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How To Train Your Auror	By : Alcoholic_Rootbeer Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 7512 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I will not make a profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
He must be up to something
What are the chances? Sure it's more than likely
I've got a feeling in my stomach
I start to wonder what his story might be
What his story might be, yeah
"When The Sun Goes Down" by Arctic Monkeys
Dinner was just as awkward as the car ride, Hermione thought miserably, sitting across the table from Harry. He had seemed to be alright, for the most part, but the dark circles and small glares he was giving her were harder to stomach with each passing moment. He was pushing his peas around on his plate in awkward silence, so it was Ginny who decided to come to the rescue.
"So… did you hear the Weird Sisters have finally called it quits?" She bit down on a cooked carrot.
"That's a shame," Greg replied. "I rather liked their song 'Magic Works.'"
Hermione couldn't help find think that song was a bit pretentious. Even Greg's musical tastes were lackluster. "I'm surprised that they even were as popular as they were." She got a sideways glance from Greg and a giggle from Ginny.
"What do you think, Harry?" Ginny nudged him. He looked up from his plate, glanced around the table, and shrugged. "Harry." His wife tried again. "Would you at least attempt to act like you're interested."
"It's alright, Gin." Hermione sat her napkin on the table and stood up. "Obviously, Harry and I need to have a talk. Outside, Mr. Potter."
"What?" Harry's eyes darted up to her.
"I said outside. Now." She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of his chair. Ginny nodded to him to follow, and Harry begrudgingly did so, being dragged half way across the restaurant before Hermione finally released him from her hold. They walked out into the lobby, where a grand chandelier hung just over their heads, sprinkling spouts of colors over their faces. Hermione crossed her arms and said, "Well? Get it over with. Whatever's going on with you, just get it out of the way."
Harry looked surprised by her forwardness, but eventually gave way and scowled. "Why have you been lying to us?"
"Excuse me?"
"With Malfoy. The night at Diagon Alley. I've gone over all of the witness testimony. And you and Malfoy purposefully lied to both Greg and myself. Why?"
"It's… complicated."
"Since when have things that involved Malfoy not been? That doesn't mean that you can't open up to me, Hermione. You're my best friend."
"You have a funny way of showing it lately." She crossed her arms.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you've treated me like a child ever since Ron passed. I can't even begin to count all of the times I've saved your life over the years. You want me to open up to you? How about you start by explaining why you've been so distant."
Harry's thick eyebrows turned up in frustration, and his arms folded over his chest, mirroring her. "You're right. What I can say is this: don't trust Diggle, Mione."
The statement hit her like a ton of bricks. "I don't. But why… I thought he was your friend…?"
"I've been working hard to get close to him this last year. It's called an investigation."
It was all so surprising that Hermione started sputtering out questions right and left. "Investigation into what? Do you think he's guilty of something? Why have you been so cross with me? Is it because of him? You owe me answers, Harry. You owe me so many-"
He put his hand up to silence her. "I know." He sighed. "I know I do. Keeping this from you has been… difficult. You're right. I have been distant. But it's only because I was afraid that if you got too far into this, you'd be drawn onto the radar. I can't think how I'd go on if I lost you as well as Ron." He nudged to the door, and she followed him outside into the sticky, warm night air. "You're completely correct about your assumptions, Hermione. Ron's death was no accident."
Hermione could feel her heart jumping, a mix of horror and joy all at once. She had been right- her instincts had been dead on from the beginning. That gave her enormous relief. But then it hit her that she had been right… that Ron had been taken from her too soon, and by purposeful actions. That made her want to tear down the city to find the responsible party. Draco's words came to mind. 'If Astoria ever died I… I'd want to burn the world down.'
"So you suspect Diggle?" she asked.
"Diggle couldn't have done it. He was with me at the time of the explosion." Harry closed his eyes. "At first, I thought it was just a cursed object like we initially thought. But then I discovered evidence in Diggle's desk that made me question everything."
"Evidence?"
