Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Closer	By : Nocturne Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 29826 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling. I do not own the Harry Potter fandom, nor do I make any money from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 1-Closer
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 15-15
- 16-16
- 17-17
- 18-18
- 19-19
- 20-20
- 21-21
- 22-22
- 23-23
- 24-24
- 25-25
- 26-26
- 24
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- 26
Hermione stepped through the door, which remained ajar, spotting a boy no older than six. It was the middle of the night and he was in an overly furnished living room, alone, staring out of the window. He wore faded, over-sized pajamas and held a tiny, toy soldier in his small hands. Her heart broke for him but she didn’t know why. Something about this little boy was tragic, and as he turned around she knew why.

His hair was jet black and incredibly messy. He wore circular glasses with tape holding them together. And his eyes were a vibrant green. She had seen this boy before, but when he was five years older.

It was Harry.

She was staring at the six-year-old Harry Potter.

And if she had to guess, they were currently standing in the middle of Number 4 Privet Drive. The Dursley’s were undoubtedly fast asleep on the second floor, leaving young Harry in his cupboard-sized bedroom under the stairs. She had heard of it many a time, during their first term at Hogwarts, but as the little boy made his way out of the living room and into his sanctuary, she saw it for the first time.

She hadn’t the slightest idea how he’d survived with them for so long. Suddenly his personality made sense. He was self-reliant and temperamental, but at the same time Harry had always been grateful, for everything.

To think he had only survived to the age of seventeen broke her heart even further. Hermione followed him into the cupboard under-the-stairs, watching as he placed his one and only toy on a makeshift shelf over his tattered mattress.

Harry pulled the thin covers over his body, curling up for warmth and relaxing after ten minutes. She thought to cuddle up beside him, but realized it made no difference. This was just a memory.

“If you’re out there,” he whispered in his tiny voice, sending shockwaves through Hermione’s body. “I love you, Mum and Dad.” Ah. He was talking to his parents. He was talking to the only people he had ever truly missed out on. “Dudley smashed my train with his fat foot today. He called me a Nancy boy when I cried. Did you ever cry, Dad? Uncle Vernon says boys aren’t supposed to cry. He says sadness is for girls.” She listened even closer. “But I saw him cry when Aunt Petunia prepared a salad for dinner once. It made me laugh, but they heard me so I had to go without dinner that night.” Little Harry smiled to himself. “I’d laugh again if I could.”

And as his eyes fluttered shut, Hermione knew he had finally fallen asleep. She watched him, feeling helpless for the young boy having lived through his final day. If only…

“Sweet dreams, Harry. We’ll meet again one day.”

She sat still, waiting for another burst of light to send her back to present day, but nothing happened. Hermione glanced around, wondering if she was stuck. Several moments came and went until she realized the memory wasn’t quite over. There was a breeze, despite the fact that there were no windows in the cupboard under the stairs. She felt cold, and not so much from temperature, but from fear.

Hermione gave one look to the foot of the mattress and saw something. It was quick, misty and sent shivers down her spine. She had only felt this way in the presence of two creatures, and she doubted a Dementor had spontaneously appeared in Harry’s tiny bedroom.

The young woman swallowed, realizing the little boy had awoken from the breeze. He held the covers over his head and muttered something. “Ghosts aren’t real. Ghosts aren’t real. Ghosts aren’t real.”

She wanted to comfort him, hold him until he fell back into his dreams of toys and sweets, but she couldn’t. “Oh, Harry,” she wanted to say. “That wasn’t a ghost. It was the spirit of your arch nemesis – of Lord Voldemort.”

Then, finally, a bright light appeared, whisking her away from little Harry and back to his enemy’s camp. She fell squarely on the bed, dizzy and disoriented, with the journal still on her lap.

~

There was a tap on his cell door, waking him in an instant. Draco’s eyes shot open and as he glanced around, he spotted not one but two cloaked individuals, both of whom he recognized. On one side stood his good friend Astoria Greengrass and on the other was his old acquaintance, Sasuke. There was quite a bit of distance between them, which spoke volumes, but Draco decided to save that inquiry for another, more suitable time.

“Ready to go?” asked Astoria.

He nodded, scrambling to his feet as fast as possible. “Get me the hell out of here.”

