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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
- 5
- 6
- 7
Are you with me?
Turn the lights on
Light a candle
I can feel you
It's a blackout
It's a blackout
"Blackout" by The Pack A.D.
I told you it would get a bit darker. Are you ready? Here comes the plot. ~A.
One month had come and gone, and Hermione was no closer to unraveling Draco Malfoy's secrets than she was her own husband's death. Things had been rocky with Greg since he had reprimanded her for helping Malfoy with his patronus, and he had reminded her on more than one occasion that getting too close to your target was a good way to blind yourself to what was really going on. Hermione, in compliance to her agreement with Diggle, had offered up Draco's habits; the fact that he did not come out with the others on the weekends, took no part in any social functions at all, was rather strange. He kept to himself outside of training, except on Friday evenings, which were spent with Hermione, Dean, and Roman practicing whatever they had learned the previous week. So it was a surprise to Hermione when Draco plopped down in the middle of the field, after vigorously training combat spells, and said to the group, "I need a night out."
Dean threw back half a bottle of water under the heat of the setting sun before he exchanged a sideways glance with Hermione. "Do you?" he asked. Draco cocked his head to the side, letting the orange and pink rays of the light dance across his face. It was different, seeing him so serene. Lately, his mood had been foul. Dean looked to Roman, who gave a shrug, and then said, "Yeah, alright. A night out sounds pretty damn good. What about you, Hermione? You in?"
"Me?" Hermione pulled a towel from her bag, dripped some bottled water into it, and began to pat her forehead. "Oh, I can't. I'm sorry."
Draco cocked up an eyebrow. "Exchanging body fluids with Auror Diggle?"
There was a new heat that washed over Hermione, though it had nothing to do with the sun and everything to do with the agitation that bubbled up inside of her. "I'm having dinner with Harry and Ginny, actually." She couldn't be sure, because Draco had turned his head away, but she was sure she saw him roll his eyes.
"Whatever."
"Anyways, I think you'll all manage without me."
"Yeah, but having a pretty woman always helps attract other pretty women," said Dean, wrapping his arm around Hermione's shoulder. "Don't you know the drill?"
"You could always ask Malfoy's wife to tag along," replied Hermione. "She's quite beautiful."
Draco jerked his head towards her and snarled, "Maybe I don't want the rest of the world knowing about my personal life, Granger."
His words smacked her like a quaffle to the ribcage. Guilt crawled over her skin. Guilt, because she knew that she had been lying to Draco all along. He had no idea of Greg Diggle's plan to ruin him, and if he ever found out her involvement… why did it bother her so bad? Why did the thought make her want to wretch up a lung?
She gathered her wits and said quickly, "Well, I think she would appreciate being taken out on the town, don't you? When was the last time you took her on a proper date?" He avoided her gaze and stared down at the grass.
Her phone buzzed in her back pocket, and she glanced down to check her text message. "They've bumped up dinner to seven instead of eight. Of course. Drats. -How do I look? Am I a complete mess?"
"You look…" Dean struggled to find the words. Roman shook his head. Malfoy smirked.
"You look like you've just wrestled a dragon, and the dragon won."
Hermione looked down at her grass stained jeans and sweat riddled t-shirt. "I suppose you have a point. -But it's not like Ginny and Harry will care, will they? It's only a cookout." She tucked her wand into her sock, pulled up her book bag around her shoulder, and waved to each of them. "Don't stay out too late tonight -any of you." She pointed to Draco. "And you -don't be your snobby self tonight, you hear?"
Malfoy grinned sarcastically. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be a peach."
Hermione disapparated on the spot, concentrating on Harry's front lawn. When she landed, she nearly toppled over another figure directly in front of her, and she grabbed out to keep from falling. A firm hand grasped her hand and pulled her forward and into a smooth, sculpted chest covered only by a thin button up. Hermione glanced up to Auror Diggle's emerald eyes, petrified. "Greg! I-I mean, sir. What… what are you doing here?"