"Some magical residue at the crime scene. Fine, white powder sprinkled everywhere. The same residue that's been in five different cases in the last year. Care to take a guess what they all have in common?"
It didn't take Hermione long. "Bastian Cane."
"That's why I was surprised when you had put the pieces of Diagon Alley together so quickly, Mione. I thought maybe Diggle had you under some sort of Imperio charm and was trying to get me to spill what I knew. -But the way you were acting in there; you obviously can't stand the man. You're a terrible actress, Hermione." He cracked a smile, opening his eyes again. "Diggle hid evidence from the Ministry and covered up the link between Cane and Ron's death. But I can't prove it. Not without more evidence."
"So Diggle is involved with Cane?"
"I think so. What I can't figure out is why."
She thought back to Draco's shared memories, and his interactions with Cane. I have a motivation to protect muggles at all costs. "Greg shares a common interest with Cane. They both care about the muggle community. It could be the linchpin."
"How do you know that? How could you possibly know anything about Cane?" Harry looked very serious. "Earlier you said you had a source. Who is your source, Mione?"
"I… that I can't tell you."
"Hermione!"
"I'm sorry, Harry! If I were to share my source, they'd never trust me again. Don't worry. My source is good people. They've interacted with Cane before."
"That doesn't sound like that makes them anything good."
"You're going to have to trust me," she said.
Reluctantly, Harry nodded. "Alright. Fine. But they need to come forward. I can't run off of anonymous sources."
"I'll talk to them about it. I doubt he'd be in favor of it."
"He?"
"-So why decide to tell me any of this?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.
"Because I'm tired of lying to you. When I heard you and Greg were dating, it really struck something in me. He's not Ron, Hermione. He's not good people. I was afraid he was taking advantage of you somehow. I didn't know if I could trust you."
She debated on telling him about Diggle's proposition in regards to spying on Draco for information, but the thought of bringing up Malfoy at this time wasn't wise. Especially when he was stealing files for her. It might draw attention to the files themselves, and then Diggle would know they were missing. Another time, she thought, after they could put the files back. Besides, she wasn't entirely sure how Harry felt about the fact that Draco was a Death Eater turned Auror himself. Would he side with Greg's ideas? She would tell him… just not now. Not until she could take a look at them herself.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could trust you either."
"So… what are you doing on this date, then?" He raised both of his eyebrows at once.
"To be honest…" She sighed. "I'm not even sure."
"We might be able to use this to our advantage."
"How?"
"Well, Greg likes you."
"Yes, about that- you and Ginny set me up on that horrid date two weeks ago. Why would you do that if you didn't trust him?"
"Honestly, I thought he was becoming suspicious of me for a little while. I thought, maybe if I set him up with you, it might distract him."
"You used me? To bait him?"
"Well, I know you can handle yourself. -Out of any witch in the world, I'd be very scared should any man try anything that you didn't want to do."
"That's low, Harry. Even for you."
"I'm sorry, Mione. I didn't know what else to do." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "But now that I've come clean, we can use this. Diggle doesn't suspect you. If we can keep the charade up, perhaps we can get him to let his guard down."
Why did everyone want to set her up with Greg Diggle?
"He's absolutely awful, Harry. I don't think I can pretend much longer. He's got charm, I'll give him that. But there's something about him that makes me feel… slimy."
"Mione, you wanted to be an Auror. This might be the best shot we have."
"So what is it you'd want me to do, exactly?"
"I need you to watch him. Tell me his patterns. His routines. If I figure those out, I might have an opportunity to find out what he's up to."
Why was this sounding so familiar?
"You want me to be a double agent."
He looked at her with puppy eyes. "Please, Mione? Just a little while longer?"
She sighed, exasperated. "What if he wants to… do things?"
"Hermione. You made Ron hold out on things for two years. -Don't give me that look. We were best friends. Of course he told me."
"Well I was a virgin! You'll have to forgive me if I was a bit nervous."
"Two years."
