted to do in that moment was to get the kids out of there, and so I did, as I backed out the door of the Burrow apologizing as I went.
     “It’s alright ‘Mione,” George assured. “That bloody bird was useless anyway. He always got the mail mixed up.” I knew that to be true because Draco had never received my own letter, the one explaining about the divorce attorney mix up.

__0__

     “Turn back. The vampires aren’t here but they set a trap for the both of you. You have to turn back or one of you will die tonight,” a voice said in the darkness and Harry and Draco both pulled their wands on the stranger.
     “Who are you?” Harry called out but the man stepped behind the trunk of a large tree. “His voice sounds familiar, doesn’t it?” Draco nodded, as all the blood drained from his face. It sounded very familiar, almost too familiar in an eerily impossible way. That’s because the voice calling out to them a word of warning was in his own voice.
     “Draco, you must ask Lucius about his brother again. It’s important. Oh, and Potter…” the voice said and then he stepped into the light where they could see that the dark figure was indeed Draco Malfoy. He was dressed in his Healer robes. “You need to let him borrow your Invisibility cloak. It would make my job so much easier,” the other Draco said. With that he disappeared and the men were left shaking their heads in disbelief.
     “What’s the meaning of this?” Potter demanded and he turned his wand on Draco.
     “Why are you asking me? I was standing here just like you!” Draco defended.
     “Right, you were,” Harry said and he lowered his wand. “We need to figure this out. How are you here but you were also there?”
     “What are you doing?” Draco asked when Harry turned around and started back down the rocky outcropping.
     “The other YOU said it was a trap. He came here to warn us and now I need to get out into the open so I can send the other Aurors the signal.”
     “So then you believe him?” Him being the other Draco.
     “Yeah I do, but don’t ask me why,” Harry said and then they made their quick descent back down to the river below. Once there Harry lit up the sky with red bolts, a signal of impending danger to the other teams.
     “Aren’t you just a little bit worried that this is some sort of trick?” Draco asked as they paced back to the army encampment.
     “Always, especially when it comes to you,” Harry said and he chuckled. “But I think we can trust him. I mean you. I mean him? Look,” he stopped in his tracks and stared at Draco, “It was a warning and I take that very seriously. He told us that one of us would die if we proceeded with the plan. My plan. We’re still alive, so he must have been telling the truth,” the Auror said and Draco had to agree. “The real question is how you did it. Ideas?” Harry asked.
     “Not really. I mean, hmm,” Draco said when he remembered something. It wasn’t a something that he had any intention of sharing with Potter though.
     “Meet me in my tent,” Harry said under his breath as they strolled back into the camp and rejoined the others.
     “Pardon me?” Draco said taken a back.
     “I want to give you my cloak. The other you said that I should give you my cloak, so meet me in my tent,” Potter said again and Draco nodded.


     “It’s very old and with you being so tall I’m not sure that it will hide you very well, but here it is,” Harry said when Draco slipped inside the head Auror’s tent.
     “Thanks, I guess,” Draco said and he folded the cloak and stuffed it into one of the pockets in his pants.
     “So tell me, do you have access to a TimeTurner?”
     “What? No,” Draco said. He wasn’t exactly lying either. He himself did not own such an ancient and powerful object such as a time turner, but he knew someone that did. “So you think that’s how I did it, eh?”
     “I do. You know where to get one but you don’t want to tell me,” Harry said and he smiled.
     “Untrue,” Draco lied.
     “Draco, clearly you do. You showed up back there to warn us of something bad that was about to happen. One of us died and I have a strange feeling that it was me. The other you probably saved my life.”
     “I might know where to procure one,” Draco admitted.
     “Don’t tell me, I don’t want to know, but be sure that you do,” Harry said. “If you need any help, and that goes for the other Malfoy too, just let me know. I have some experience with time turners but then again so does your wife. Draco, be very careful. You can really screw up the timeline. There’s a reason the Ministry doesn’t allow anyone, even me, to play with magic so powerful as that. Please be very careful.”
     “I will,” Draco said solemnly and he meant it.

