bitten ; dramione

nine- the rising action

Draco walked into the Ministry, loosening his tie (what felt like) every two seconds. He walked along the familiar hallways and corridors, getting strange looks and whispers the entire time. It felt exactly like it did the first time he walked in here for work. Just two days after the Death Eater Trials. Only, today, it was because the Manor burning was on the front page of the Daily Prophet. It was tiring, and Draco burned the newspaper in his hand when he received it this morning.

Despite living with them, the only people Draco had talked to were Harry when discussing the case, and Blaise and Theo. His wolf was having a truly hard time staying... well. After the last full moon, Draco was in more pain than ever. His wolf was in pain because Hermione had rejected him (well, she hadn't, but the wolf was thinking she did), which made Draco completely weak. He shook easily and had a hard time walking far. His eyes were purple, and his hair was constantly disheveled. Draco cried last night in the shower when he ran his hands through his hair, just for clumps to fall out.

He was ignoring all of that and dedicating himself to this case. He was so angry that he killed off all of his followers that day in his house without interrogating them first. Hell, he was prepared to bring them to the drawing room. He wanted justice, rightfully so. This group had done nothing but terrorize him since the day he was turned.

Draco had realized after a while that he wasn't mad that he was a werewolf. He wasn't mad he was now a Half-Blood, like insane karma coming to disappoint him. He wasn't angry because of that. He wasn't prejudiced like that anymore. He was mad that he had his life finally in his own hands. He finally had control over who he was and what he stood for. He had worked his way up again from rock bottom all by himself. No money from his mother, no inside agreements from his father. He testified on the stand and worked back from who people knew him as.

Draco Malfoy, the wizarding world's first 16-year-old Death Eater. Heir to the Malfoy throne.

He worked back from that without anyone else's help. He wrote that book in his holding cell in Azkaban. He testified by himself on the stand under truth serum, knowing he had nothing to hide. He told everyone the abuse he faced as a child. He had put his heart on his sleeve for the whole of his world to see. Once found innocent, he once again put his pride on the line by applying for the Auror role. He worked his way up by solving cases.

He had gotten the 11-year-old boy back. And fucking Greyback stole him away again.

Harry knocked slightly on Draco's door, making the young blonde growl. "Draco, we have a break in the case. You... you have to see this." Harry said. What made Draco unlock the door was Harry's tone. He didn't sound excited or serious. In fact, he sounded quite devastated. It made Draco's hair stand up on the back of his neck. "It's unlocked." Draco sighed. Harry walked in, Blaise and Theo following him. Theo closed the door behind them and stood guard, making sure no one was by to overhear.

Blaise and Harry moved towards Draco, who stood to greet the men. "You may wanna sit, mate. This is...heavy." Blaise advised him. Draco looked at the Italian beauty, his eyebrows furrowing. His gray eyes then moved to Harry, who was staring at Draco with a grim expression. Draco nodded slowly, sitting again. Harry then laid the file on his desk, sitting in one of the two chairs facing Draco on the opposite side of his desk. Blaise situated himself in the other.

Draco couldn't believe this. He looked at the navy blue folder with the silver M for the Ministry on the front. He had just been complaining that he didn't have the answer, and here it sat. It was such a calm reveal. No tossing of a mask, no spells flying everywhere. Just a piece of paper. Draco opened the folder, inhaling deeply as he looked at the men again. They looked down at the picture of the culprit, something Draco had not allowed himself to look at yet. Harry was a pale color and sweat formed at his hairline. Blaise looked away, angry.

When Draco looked down, he could barely describe how he felt.

He immediately felt rage. An insane amount of anger that made him want to crush everything in the room. He then felt disappointed. How this person could do a complete 180 on everything they knew. At least Draco had always been surrounded by the darkness. This person hadn't. If anything, they had been far away from it for a long time. And then the rage again. This person had been so close to him, knowing what they were doing. So close to everyone that he cared about.

"Aurors are on the way to her house. Would you like to join us?" Harry asked.

Draco chuckled darkly, swallowing thickly. "Absolutely." Draco growled, standing quickly. He grabbed his armor and put it on before grabbing his coat and wand. "This is it, Draco. We go all in. If we don't make it out, it was for this. You have to realize this is a life-or-death situation." Harry told him, slipping his own jacket on. Draco chuckled and shrugged, "I am not a stranger to that feeling, Potter." He assured, grabbing the file.

As they walked out of the Ministry, Draco felt more and more of his wolf working up inside of him. She had been so close to Hermione multiple times, and he didn't even blink. He was going all in. She was his. Her head was his.

His feet landed on a familiar driveway, his eyes wandering up to the house. It was a half-moon, and his hands were shaking with rage. He wasn't transforming, but his strength was at its highest. His magic was strong. Everything was coming together for him. Ron, Bill, George, Kingsley, Neville. All members of the force Draco was afraid to face when he was 16. Now he stood with them, feeling more powerful than ever.

"She knows we're here. There are many men waiting inside to kill all of us. Remember your training. War mentality. These are people that did not choose the right decision after being turned. Heads will roll. No mercy. And she is Draco's. Let that be clear." Kingsley called out. "On your mark, Harry."

Everyone took position, Blaise and Theo on Draco's side. Harry and Draco stared at the house, eyes wide.

Harry raised his wand. "Go."