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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
- 17
- 18
- 19
A special shoutout to MissPancake for beta reading this entire chapter for me and finding my sloppy writer fixes. Sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain. I am so happy to have found someone to take the time to help me give this story the attention it deserves. Thank you again! *huggles*
And I can't, I can't, I can't remember
Just how to forget, forget the way
That we danced, we danced
To Danzig, and we danced, we danced
And when you ask, you ask me how I'm doing
Like you know, you know how much better off I am
And when we danced, we danced
With windows down, and we danced, we danced
~"Favorite Record" by Fall Out Boy
"I really don't think Diggle meant it when he told us to watch this 'Star Worlds'," Draco said gruffly, his hand wrapped in a bandage as he and Hermione lay propped up against the throw pillows in her bed. His arm was draped around her loosely, while her head settled across his chest. She had been released a few hours after her admission into the Ministry infirmary with clear instructions not to do any strenuous exercise while the potion she'd received did its job healing her strained muscles. She had been told that she was lucky it was only simulated lightning; if it had been the real deal, she might have been burned quite badly.
"It's called 'Star Wars'," she corrected him as the DVD coursed through previews. "And you don't know that he didn't actually mean it."
"You just want an excuse to be around me," Draco quipped.
"Perhaps." She wrapped an arm around his stomach and hugged him lightly. "Besides, if we're to be friends then you need to be open to more muggle things."
"Hmph." He rolled his eyes. "You keep using that word."
"Which word?"
"Friends." He tilted his face down to look at her. "I don't think you know what that word actually means."
"It means we care about what happens to one another."
"Yes, well, being 'friends' usually excludes those of a sexual nature."
She ignored him as the menu title came on, trying desperately not to talk about it. She knew that they would have to talk about Friday night sooner or later - but this wasn't it. If they talked about it… they would have to label it. And with his divorce only finalized weeks ago and her 'dating' Diggle… it didn't seem appropriate. Why couldn't he just enjoy what he had with her in the moment?
She pressed the play button and the beginning credits started.
"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…" Draco read out loud, thoroughly entranced. "Well, that's specific."
"Shhhh…"
"Why does it say this is episode four?"
"Because it's episode four."
"What happened to one, two and three?"
"Those came after."
"They came after?" He jerked upright. "Does this muggle," He held up the sleeve and read the cover, "George Lucas not know how to count?"
"Looks like you've found your calling as a movie critic. You're missing valuable information."
"This story makes absolutely no sense. Why do you need to set up a dialogue for us to understand what's happening? Shouldn't they be showing us that?"
Hermione reached up and paused the movie with the remote. "Are you quite done?"
Draco smirked. "Hardly."
The doorbell rang.
"Bloody Hell." He threw his head back against the pillows. "If that's Diggle I swear to Merlin…"
"Wait here." She rose from the bed slowly, taking into account the heat that spread over her as her muscles worked to listen. The bed had been so comfortable, but she couldn't have Draco answer the door. Especially if it were Greg on the other side of it. She left Draco in the quiet bedroom, shutting the door firmly and padding her way to the door. When she pulled it open, she found Harry holding a crockpot full of what smelled like beef stew. "Harry!" She exclaimed, surprised. "What - what are you doing here?"
"Diggle told me you got injured in the trial simulation." He held up the pot. "And Ginny insisted I bring you sustenance."
"That's… rather nice of you."
Harry stepped inside. "On the counter, then?"
"Erm… yes. That'd be great. You really don't have to stay. I'm fine, really."
"Expecting company?" He raised an eyebrow.
Embarrassment spread over her as panic began to set in. She was sure Harry would blow a gasket if he knew about Hermione and Draco's… whatever was going on between them. But she didn't much like the idea of hiding it from him either. Especially if things did turn out alright. Harry seemed to notice her apprehension, because he tensed up.
"Everything alright, Mione?" He reached for his wand. "What's going on? Are you in trouble?"
Her eyes went wide. "What! Oh! Oh, no? I… It's not quite like… You see…" Her eyes nervously flittered over to the door - Harry noticed. He stalked his way across the room, Hermione on his heels. "No - Harry, really. I'm not in trouble. I promise - stop, Harry -!"
He jerked the door open. Draco was sprawled across the bed, reading the back cover of a DVD. He glanced up as Harry's face fell into some sort of mixture between horror and confusion. He quickly glanced back to Hermione, then over to Draco and back to her again. "What… is Malfoy… doing in your bedroom?"
"Watching Star Worlds," Draco replied.
"Wars," She corrected him. "And it's not what you think, Harry. We're just watching a movie." She gestured to the paused TV display. "Greg assigned us to watch it as homework."
"I'm pretty sure he wasn't serious," said Draco, sitting upright. He scratched the back of his head, stretched and nodded in Harry's direction. "Potter."
Harry looked as if he were fighting back a string of obscenities. "Malfoy."
"Harry brought soup!" Hermione said, attempting to alleviate the tension.
"What kind?" Draco asked.