"I was invited." His breath smelled like toothpaste and cinnamon, and Hermione scolded herself inwardly for not at least casting a charm or two to get rid of the stains on her clothes. She stared at him for a moment longer, mouth agape, before she snapped it closed and pulled herself off of him. She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt nervously as he added, "I take it you're here for the cookout as well?"
"Yes." She nodded. "I didn't know other people were invited. I might have dressed up a bit if I had known you'd…" She cut herself off as her ears burned a brilliant shade of scarlet. It had been so long since anyone had looked at her the way Greg did in that moment -like she was a beautiful woman.
Diggle flashed her a sideways smile and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm just as surprised to see you here myself. Though I am glad that you are – I've been meaning to talk to you." He laughed lightly. "We haven't been on the best of terms lately, have we?"
"No." She agreed. "We most certainly have not."
"Well, I imagine I haven't been the best company to keep…So… do you think… for tonight, maybe…" He reached down and slipped her hand in his. "We could forget work and just… talk?" His innocent, humbled stare made her anxious, but something in her told her to keep going.
Nodding, she replied, "Yes. I think I would like that very much."
Draco Malfoy threw back his third shot of Dragon Barrel Brandy of the evening, relishing the taste on his tongue. It had been far too long since he had gotten toasted -and tonight was just the night for it. Dean Thomas, who was sipping on butterbeer, attempted conversation, and to his credit almost succeeded. But he wasn't someone who would even remotely understand what he was going through. There also was the fact that Draco didn't feel like making any new chums. He just wanted to drink, and he didn't think he should be alone.
Not after this morning's cutting blow.
"Thomas?" he asked quietly, staring down at his empty glass. "What do you do when you're faced with an impossible decision?"
Dean licked the froth off of his upper lip and exchanged glances with Romero. Then he said, "I think you do which ever one you can live with."
"That's what I was afraid of." He tipped his glass towards the bartender. "Another, my good man. Keep them coming."
Hermione giggled into her glass of iced tea as she, Harry, Ginny, and Greg sat around the patio table outside, stomach full of burgers and potato crisps. The sun had fully set, but the twinkling Christmas lights above the back deck glistened like tiny, twinkling stars above them. Ginny gave out a small gasp, and when Harry looked to her with concern, she merely waved her hand around and said, "It's fine. He's just kicking is all." She patted her round stomach and laughed. "Albus really doesn't give me much room to breathe."
"Where is James?" Hermione asked.
"He's with Molly tonight," Harry answered her. "George promised to take him and Teddy to Hogsmeade tomorrow."
"I see." Hermione nodded. She was excited for Ginny, but it also broke her heart to know that she wouldn't be having a child of her own. Not with Ron. When James was born, Hermione had been nervous of infants and scared to hold him. Now, all she craved was holding Albus and never letting go, like the way she did with little Scorpius. It had been a month since she had seen him. Was he still as pudgy? Did he still have his father's shimmering grey eyes? "Well, when James gets back, I'd like to babysit, if that's alright with you."
Ginny grinned. "Of course it is. Merlin knows Harry and I could use a night out before this one is born."
"Well then," said Greg, setting his napkin on the table, "Why don't you have one tonight?" Harry raised an eyebrow, smiling as if he were in on a secret. Hermione looked from Harry to Greg, who said, "How bout it, Miss Granger? Would you care if we left these love birds alone and made our own evening?"
Hermione glanced over to Ginny, who nodded in encouragement. "She'd love to."
"Ginny!" Hermione gasped, but Ginny would have none of it.
"I think she'd really enjoy it if you took her to that book shop down the road. You know, the one that stays open all night long?"
"Only if it's alright with her," said Greg, looking to Hermione in anticipation. Hermione swept her eyes around the group before she gave up and nodded.
"Alright. I suppose that would be fun." The corners of her lips pulled upright as a nice blush tinged her cheeks.
