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Fooling Fate sequel to Bound	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 44179 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That lucky duck JK Rowling does. I don't make any money from this fanfic. I just play with her toys and put them back in relatively good condition.

Chapter List
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“I suppose you want to go sightseeing,” Draco drawled.

Hermione was desperately trying to take it all in. It had been ages since she’d been to New York. “No, we don’t have time.”

He scoffed. “We can make time if it is going to be this distracting.”

She huffed. “Well, I would love to see it all again, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, the museums, the zoos, Broadway shows, oh the Metropolitan Opera house… but it will have to wait. We have to find them. You heard Sergei’s last message.”

He hummed. He had indeed. Sergei had sent their owl Jezebel with a missive stating that another walker was snatched last night. Not just any walker, the second in command, which meant they were actually aiming for the leader. It was like the werewolf pack all over again. He wondered again what happened to that female. She was more than likely dead, but it didn’t sit right with him.

‘She could still be alive,’ Hermione thought distractedly as she scouted Central Park.

‘Not bloody likely,’ he thought back, a scowl on his face. ‘We were lucky to free the children.’

“If you can’t say something out loud, don’t say anything at all.”

They both jumped when Melody spoke directly behind them. They hadn’t expected her to break away from family until they were all settled in their hotel.

Melody smirked. “You know I’m shit at organization. I… thrive on chaos.”

Draco snorted. “How could I have forgotten?”

Melody grinned. “Seen anything?”

“Not particularly,” Hermione said, frowning for a moment. “Unless you’re looking for a rather poor mime.”

Melody cocked her head and watched the street performer chatting on the telephone. “Well, that’s certainly out of character.”

“Is he....” Draco made a motion with his wrist. He didn’t want to accuse him of being a wizard aloud in such a crowded park. Though, he probably wouldn’t stand out at all.

“No,” Melody said with a frown. “But he does have a haze around him.”

“Like a jamming signal or something?” Hermione asked.

Melody shook her head. “Like a creature.”

“What kind?” Hermione breathed.

Melody frowned and blinked a few minutes. “Would you believe… elf?”

“No bloody way,” Draco said incredulously.

“It would seem so,” Melody said with a frown. “Strange. They normally take to the woods.”

“Woods?” Draco asked.

Melody clicked her tongue and leaned in close, lowering her voice. “I don’t mean a damned house elf Draco. We’re talking about the woodland elves, nature elves, distant cousins to pixies. Maybe you’ve heard them called nymphs. However, unlike those awful little blue winged demons, these are rather helpful… unless you try to cut down their trees.”

“What is he doing here?”

“Being a rather poor mime,” Melody said finally. “I imagine he lives within the trees here. The face makeup probably helps him disguise his features, as does the black suit. They’re all rather slender, you know.”

“You think he’s seen the walkers?” Draco asked, watching in fascination as the mime put the phone away and pretended to be in a box.

“It’s possible,” Melody mused. “He’s probably seen a great deal, though how you’re going to get a mime to talk is beyond me.”

Hermione scoffed. “He was just talking on the phone.”

“Were you listening to the words that were coming out of his mouth?” Melody asked innocently.

“Not particularly,” Hermione bristled. “I do try to keep my ears to myself.”

“Well, you might have realized he wasn’t saying much at all, just some yes or no answers. That was his mother, angry because he didn’t make enough to feed his family yesterday. Apparently, the mime gig isn’t paying like it used to.”

“Maybe he’s been hit with one too many invisible pianos,” Draco snorted, watching the mime fall to the ground like he’d been flattened.

Melody snickered. “Perhaps. I say we look around a bit and then corner him when he takes a break.”

They roamed the park, taking in the different street performers. Hermione sighed wistfully when they went by the zoo and Draco couldn’t help but stare at a game of football. He’d been fascinated by the muggle game. Although it didn’t have a snitch, he fancied the athleticism… and the fights. Americans called it soccer and it didn’t seem to be quite so violent from a fan perspective, but it was still fun to watch.

“Look alive,” Melody cut in. “He’s headed to the woods.”

They stepped back into a copse of trees and cast a spell to make eyes slide over a given spot before shifting into their bird forms and flying after the mime. They were impressed with his agility as he ducked and dodged different tree limbs, leapt over bushes, and never seemed to get one bramble or leaf caught in his hair or clothes. Once or twice, he stopped and seemed to be searching for something but pursed his lips and continued. It wasn’t until they came into a lush thicket that they realized they’d been caught. He spun and threw a muggle smoke bomb at them. They immediately transformed back and began coughing.

He crossed his arms, a smug look on his face. “Thought so. You wizards all smell the same.”

Melody sniffed. “I hope not.”

The mime cocked his head. “No, you smell different. Actually, you all do. What are you?”

Hermione opened her mouth to talk but was stunned when the mime started shaking.

“Y-y-you’re with… them.”

Hermione frowned. “Them? Them who?”

“You’ll never take us alive,” the mime hissed.

“We aren’t taking you anywhere,” Draco sighed. “But I believe that you have come across exactly what we are looking for.”