"…Beef and potatoes," replied Harry. He glanced down to his wand and quickly stowed it away. "Sorry about that… I thought Hermione might be in trouble."
"Guess you thought wrong then. Course, that's nothing new for you, is it, Potter?" Draco stood up and bumped shoulders with Harry as he past him. "I'm hungry. Anyone else?"
Hermione, Draco, and Harry sat around Hermione's small dining room table, soups still steaming. Draco ate the most enthusiastically, spooning the beef in particular out and chewing politely with his Malfoy manners. Harry had a potato and carrot slice on his spoon, but it hovered above his bowl, never quite reaching his lips. Hermione's hands were tucked delicately in her lap, afraid to move. Never in a million years did she think that she would see Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy break bread together.
"So…" she said to Harry, "This soup is lovely."
"You haven't even tried it," Draco retorted.
"I'm sorry… what's going on here?" Harry sat his spoon down in his soup. "I know you two have been training together, but are you two really chums now?"
"I wouldn't quite say chums," said Draco, raising a suggestive eyebrow to Hermione, who blanched. "I mean, Hermione says we are, but I think that's still up for debate."
"Hermione?" Harry croaked. "You call her Hermione now?"
"People evolve, Potter. You should try it sometime."
"What Draco means to say, Harry," Hermione jumped in, "Is that Draco's points of views on the world has since changed, and we're both over the animosity. We're friends now."
"Yes… friends…" muttered Draco. "You want to jump on this bandwagon as well, Potter? I'm sure there's plenty of room."
"I'd imagine so. Not a lot of people want to be friends with you lately?" Harry chided. "Can't imagine why."
"Harry!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione. This is a lot to take in."
Hermione nudged Draco under the table. "You should tell him."
Draco looked confused a moment before he understood - she was talking about being her source. It was his turn to blanch white, and he glared at her. "I told you, that's out of the question."
"What are you two going on about?" Harry looked between them.
Draco smirked. Uh oh. She had a bad feeling about his next words. She wasn't wrong. "Oh? You're right. Let's tell him about Friday night, shall we?"
"No!"
"What?"
"Yes, Hermione's shower is quite nice after a long day training, wouldn't you quite agree, Granger?"
Hermione slammed her hands on the table and stood up. "If you're quite through!" She snatched up his bowl without asking and dumped it out into the sink. Harry sat there, baffled and confused, perhaps not wanting to put the pieces together or maybe he already had and chose not to dwell on it. Either way, his jaw tensed and his eyes narrowed.
An owl pecked on Hermione's kitchen window, startling the three.
"Now what?" Hermione sighed.
"That's Astoria's owl," Draco said, rising from the table. He walked to the window, opened it, and allowed a fluffy red-tipped owl with big, yellow eyes to perch on the back of his now vacant chair. There was a scroll tied neatly to its leg. Draco gave the owl a firm pet before taking the scroll and reading it to himself.
"What does it say?" Hermione asked. The fact that Astoria had written Draco came as a bit of surprise - she didn't think they had talked much since their divorce, with the exception of Scorpius, of course. Perhaps that is what this pertained to? By the look on Draco's face it was hard to tell.
"She wants to see me…" He stared down at the letter, his face unreadable. "I should go."
"Really? Now?" Hermione asked, her stomach dropping. She didn't know how bad it would feel to know what it would be like for Draco to walk out on her until this moment. It might be simple parental communication, but that also reminded her that Astoria would always be a part of Draco's life. They were connected by a tiny bundle of unlimited giggles and Draco's solid grey eyes. A lump formed in her throat. She felt so ridiculous for the jealous rush that set in her bones.
"I shouldn't be gone long," he assured her, moving to hug her or perhaps even kiss her. But he caught himself, eyes trailing over to Harry, and his arms stayed slack against his sides. "I'll be back before you know it."
"Alright…"
He grabbed up his blazer, which had been set across the back of Hermione's recliner, and gave a nod to Harry. "Take care of her, Potter."
"I always have," Harry replied, more baffled still. Draco walked over to Hermione, patted her on the head, and left. When he was gone, Harry turned towards her, mouth slack. "There anything you want to tell me, Hermione?"
"Nope!" She smiled, sitting back down on the table. This time she picked up her spoon and began to scoop lukewarm potatoes from the bowl. "Come, Harry. Don't let your supper get cold."
As Draco walked up the steps of the Greengrass Estate, he couldn't help but feel the nervous tension that beckoned him at the thought of seeing Astoria again. Tori had given Scorpius to her mother for the exchanges, and this would be their first encounter since… well, since that night in St. Mungo's. He fought back a bit of vomit burning the back of his throat and knocked on the thick, white door carved with intricate designs of Birch trees.
The door swung open a few moments later, Astoria on the other side, Scorpius in her arms. She pursed her lips at the sight of Draco, but held back her contempt long enough to say, "Hello, Draco."