The bar was in full swing when Draco ordered his sixth shot, this one of Firewhiskey. Dean was pleasantly sloshed and trying to pick up a beautiful Armenian witch, while Roman Romero had left the group to sing a stunning karaoke rendition of "I Put a Spell On You" from some muggle film 'Hocus Pocus.' The muggle-borns and half bloods cheered him on, bewitched by Romero's colorful voice.
All the while, Draco couldn't help but feel lonelier than if he had just picked his arse up and went home. It hadn't dawned on him that Granger might not go when he had asked to go out; he had just assumed she wouldn't have anything better to do. He had hoped to maybe talk to her about what had been under his skin lately (his newest secret) but -why would she even care to know? It's not like they were chums. Far from it, he supposed. But that didn't stop him from closing his eyes and picturing her next to him, probably sipping on something like water or some virgin cocktail and listening to him ramble on.
Someone placed their hand on his shoulder and grabbed roughly around the cotton fabric of his shirt, spinning him around. Draco was a tall man, but Simmons was much taller, and when they came face to face Draco felt nearly inferior next to Simmon's brawny arms and burly figure. He had lost a considerable amount of weight in the last month, replacing it with muscle as he trained harder than most. He still was an ugly fellow. At least Draco had looks on him, rather than size.
"Well, well," Draco lulled, the room spinning just a bit as he stared down at Simmon's plump fist balling up his favorite shirt. "This is a pleasant surprise."
"Malfoy." Simmons released his shoulder and sent him toppling back into his stool less gracefully than Draco had intended -but he was too hammered to care. "Where's your little tramp friend? Off sucking Diggle's dick?"
"Most likely…" Draco smirked as he leaned his elbows back against the bar top.
"You think you're hot shite, don't you, Malfoy?" Simmons grumbled. Two men stood next to him -neither of them Draco recognized. Must be cronies. Oh, how he missed cronies.
"I mean, I am rather attractive. Thank you for noticing," Draco replied icily. He could tell this wasn't going to end in his favor. Of that he was very certain.
"A sodding, worthless Death Eater like you doesn't deserve the title of Auror. -I know some good men who were tossed out on their arses. You think it's fair? You stay, they go?"
"I can't help it if I'm just that much more talented than they are. Not everyone can be this handsome, cunning, and wonderful at wandless magic." Draco snapped his fingers and the top of Simmon's hair began to turn a vibrant shade of pink. Simmons didn't notice, but several others in the bar did, and they chuckled into their liquor.
"The only reason you got this far is because of your slutty friend, Granger. Don't think I don't know how you ride her coattails like some barking pup on his bitch's tit."
Something stirred within Draco; an emotion that was very, very foreign to him. Something that willed him to protect the irritating bookworm. He rose from his chair clumsily and got right in Simmons' face. "Tell me. Why are you so threatened by Granger? Is it because she's a woman? I suppose I'd be embarrassed too if a woman had bigger testicles than me. Or if I had bigger tits than her. " He tisked.
"Aaarrgh!" Simmons swung his big, ugly fist, but Draco was quicker and ducked out of the way. He pushed off with his legs and barreled into Simmons' stomach, sending them both toppling over onto the ground. A hand came out and wrapped its big fingers around Draco's throat, and Draco retaliated by grabbing Simmons' by his magenta hair and slamming his head back against the floor before throwing a curved hook into Simmons' square jaw.
The bar hushed as Draco lifted himself off of the unconscious brute and straightened up his shirt. His left sleeve had been yanked up, and eye after watchful eye fell on his Dark ' cronies backed away slowly. He pulled his sleeve down harshly, threw all of the money in his pocket down next to his empty shot glass, and sauntered out of the building, taking what little dignity he had left with him.
The bookstore was about as big as the Gryffindor common room, but it held an array of newest novels, wizard and muggle authors alike. Hermione felt right at home as she plucked a Dickens book from a shelf and turned to Greg. "A Tale of Two Cities. Have you ever read it?"