__0__
    “Father, I wouldn’t ask if this wasn’t a matter of great urgency,” Draco said as Lucius sat regally in an arm chair. He rubbed his fingers together deep in thought.
     “If you were to get caught—“ he replied.
     “I won’t. You have to let me borrow it.”
     “Don’t tell me what I have to do, son. I know better than you what a cell in Azkaban is like and you wouldn’t make it on the inside.”
     “I have no intention of going to Azkaban.”
     “Perhaps. I have another worry. What if you were to change something…the consequences could be dire?” the elder Malfoy reminded. “Also, if you were to be seen.”
     “I have that covered. Potter let me borrow his Invisibility cloak,” Draco said with a sense of urgency.
     “Ah yes, the cloak. I should like that as payment. I’ve always wanted one of those to add to my collection,” Lucius quipped and he looked excited as he rubbed his hands together greedily.
     “You can’t be serious Father. He isn’t going to part with it. I meant to merely borrow it and then return it when I’m finished with it,” Draco said and he shook his head.
     “The terms have been set. Take it or leave it.”
     “You know, fuck this—Father, please! I need this.”
     “Oh alright,” Lucius replied in a testy tone. “I will grant your request Draco, please don’t beg it’s unbecoming of a Malfoy. It’s in the safe behind the Monet painting. I assume you already know the password?” Lucius asked and Draco only smirked. “Yes, I figured as much. Do be careful with it and I expect it back. Should it fall into the hands of the Ministry you didn’t get it from me and you’re on your own Draco,” Lucius warned and Draco agreed.
     “Thank you, Father. You can’t know what this means to me,” he thanked Lucius.
    “Just don’t forget the cloak.”
    “Uh, yeah, sure,” Draco promised even though he knew he was lying. He carefully removed the old metal case from the safe and then he opened the lid and smiled. “So tell me again about your brother, the one that was a vampire,” Draco said and he turned and stared hard at Lucius Malfoy.
     “What’s to tell? I already told you about his unfortunate run in with a vampire.”
     “Yes, and you claimed that he was killed by goblins,” Draco spat.
     “Did I? Hmm,” Lucius said toying with him.
     “Why is everything so damned difficult with us? I swear, I will not raise my son this way. Just tell me the blasted truth, Father. I have a mountain of shite upon me right now!”
     “The truth is we don’t know what happened to Adolfo. At the time, the wizarding world was up in arms over the goblin killings. He murdered all of the Gringott’s employees one day on a routine trip to the bank. It was a dark stain on the Malfoy name,” Lucius said.
     “Not the only stain I assure you,” Draco scoffed.
     “No, but that’s all changed now that the Malfoy heir is a respected Healer and even his wife is considered a war hero. The Malfoy name is synonymous with taking down Voldemort.”
     “Ha! Don’t you mean the Dark Lord? Unbelievable that you would take credit for Hermione’s noble actions during the war. I can’t say the same about you, or me for that matter.”
     “I repaid the favor to Hermione,” Lucius said cryptically.
     “I think we got off track here, Father. I asked you about Adolfo but now you’re telling me that you did something to my wife? Out with it!” Draco howled.
     “I blessed your rings, son. Hermione’s ring, like yours, carries with it the Malfoy seal of protection.”
     “Really? Hmm I never knew that. You did that for my wife?”
     “I did. And at a key time it appears. I would wager to say that Hermione would have no memory left at all had it not been for the small protection that her wedding ring gave her, and that is thanks to me, so watch your tone with me boy. Now about this unpleasantness with Adolfo. What I’m going to tell you is privileged information, so do not let the cat out of the bag so to speak. I don’t want Barnabus tarnishing our family name.”
     “You mean Adolfo?” Draco corrected. “Father, can you go back to my wife for a second. What did you mean it saved her memory?”
     “Just that when whatever happened to her that did that I know nothing about whatsoever occurred, it should have taken her memory permanently. I’m not as trusting as you are though, and I would never trust a Mungo. I’m surprised that you chose her as a Healer at all.”
     “Are you saying that Janet Mungo is responsible for my wife’s loss of memory?” Draco questioned.
     “It’s a certainty. Before you go getting upset, I have no proof, but I know it just as sure as I know Dark Magic.”
     “Hmm,” Draco pondered his words. “And about Adolfo?”
     “Adolfo was his wizard name. Barnabus is his vampire name. There was such an outcry for his death after the Gringott goblins all turned up dead, so when the town drunk turned up missing and then later was found to be dead in an alleyway, it was assumed that it was Adolfo.”
     “Why was that assumed?” Draco was livid. “You just said that it was the town drunk?”
     “Perhaps my Father helped the theory gain steam. He had my mother and me to think about. It was genius really and it got the townspeople off our backs, wretched gossipmongers they were,” Lucius said and he poured himself a glass of brandy and swirled it in his snifter glass.
     “So Barnabus is my Uncle Adolfo, come back for revenge on his little brother’s family? You know he wants my son for a concubine,” Draco said angrily.
     “No, that’s not what he wants him for,” Lucius said and Draco fingered his wand. “I had nothing to do with this I assure you. He wants Edmond as his heir. That’s why he’s amassing such a fortune. He wants to leave a legacy. I have you as my heir, so it’s not hard to see why Adolfo would wish for an heir too. He never had kids of his own.”
     “Great! Just bloody great. He’s robbing and killing Pureblood families to amass this great fortune, a fortune he intends to give to my son, who need I remind you is my heir!”
     “Well you can’t blame him for hunting in Pureblood circles. He’s pureblooded after all, he seeks his own kind,” Lucius said and Draco just shook his head at the bigotry.