"Oh, go suck a toadstool." Well, now she just sounded like Draco…
"My point was that you can make up all kinds of excuses not to do anything with him. He fancies you. I know Diggle enough to know he won't try anything with you unless you allow it. He cares very much how people perceive him. Besides, you're my best friend. If he tries anything, you can come right to me and I'll have an excuse to throw him into holding."
"Fine…" She leaned her head on his shoulder. "For you, I'll do it. But I'll be expecting a big favor in the future."
"Sure, Mione. Whatever you want, you just name it."
"I'm glad you and Harry were able to work things out," said Diggle as he walked Hermione to her front door. "I hate seeing my two friends fight."
"Friends?" She asked, stepping up the front door step to become eye level with him. "Is that what we are?" She did her best to sound convincing, picturing in her mind's eye that she was asking the question to someone else. Someone with a chastising smirk and silver flecked eyes.
"I'd like to think we've grown to be at least that," he answered her. "But… I would like to do this again sometime. If you're up for it."
Force a smile. Look interested. "I'd love that, Greg. Maybe we could do something physical? Like bowling?"
"I haven't been bowling in years," he mused, scratching his chin. "Think I could still beat you though. I was bowling champion of my elementary school. Before Hogwarts became my home."
"Ah, sounds like we have something in common then. I too excelled in the practice." She laughed. "But I think, for now, it might be best if we kept our… friendship to strictly outside of Auror training. I get enough gruff as it is about being a woman. I don't think I could stand if I was given grief about us."
"There's an us now?" Diggle smirked.
"I guess you'll just have to see." She gave a flirtatious grin and turned the handle of her door. "G'nite, Greg. I'll see you on Monday."
"Monday it is." He bowed, gave an aloof grin, and turned to walk back to his car as Hermione stepped inside and shut the door. When she was sure he was gone, she leaned up against it and gave out a heated sigh.
"Dear Lord almighty, that was positively the worst date of my entire life." She made to change out of her dress, slipping her fingers into one of the loops in the back, but stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed she wasn't alone. Draco sat on her only bar stool at the kitchen counter, having dug out her best wine and was now nearly half down with the bottle. Atop the table, he was reading something. He glanced up to her, gave her a silent toast, and chugged down the rest of his glass. "Is that my wine you've decided to pop open without asking?"
"Don't worry. If I drink enough of it, I'm sure I'll be able to give it back to you very soon. Would you like it in the form of piss or vomit?"
"That's disgusting." She lowered her arms, slipped off her heels, and carried herself over to stand by his side. Her eyes glanced over what had displayed before him. "Why are you looking at a blank parchment?"
"That's not a blank parchment," Draco grumbled, tipping the wine bottle into the glass and filling it back up to the brim. "That's Weasley's file."
"What?" Hermione jerked it off of the counter and flipped through the different parchments. Every single one of them were blank. "There has to be some sort of explanation. Have you tried-?"
"-Checked it for invisible ink, hexes, jinxes, the entire work."
"So… it's just paper? To fill up a file?"
"Not exactly." He snatched his wand off of the counter and pressed it to the top page. Words formed over the top.
'Good try.'
"He must have known we were coming," Draco hissed, turning back to the wine to take a hearty swig. "It must have been why he was so fine with going on that date with you."
"Hold on a moment," she told him, digging out her own wand. "Hold on just a bloody well moment. I've seen this kind of spell before."
"Have you?"
She tapped her wand to the parchment. New words formed. 'You look very fetching tonight.'
"It's a password charm. Simple, but effective. -Harry's father had one on a map once."
"So it unlocks with a password?"
"Yes." Hermione reached over, took the wine glass from him, and downed the entire glass. He watched her in awe, impressed. When she finished, she wiped her lips with the back of her arm and set the glass back down. "I needed that."
"Clearly." He smirked. "Devious-Diggle-Date go that bad, I take it?"
"Oh. You have no idea." Hermione told Draco about what she had discussed with Diggle in the car, his love for muggles, and how Harry had been plotting against Diggle for some time. Draco listened intently, and when she finished, he whistled.
"That's… wait. Potter wants you to continue to date Diggle?"