"Of course. I'll have you know, you and I share a few things in common, Miss Granger. I too was born from muggle parents." Diggle took the book from her hands and turned through the pages. "You have been the last dream of my soul. A dream, all a dream that ends in nothing. Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life to keep a life of love beside you. -Quite profound, don't you agree?"
"Greg…" She looked down to the floor, uneasiness settling in her stomach. "What are we doing?"
"We're having a conversation in a bookstore," he replied. "Is that not alright?"
"Well… I mean. It is pleasant. But -you're my superior." She dug her brown eyes right into his gloriously emerald ones. "Do you really think that we should be conversing like this?"
Diggle chuckled, setting the book back on the shelf. He put a hand against the shelving behind Hermione and leaned closer. "Are you asking me or telling me?"
"Asking." She could feel her body tingle, and it betrayed her. "You have to forgive me. I haven't been out with a man in quite some time, and this is all very new to me."
"So are you out with your superior or out with a man?" His face inched closer, and Hermione's breath caught. "Because those are two very different situations."
"Isn't it a bit of both?" she asked, doubt in her voice. She knew this had been a set up by Ginny and Harry. She knew what they intended for her when they set her up with Diggle. And it wasn't as if she had other prospects… but what she didn't know is if she was ready to date again. Even if some dreamy man with his strong jaw and flawless skin was nose to nose with her. Oh, how she hated thinking like a woman. This is why she liked being intelligent, so she could avoid these types of situations. Thinking things through was always so much simpler than listening to your heart. Stupid hormones…
"Hermione," Greg whispered. "If I haven't made it obvious enough already, I quite enjoy your company. And unless I'm reading the signs wrong, I think you like mine too."
"I do." She confessed, her heart beating wildly. "It's only that-" Her cell phone rang in her back pocket, interrupting her. Greg's eyes turned down towards the phone, and Hermione answered, stealing her way past Diggle in relief. The less she had to talk about her feelings with him, the better. It was all too much too soon, and she really wasn't sure what she felt or if she could allow herself to feel.
"Hello? Dean, slow down… what do you… no… no, I understand. I'll be there soon." She hung up and said, "I have to go."
"Why? What did Dean say?"
She jerked her face up to look at him and folded the phone. "You said no work tonight, remember? I'm not at liberty to say."
"Hermione…"
"I had a wonderful time tonight, Greg. I'd love to do it again sometime." She leaned up, kissed his cheek, and jogged out of the bookstore without so much as a second glance back.
"Where is he?" Hermione sighed as she arrived in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Dean motioned towards the fountain in the middle of the town square, where Malfoy was busy chiding insulting remarks to each and every muggle passerby.
"You- do you know how terrible your hair looks? It really is the most atrocious thing I've ever seen, and I've seen Pansy Parkinson naked. – Oy, you sir. I've seen pregnant woman with less gut than you. -Madam, your makeup makes you look like you enjoy taking it up the arse. –Oh, is that so? Well, I'm richer than you are. I'm richer than the lot of you!"
She winced as Malfoy flipped the bird to a woman walking her child. "What exactly happened?"
"Simmons got under his skin, I think. They had an all-out brawl. Malfoy won -surprisingly. And then he's been here since. I wouldn't be concerned if it wasn't for the fact that he's drunk and might out all of wizard society at any moment."
"He wouldn't do that…" She shook her head. "Go back inside, Dean. I promise I've got this covered." Dean reluctantly did as he was told, and when the door shut behind him Hermione made her way across the street and stood in front of Draco, who had now taken position on the fountain's edge, standing a foot and a half taller than he already was. In his hand was a flask.
"And you." He pointed an accusing finger at her, staggering slightly as he struggled to balance atop the fountain. "You are the worst of them all."
"Me?" She gestured towards herself. "I'm the worst? I'm not the one making a fool of myself."
Draco tipped the flask into his mouth and downed a few gulps. He hissed as the liquor burned the back of his throat, and then with a toss he threw the container behind him and into the water. "I hate you."