__0__

     After I calmed Effie and Edmond down, fed and bathed them and then read to them a bedtime story I was exhausted. We all lay down on the big bed in the Master suite and before long we drifted off to sleep. It was some hours later, well into the wee hours of the night when I heard the door open and then close. I reached over Effie who was snuggled up in the crook of my arm and grabbed my wand. I wanted to be ready, just in case.
     “It’s just me,” Draco said in a low voice.
     “Hey,” I smiled and then I shimmied out of the bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping children. We stepped outside the room to talk. “How did it go, did you catch him?”
     “No, not exactly,” Draco said. “Go back to bed. Hope the kids didn’t give you too much of a hard time? I can just sleep in one of the spare rooms,” he said awkwardly and then he turned down the hall.
     “Draco, we have a problem with Edmond,” I said and he stopped and turned around. “He killed the Weasley’s owl, bit his head clean off and drank the blood.”
     “Damn it, I’m so sorry I wasn’t with you baby. That must have been traumatizing, not just for him but for Effie and also for you,” Draco comforted and I nodded.
     “Honestly, it wasn’t. I should have been, but I just cleaned up our son and soothed Effie and then we just went on with the rest of our day no worse for wear. What’s it mean?”
     “It means that you’re improving, more each day. Being able to cope with emergencies that crop up from day to day, without feeling anxiety or an impending panic attack is a positive step in the right direction. I’m proud of you,” he said and I smiled. “It’s been a long night, so if you don’t mind,” Draco said and he moved away from me again.
     “You should sleep with us,” I said and he stopped again and then he slowly turned around.
     “I thought that after our fight— you wouldn’t want me to--“
     “Professor Snively owled back. I had to lock the owl up in a cage outside, you know in case Edmond, well you get the picture. Anyway, he’s coming to stay tomorrow. He married us, and I trust him, so I thought perhaps, well, you know you mentioned us maybe needing a Couples Healer so I thought of him. Is that alright?” I asked and then I waited with bated breath for his answer.
     “Yeah, I like that idea.”
     “So I’m tired too, do you want to come to bed? It’s a new house, so I figured it would be alright if they slept in the big bed tonight.” I pointed to the Master suite where the kids were sleeping. Draco smiled.
     “You figured right. I’d really like that,” he said and then we both got into the family bed, he on one side and me on the other with the two children in the middle, and it was nice. Really nice.
     “Draco,” I whispered.
     “Hmm?” he mumbled.
     “I’m sorry for how I acted this morning.”
     “Me too.”


Review?
Thanks so much for the reviews!X0X0 Reminder--it's always darkest before the dawn and we have reached that part of the story. I hope to wrap this up in two or three chapters? Thereabouts...We will see.
My really old Dramiones are here on this very site: http://members.adult-fanfiction.org/profile.php?no=1296830225&view=story&zone=hp
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A Week in November