“Will do,” she smiled, retrieving something from her cloak and handing it to Sasuke. It was a flask. “Here. Grab some hairs and we’ll be off.”

Their Japanese ally approached the cell doors, withdrew his wand and gave it a gentle flick.

“Ouch!” Draco grabbed his head, feeling five small pricks and watching as some odd strands flew in mid air and landed in the palm of Sasuke’s hand. “Polyjuice Potion?” he asked. “What for?”

“I’ll take your place until we figure something out,” explained his acquaintance, taking a swig of potion. “You two better get going before the other guards come back.”

Astoria nodded, holding the door open and gesturing for Draco to follow. “I’ll explain everything later. Switch clothes and let’s go.”

Everything was happening so fast, he had no time to think before he found himself stripping off his tattered clothes and exchanging them for Death Eater garb. It had been a long time since he’d felt that heavy fabric on his skin. He didn’t miss it one bit, but there was no time to reflect on those matters. Draco raced to Astoria’s side as she tiptoed down the unlit corridor, leaving Sasuke behind.

It was odd to think escaping was so easy, but he figured the real problem was keeping his escape under wraps. Having Sasuke take his place was a temporary solution to that problem, but he doubted they had an abundance of Polyjuice Potion.

“So what happened between you two?” asked Draco, waiting until they reached a completely deserted area on the property. They were outside now, weaving through forest ground and heading to some sort of encampment. “The air back there was skin tight.”

Astoria frowned. “Drink this,” she said, shoving a different flask at him. “And mind your own business.”

He did as he was told, for the most part. Draco took a hit of the flask, feeling thick potion drip from the end and down his throat. He coughed a little, but before long it was gone and he could feel his skin prickling and his body transforming. Although he had no mirror, he would have bet his entire family fortune on the odds that he resembled Astoria’s current flame.

It was an amateur plan, but it was quick and easy, which is exactly what they needed.

Sasuke was a few inches taller, which was strange at first, but he adjusted quickly.

He followed Astoria as she slipped into a small tent that turned out to be the size of his old flat in Pureblood London. “I’ll ask again,” he began. “What happened between you two?”

“Nothing,” she answered, kicking off her boots and avoiding his prying eyes. “Nothing at all.”

“You sound bitter.”

“And you need to stop butting into other peoples’ business.”

Draco held up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine, fine. I’ll leave it alone for now.”

She frowned. “Forever.”

“For now.”

“Whatever,” the witch snapped. “Don’t get comfortable. You have to follow through with Sasuke’s duties.”

“As in, snogging you?” joked Draco.

Astoria glared daggers in his direction. “No, his duties do not consist of snogging me,” she said smartly. “His duties consist of tending to your wife.”

Silence fell over them. Draco blinked hard, unsure of what to say.

“Thought that might shut you up.”

“I…I get to see Hermione?” he asked, feeling his insides jumble together. “I really to see her?”

His former flame nodded, pausing for a moment before giving him a stern look. “Yes, but you can’t let her know it’s you.” Before he could respond, she continued. “We have to keep your escape a secret, for now. I know it’s a lot to ask but you have to trust me. She can’t know.”

Draco absorbed the information. “As long as I get to see her…”

“Good. I’m glad we’ve finally agreed on something,” said Astoria. “You only have to put up the act for tonight. I want you to go up there and keep it short,” she instructed. “Ask how she is, ask if she needs anything. If she alludes to anything you don’t know, just play it cool and answer her in vagaries – especially if she mentions a journal. Pretend like you know nothing about it.”

“A journal?” he asked. “What’s that about?”

“I’ll explain it later. Just go. We have a lot of work to do when you get back.”

“Aye,” nodded Draco, playing along and earning yet another vicious glare.

“Oh and one other thing,” added Astoria, waiting until he turned around before finishing. “Keep this with you in case things take longer than expected.” She tossed him the flask. “Stay safe, Draco. I’m putting all my trust in you right now.”

He gave her a look that said it all, wondering when she had grown from a scared teenager to a confident young woman. It made him proud to think she could look after herself. He had spent so long worrying about this girl, about Astoria Greengrass. And, now, there she was, recuing him and telling him what to do and what to avoid.

It was a nice change of pace.

thanks for reading! stay tuned for the next chapter. i'm sure you'll find it interesting :P

xo.
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