"I know you do." She nodded, stepping closer. "But just out of curiosity, is this a generalization or is there something bothering you that I've done as of late?"
"You exist." He glared down at her, suddenly very serious.
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"Why?"
"Because… look at you!" He gestured towards her. "You're Hermione bloody Granger. You can do it all! Top notch at magic. Had a successful marriage, before your husband went and got himself killed -no offence-"
"-Draco!"
"Ah, ah! I'm not through!" His arms swung around theatrically as he spoke. "Everyone adores you. You're the heroine! The activist! The advice giver! Some bloody advice you give, you stupid-"
"-Mudblood? Is that what you were going to say?" She snapped at him.
His glare was meticulous, as if he were trying to peel back each and every layer inside of her soul to figure her out. "Don't assume to know me."
"Then tell me what's going on." In frustration, she placed her hands on her hips. "I should just let the muggle authorities have you for the evening. I'm sure once you've sobered up you'll see just how unreasonable you're being."
"I'm unreasonable? -You're the one who told me to open up to her! And do you know what that cost me? Do you know, Granger? Hmm?"
"What are you rambling on about? Are we talking about Astoria?"
"You're damn right we are."
"What happened?" Her voice was hushed, careful not to tread too heavy.
"I… I took your advice. I took your sodding advice and tried to open up to her." He made to sit down on the edge of the fountain, but in his drunken state he lost his footing and fell backwards into the fountain. Water splashed up and over the stones, dripping to the concrete below. Hermione gasped and ran over to the water's edge to find him soaked from head to foot, his clothes sticking to him like flypaper and his hair dripping wet over the shroud of his eyes.
"Malfoy, are you-?"
"I'm fine!" He shouted at her, waving an arm around. Tiny droplets hit Hermione in the face. "I'm fucking fine! Don't you think you've done enough damage? Go find someone else's life to ruin!"
She fell silent, taken aback by his words. As she watched him dripping wet and eyes full of contempt, she felt a pang of guilt. Slowly and without a word, she sat down at the edge of the fountain, not caring if the stones were wet. She reached out, brushed the hair out of his eyes, and stroked down the form of his cheek before drawing her hand away and back into her lap. She waited for him to continue, and after a time he did, his voice much quieter and full of sorrow.
"She came to me after we passed our first trial. She gave me an ultimatum. I could either quit the Auror position or open up to her about why it was so important. And… and so I did. I told her."
This was the moment Hermione had been waiting for, hadn't it? For him to open up to something so big? To let something slip through? Her mind turned to Diggle, and then to Astoria, and finally to Draco. Was telling him to let it all out in the open really worth all of this pain? She couldn't be sure. Not until she knew the truth.
"What… what did you tell her?" she asked timidly.
"Everything. About how I was doing this for Scorpius. That I had been holding secrets from her for years. About who am. What I am." He lowered his head. "I'm not proud of the lowest moments in my life, Granger. I've put a lot of people in danger. I've traded dark artifacts for secrets and traded those secrets for positions of power. I did a lot of bad… and it's catching up to me." He reached up and ran his fingers through his wet white-blonde tresses. "Am I unforgivable, Hermione?"
So this was his secret? That he had doused in illegal things? That really was no surprise. But what did surprise her was his regret. It rung true like a church bell on Sunday morning. He genuinely wanted to be forgiven. Glancing up at the stars, she said, "Tell me one thing." She couldn't help herself as she turned around and stuck her feet in the fountain to face him. Her jeans soaked up the water like a sponge, but she did not care. She made a point to look directly at him with heavy resolve. "Did you… murder anyone?"
He scowled at her. "Of course not."
"Did you get anyone killed?"
"Not to my knowledge."
She weighed her next words carefully before she spoke. "Then I don't believe you are beyond the point of forgiveness."
He bit down on his lower lip, mulling her words around. "Truly?"
"Truly." She reached out and ruffled his hair to lighten the mood. "Although I have to say your appearance could be unforgiveable right now."