“I knew it!” the mime cried and tried to run.

Draco shook his head sadly before he petrified the elf. “I really didn’t want to have to do that.”

“Well, he wasn’t sticking around any other way,” Melody said comfortingly before she spun the poor little elf around. “Now, I know you can hear me. And yes, we are looking for them. However, we have no intention of joining. We’re actually hoping to get rid of them. I’m going to unfreeze you now but if you so much as twitch, he’s going to do it again.”

The elf trembled in place, obviously terrified. They hadn’t wanted to scare him, but sometimes using brute force was necessary. They were just glad they didn’t have to do this the muggle way. A petrificus totalus was much more gentle than a rugby style tackle.

“Now,” Melody said softly. “What do you know about the people you are so obviously afraid of?”

The elf trembled for a moment, his mind warring between clamming up and helping. “Why?” he whispered softly.

Hermione stepped forward and gave him a gentle smile. “Don’t you want them to be gone?”

The elf furrowed his painted brow before nodding slowly.

“Well then,” Hermione continued. “Why not tell us where they are so we can take care of them?”

“That doesn’t make sense,” the elf murmured. “No one can take them out.”

“And you know this from experience?” Draco asked.

The elf ducked his head. “Another clan tried. We never saw them again.”

“Shit,” Melody hissed. “Why in the hell would they try?”

The elf took out a cloth and wiped the heavy white makeup from his face, revealing slightly greenish skin and sharp angular features. “They took their queen.”

Draco rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Damn. We’re sorry to hear that.”

The elf huffed. “So were we. Those people, they’re dangerous, deadly even. They kill without remorse, take without care. They’ve even overpowered beings so strong I was sure they’d be fine.”

“The walkers,” Melody said quietly.

The elf nodded and then cocked his head. “That’s what you smell like… only… still different.”

Melody chuckled. “I am a walker, only I have a different origin so it stands to reason that I smell different. These two have a blood bond to a walker, so similar and yet still different from what you are used to.”

“You are related to the walker pack?” the elf asked suspiciously.

“It’s hard to say,” Melody said. “I doubt it. Their father’s maker was destroyed by a vampire coven. Vampire lineage is a different beast.”

“You seem knowledgeable,” the elf hedged.

Melody chuckled. “I’m a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I should be.”

The elf cringed. “They used dark arts.”

“Not surprising,” Melody sighed. “They don’t particularly care about the effects of the spells they use or who they use them on.”

The elf flinched but nodded just the same. “What do they want?”

“What every mad man wants,” Melody sighed. “Power. They want to conquer the world, one creature at time.”

“And you have a problem with that?” the elf asked knowing.

Melody grinned. “Of course.” Her face fell. “They took my grandson from me, experimented on my other grandson and granddaughter, tried to kill my brother-in-law who had to make the change to survive…”

The elf’s lip wobbled. “You have a vendetta then.”

“It goes further than that,” Draco said gravely. “But for the sake of clarity, we owe them.”

“You believe you can beat them?”

“We’ve defeated two of their armies,” Hermione said.

“Urm…. I believe it’s closer to three,” Melody said thoughtfully.

“She’s right,” Draco said. “You forgot the first trip to the castle.”

“Oh, how could I forget that?” Hermione admonished herself.

With each comment, the elf’s moss green eyes grew wider and wider. “You’ve won against them?”

“Several times,” Melody said. “But we’ve always missed the leader.”

“She’s terrifying,” the elf breathed. “Never lifts a finger, but that thing around her neck… I’ve never seen a witch use that.”

“That’s because she’s a squib,” Melody spat. “She doesn’t have powers of her own. She’s… she’s… ugh, never mind.”

“You don’t like squibs?” the elf asked.

Melody chuckled. “Regular squibs I’m just fine with. Those who try to become gods… no, not particularly fond of them.”

The elf sighed wearily. “You’re signing your death warrants.”

Draco snorted. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“You might kill us all,” the elf warned.

“We’d die first,” Draco said harshly.

The elf blinked in shock but nodded. “I am Elden, clan of the Elm, eldest now that those people took my brother in battle.”

“We’re so sorry Elden,” Hermione said quietly. “We offer our condolences on your loss.”

Elden snorted. “My brother is not dead, merely taken.”

“You can feel it?” Melody asked curiously.

Elden nodded. “His tree still lives. If he were dead, his tree would suffer the same fate. Though, he is not long from it. His tree still holds on, but the leaves are falling.”

Melody nodded. “Then we don’t have much time. Where are they Elden?”

Elden sighed. “After taking half the Oak clan and my brother, they set out after the walkers. They snatched the second in command just the other day. The leader is quite paranoid now, takes to hiding in the shadows. They don’t roam near as often as they used to.”

“Where are they?” Hermione asked. “If we know where they are, we can find those who hunt them and get the leader.”

Elden frowned. “Last I heard, they were seeking refuge in the Bronx, Woodlawn Cemetery if I’m not mistaken.”

“Irony,” Melody sighed. “Well, thank you Elden. Is there anything we can do to help your clan?”