She looked better than she had in years. She wore a thick, plum lipstick that accented her pale skin, and her eyes glistened with fire he hadn't seen in her since they first met. "I received your owl," he said, tucking his arms behind his back,. "You said it was urgent."
"Yes." She opened the door further. "Come in."
"May I hold him?" Draco asked, nudging to Scorpius. Astoria offered him out, and Draco untucked his hands, much to his relief, to take his son. When he had him tucked in his arms, he followed her inside to the grand den. It had been a while since he had been here - perhaps since before they were married. Dinners with family were usually held at the Malfoy Manor. Draco took a chair across from the divan that Astoria took, tension rising in his already exhausted muscles. The second trial had taken a lot out of him, as did his exchange with Diggle. He had planned to tell Hermione about the exchange, but she had looked so beaten that he told himself he'd do it later. Let her have a few hours of happiness. He could only imagine how happy she'd be if he brought Scorpius back over with him. "What's this about, Astoria?"
"This." She already had a letter tucked into her hand. She stood and offered it out to him. Draco raised an eyebrow, took the envelope, and Astoria sat back down across the room from him. He glanced over the red, broken seal. He didn't recognize it, but it had two wands crossed in an X. "I received it an hour ago."
Draco scooted Scorpius to sit up across his chest and utilized his hands to untuck the parchment from the envelope. Scorpius made to take the paper, and Draco chuckled, raising it out of his reach. His chuckle died away, however, when he saw what was on the inside. In red, scribbled writing were two words, repeated over and over again.
'Found you'
It then dawned on Draco that it was written in blood. He threw the paper onto the floor, horrified.
"My reaction as well," Astoria said coldly, crossing her arms.
"Have you taken this to the Ministry?" Draco whispered.
"I promised I would hold your secrets. No. I haven't." Astoria's eyes were fierce, yet determined. "He's back, isn't he? This Bastian Cane?"
Draco gulped, nodding slowly. "I think so."
"I can't live like this, Draco." Astoria scrunched up her face, suddenly trading her cool demeanor for tears. She batted them away, frustrated. "This is the exact reason I left you. And if he knows where we are now…"
"Tori." Draco stood, Scorpius with him, and joined her on the couch, slipping their son into her arms and wrapping his arms around her. "I won't let anything happen to you two. You have my vow."
There was solid fear in Draco's heart. If there were any doubts that Cane had really been in his simulation, they had disappeared. Even if no one else believed him, he knew that Cane had spoken to him. And he had promised just this, hadn't he? That he would come after Draco's family? He gripped Astoria tighter. Even if things were done between them, it didn't mean his love for her had snuffed out. He would always hold a candle for his first great love.
"I think I should take Scorpius out of the country," she whispered.
"What?" No. "Tori, be reasonable."
"I am being reasonable." She untucked her head from his chest to look up at him with her big, wet eyes. "You can't just expect us to stay here with all that's going on."
"Come back to the Manor," he offered.
"I can't." She shook her head. "Don't you think he'd find us there as well? Anywhere you are, destruction is sure to follow."
Her words slapped him in the face. He dropped his head, fighting back the shakes that racked his body. Think. He needed to think. Where could they be that would be safe?
His head jerked back up, and he stood. "Where is your parchment?" He crossed the room to the desk and found a bit of parchment and an ink quill.
"What are you doing?" Astoria asked him.
"There's one place I know that will be safe," he told her, writing as quickly as he could. "I won't lose you two. You'll be safe, I promise."
Hermione opened her door nervously, taking in the sight of Astoria, Draco and Scorpius all together on her front doorstep.
"Astoria," she said, biting back the anxiety that filled her. "Welcome. You and Scorpius are welcome to stay as long as you'd like."
"Thank you for this," Draco whispered as Astoria brushed past Hermione into her front door, "This is… you're amazing."
"Yes. I know. You owe me." She bit at her nails as she shut the front door, leaving her and Draco outside alone. "This is…"
"I know." He told her. "Really. But if Diggle and Cane are working together…"
"And Greg fancies me, this really is the safest place. No, you're right." she nodded. "I'm fine with it. Honestly."
"Hermione." Draco reached down and took her hand. "I can't thank you enough."
"Well, I get to see Scorpius a bit more. How could I say no to that?" She smiled, but it was a lonely one. Draco reached up and tipped her head up to meet his eyes.
"You're an amazing person, Hermione Granger. And I don't deserve your friendship."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, well… I suppose you owe me then." She smiled sweetly to him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Besides, we didn't finish the movie. Do you think Astoria would be willing to watch it too?"
Draco cracked a smile. "Not on your life."
Hermione giggled, turning to go back inside, but Draco caught her arm to stop her.
"And… one more thing…" He swallowed hard. "Write to Potter."
"Harry? Why?"
"Because… I think it's time I come clean." He nodded to himself. "If Cane is really back, I can't afford to hide what I know. The Ministry is going to need all of the information they can get."
Woooooooooooowwwww. Astoria is staying with Hermione. Talk about awkward.
- 17
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- 19
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How To Train Your Auror