"He thinks Greg will let his guard down if I do." She poured the rest of the wine into the glass, already starting to feel the effects of the first one. Draco took the glass from her, sipped on some himself, and handed it back over.
"I don't like it." He scowled.
"Well I don't either. But clearly it must be done." She leaned against the counter, resting her elbows back. Draco's eyes trimmed over her dress, and she gave a small cough. "On the subject of the folder, we should just be able to figure out the password. Simple deduction."
"You seem awfully calm about it all." Draco raised an eyebrow.
"If Harry's theory is correct, Bastian Cane is behind Ron's death."
"Which clearly means I'm partially responsible…" He let his voice trail off, and his eyes fell to the floor. "There was a paper in Potter's desk. One about residue at the crime scene."
"Magical residue, yes. We talked about it."
"I know what it is."
"You do?"
"It's a sleeping powder of Cane's own design. It's what he used to knock out the wanted criminals he would take in. Once it's been used, it's nearly untraceable."
"So… Ron was drugged?"
"I'm not sure." Draco grabbed the paperwork from her and sat it back down on the counter. "If I could just see these irritating files..."
Hermione understood. They both had wanted answers. And tonight only brought with it more questions. It hadn't been as successful as they had hoped. "We'll figure it out, Draco. I know we will." She rested a hand on his shoulder. "This is a lot of stress. You should relax. With Harry on our side, I know we can figure this all out."
"I'm not coming clean to him."
"Why not?"
"Because I'll get thrown in Azkaban. That's why."
"Harry's understanding… he'll listen."
"Not doing it."
"Fine. At least think about it?" Hermione leaned closer and kissed his cheek. She turned away from him, but he grabbed her hand and turned her back. Swiveling on the stool, he turned to face her. His eyes shone brightly in the light of the kitchen.
"I don't like it," he said to her. "You having to pretend with Diggle."
"Neither do I," she replied.
"You shouldn't have to pretend to care for someone as grotesque as him."
"He's hardly grotesque."
His face tightened, and he stood from his chair, towering over her. "See, when you say things like that, it really doesn't convince anyone that you don't have some burning lust deep down inside for him."
"Well, there isn't." She frowned.
"Good." He gulped. "That's… good then." They stood there quiet for some time. It wasn't until Hermione made to move again that he said anything, blocking her path, standing right in front of her, his eyes worn and frustrated. "You're infuriating, you know that?"
"I didn't, but I'm sure you're going to tell me why."
His hands slid up her arms, tracing her shoulders delicately, until they came to rest on the sides of her neck. His thumb pads brushed under her jaw, making her eyes flutter closed for a split second. She opened them, however, when he said, "What am I to you?"
"What?" she whispered.
"What. Am. I. To. You." Each word was crisp and cutting. "Tell me."
"You're a friend,"she replied quietly, her knees shaking. She kept her hands down at her sides, dare she reach up to touch his face. And she wouldn't do it. She just couldn't. But oh, the way his eyes were boring down on her, so hard and heavy, made her want to forget herself for only a moment. "You're my very close friend."
"Is that all?"
How could she answer him? She wasn't entirely sure how. "I… trust you. Despite all my knowledge of you. You'd never hurt me."
"No. I wouldn't." He leaned in closer. "Go on."
"You're just a friend," she whispered to him, tearing her eyes off to the side.
"Hmm." His fingers caressed her skin. "What's your favorite color, Granger?"
"What? Why?"
"Just answer the question."
"I rather like red," she said honestly.
"And your birthday? When is it?"
"September Nineteenth… but what does that have to do with anything?"
"One more question." He drew his face even closer to hers, nose to nose. "Favorite dessert?"
"Eclairs…th-the chocolate ones… But… why are you asking me all of these questions?"
"Because I'm a friend." He brushed his lips against hers. "And because I thought it prudent to know you a bit more before…"
"Be-before…?"
His eyes lit up with the smirk that played across his lips. "Before you beg, of course."
What's that? Is that a lemon I see rolling this way? XD
Please leave a review! Can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Love, A.
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How To Train Your Auror