"You're one to talk." He smirked. "Have you taken a look in the mirror? You look like you could use a bath yourself." With a devilish grin on his face, he grabbed at her arm and yanked her sideways into the fountain pool. Hermione screamed in surprised, and when the water settled, she was just as soaked as he was. She was appalled while he roared with laughter, and in retaliation she splashed a bit of water in his face.
"You git." She found herself chuckling. "I take it back! You're completely unforgivable! Contemptable!"
"I'm adorable." He smirked again, reaching out to wipe her hair out of her eyes, the way she had for him. But when he tucked back her hair behind her ear, his hand lingered, as did his gaze on her. Hermione's chest tightened as the moonlight glistened back against the water and onto his skin. In this light, with his glowing skin and steely eyes, he looked like some sort of ethereal god. "I'm only going to say this once, Hermione. So listen carefully."
Her voice sounded hoarse as she replied, "Alright."
"I was wrong." The pad of his thumb brushed along the shell of her ear. "I shouldn't have blamed you for my failed marriage. I had it coming."
"Failed...?"
"Astoria… asked me for a divorce. A month ago."
"…Draco, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah." He nodded, slowly peeling his hand away from her. "Me too. Would you like to know the worst part? She hasn't asked for a damn thing. Not half of the estate. Not my money. She doesn't even want to take Scorpius away from me. She just wants me to sign the bloody papers and be done with it. So how do you do it? How do you live like this?"
Hermione scooted closer subconsciously. "Heartbroken, you mean?" He nodded slowly. "You… take it one day at a time, I suppose."
"Easier said than done," he whispered.
"Is that why you've been acting off lately? Because you've held this in for so long?" Hermione reached out and put both of her hands on his shoulders, sitting on her knees so that she could be eye level with him. She'd practically be sitting on his lap if his legs weren't on either side of her, caging her. "Listen to me. We might not be the best of friends, or very good friends for that matter. But I want you -no, need you to know that I'm here for you. You shouldn't hold on to secrets, Draco. I'll be your sounding board. Come to me when you can't hold it in anymore, alright? Don't go off and get drunk and make a fool of yourself. Come to me. I'm your partner. That's what partners do."
Her heart jumped when his hand slid up her arm and rested on the side of her neck. He had the most peculiar look on his face as he tugged her closer through the water, his other hand grabbing one of her thighs to move her until they were nose to nose. There with his hand on her leg and the other on her throat, with the moonlight gleaming off of their bodies, and the smell of chlorine from the water mixed with the alcohol on his breath, Hermione felt a tingle in her lower abdomen that spread until it hit the back of her throat. The feeling from his breath touching her lips was indescribable. Her chest rose up and down, as did his, as they both struggled to breathe.
That's when she heard it. An explosion far off in the distance. The earth beneath the fountain shook, and from the East came a pulse wave that nearly knocked them both over. Draco instinctively reached out and wrapped his arms around Hermione, shielding her as searing heat washed over the both of them. Dust and glass flew all around, and when it settled, she looked up to him with horror. They both looked towards The Leaky Cauldron, who's patrons were scattering out of the front door like cockroaches to the light. Dean was one of the last ones out, clutching his stomach as fire broke through the windows of the pub and began to engulf the window panels. The surrounding buildings had all been hit by the pulse, their windows and doors shattered and splintered.
"Dean!" Hermione shouted as her and Draco struggled to their feet. The water held their bodies down in their water logged clothes, but they trudged through and over the fountain's edge to meet him. "Dean, what happened?"
Dean coughed as he rubbed soot from his eyes and collapsed at their feet. "Romero! Romero's still in there!"
Draco drew his wand from his sock and made to run at the building -but a second explosion sent him to a dead halt. The entire foundation gave way with a resounding crack, and then The Leaky Cauldron was no more than a pile of flames and ruble on the ground.
Please leave a review! I would love to hear what you think. -And just an FYI: There's more to Draco's past than meets the eye, even now.
A.
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How To Train Your Auror