Elden pursed his lips and shook his head. “No. If you take them out, you will have helped more than I could ever ask.”

“What is your brother’s name Elden?” Hermione asked quietly.

Elden sighed and gazed off into the trees. “Elijah.”

“If we find him,” Hermione said quietly, “we’ll bring him home.”

Elden gave her a sad smile. “It’s a lovely thought. Be careful on your quest. And… should you have need of me, simply whisper to the trees.”

Before they could ask him what he meant, Elden melted into a nearby elm and disappeared. Hermione and Draco gaped at the tree while Melody cackled and clapped her hands before dancing a jig.

“Good show!” Melody hooted. “I love that part.”

“I believe she’s finally cracked,” Hermione said slowly.

“No,” Melody said, calming down and wiping her eyes. “I’m just learning to enjoy the little things.” She frowned. “And now I’m quite jealous that Alex can still turn into mist.”

Draco studied the elm tree for a few moments. “What happens to Elden if his tree is cut down?”

“He’ll seek shelter in the roots until he can bond with a new tree,” Melody said softly. “Well, I just thought of one thing we can do to help him.”

“And that is?” Draco asked.

Melody studied the tree for a long time before nodding her head. “A protection spell. A specific one, powerful. Do you think you can pull it off?”

Draco sniffed. “Try us.”

Melody smirked and then placed her hand on his temple and relayed a spell so old it was written in runes. Draco closed his eyes and concentrated on the spell, feeling his wife do the same. It was complicated, having never been a verbal spell. It took the essence of the earth and combined it with magic to make a feeling so strong that no mortal could bear to harm the protected place. If what Melody was showing them was true, not even Hades would touch it.

“Wow,” Hermione breathed.

“I found it in Merlin’s old things,” Melody said quietly. “I just hope it’s enough.”

“I should fucking hope so,” Draco huffed.

He grabbed his wife and held her close in their familiar casting stance. They had to get this one right or risk hurting Elden’s tree. They were surprised at how quickly they had grown protective over the green mime but he had a gentle nature than they could sense.

“Wood elves,” Melody said quietly, “are noble creatures, loyal to a fault once trust is gained. I don’t want to imagine what Moira would twist that into.”

“How did you know?” Hermione whispered, trying not to break her concentration. It was difficult to build power, keep it invisible, and try to hold a conversation.

Melody smiled. “I can read you two like a book. And I might have a nosy sister.”

“She sensed our doubts,” Hermione whispered.

“That she did,” Melody said. “And she calmed mine. I would have thought she was crazy… but wait, she IS crazy.”

“She has to be to put up with you,” Draco sniffed.

“Hardy har har,” Melody said sarcastically. “You’re ready, by the way.”

“Are you sure?” Hermione asked. She didn’t feel that they were at near the power level they should be.

“Remember,” Melody cautioned. “There is a fine line between too much and not enough.”

They couldn’t argue with that logic so soon after having to put the children’s souls back to rights so they began. The incantation was tricky. Translating runes wasn’t an exact science but Melody had also given them the precise meaning and words to think. With precise movements of their wands, Elden’s tree was aglow in no time. They carefully weaved the protective spell around the trunk, ordering it to grow with the tree but never to cut into it so they wouldn’t disrupt Elden’s own magical bond with the tree. When they were finished, they whispered a sealing spell and watched the gold fade into lush brown and green.

“I’d say that about does it,” Melody said, surveying their work. “Nicely done. I suddenly want to water the poor thing.”

“And feed it,” Hermione sighed.

“And punch that kid in the face,” Draco growled when a baseball came much too close to the tree for comfort.

Melody chuckled. “I’d say the spell is working perfectly. Come on. It’ll take us at least half an hour to get to the Bronx.”

“I suppose popping over is out of the question,” Draco sighed.

Melody frowned. “You know I’m all for it, and New Yorkers are so jaded they’d probably never even notice, but the Aurors would have a damned cow and you know it.”

“So, do we find the walkers and then get the children or should we get the children and go find the walkers?” Hermione asked.

Melody hummed. “Good question. As skittish as Elden was, I think the walkers will be worse. Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to swing by and get Aiden and Serena before we go.”

“Good then we decided to stay at the Comfort Inn,” Draco muttered.

Melody grinned. “Come on. You know you love it.”

“Hermione loves it,” he corrected.

“And you’d give her the moon if it wouldn’t throw the Earth out of orbit,” Melody said knowingly.

Draco simply shrugged and strolled down the road back to the hotel. Hermione and Melody shared a look before following. They had two walkers to pick up and a cab to catch. The cab might be the hardest part of all of it.

AN: I am aware that this one is painfully short, but I didn't want to leave you guys high and dry for so long. I thought I'd get this done before vacation, but that didn't happen either. Le sigh. Life, right? Anyway, thanks to everyone who's stuck by me and sent me a review. Really, reading your reviews at the in-laws house? Best. Gift. Ever. Keep them coming and let me know how I'm doing. Until next time... Love you guys.
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Fooling Fate *sequel to Bound*

Fooling Fate sequel to Bound