poison ✞ dramione

part forty seven

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draco was having a pretty regular summers day in early july. everything was swell. he was doing great (minus a few demons here and there, but what's to be expected from someone who's still hurting?).

he was leisurely enjoying a glass of juice when the letter arrived. he took it and ripped it open, slipping the parchment out with ease.

draco,

i know you must be curious as to why i'm writing to you when in a little over two weeks you'll be incarcerated for life, but it seems as if some new information has arrived that you neglected to notify me about.

draco felt the dread start to build up. hermione wouldn't, would she? she wouldn't have told kingsley, would she?

it seems as if all is not as black and white you led me to believe. please meet me in your manor so we can discuss over what i have come to learn not long ago.

— kingsley shacklebolt, acting minister of magic.

draco slowly crumbled the letter into a fist and huffed out a dry laugh. of course granger told on him. he should've held out, he should've moved out, but no. draco just had to want the company of someone who treated him like a human being.

draco burnt the letter.

___
after he left the headmistresses office and landed into his manor, draco dusted off his robe and stepped in, watching as shacklebolt paced rapidly from one end of the room to another, sierra watching in mild interest from her position on the parisian rug.

"you asked for my presence?" draco asked sarcastically, stepping further into his 'home'.

shacklebolt stopped short and snapped his head up, his eyes narrowed into slits. he stalked up to draco and stood not a foot away, shoulders hunched angrily.

"i have nothing to say?" shacklebolt hissed, repeating what draco had told him continuously when shacklebolt ever asked for a reason to not throw his arse into azkaban. "are you kidding me?"

draco raised an eyebrow, his face cool and composed. "i don't kid around."

shacklebolt huffed in disbelief, tearing a letter out of his pocket. "this letter says something completely different," the minister snapped, throwing it at draco. "please, read it. out loud."

draco picked up the letter, immediately recognising the handwriting. he swore internally but read anyway. "kingsley, i know this letter may come as a surprise to you but i have something of the utmost importance i need to tell you, regarding a friend of mine. draco malfoy."

draco glanced up from the letter momentarily, noting how shacklebolt was watching him carefully.

he continued. "draco has had a tough life, a life no one knows about. his mother died when he was five, his brother died due to accidental magic when he was six and up until his fathers death, lucius malfoy continuously abused draco."

draco gulped slightly at that and quickly looked up again. shacklebolt had adopted a more sincere expression, his brown eyes soft as he watched draco.

draco breathed in seeping before, again, continuing. "draco ended up..." he trailed off, noticing where this was heading. however, shacklebolt egged him on, "draco ended up killing lucius for his own safety, posing it as a suicide which the wizarding world was all-too ready to believe.

"draco's no saint. he killed his friend when he was sixteen and his best friend a year later, all because of voldemorts influence," draco muttered shakily. "he's constantly been stuck between a rock and a hard place it's difficult to believe he's made it this far."

draco stopped. he didn't want to read more. he can't read more otherwise he'll break down again and he won't get up.

"he killed bellatrix too," draco choked out, licking his suddenly very dry lips. "and imagine all the lives he's saved. but i guess murder is not what you expected, right? i didn't when he told me of all he's done to protect those he cares about, to protect himself.

"he was the spy, the whole time," draco whispered, his hands shaking. secrets. oh, how he thought his would never see the light of day but look at him now. "snape was killed after the astronomy tower attack. it was draco the whole time. he's saved so many people, kingsley. so, so many."

draco dropped his arm and looked everywhere but at shacklebolt. "he doesn't deserve azkaban," draco said lifelessly as sierra approached him. "but i guess that's up to you. draco wouldn't tell you but i care about him enough to risk our friendship like this. he'll hate me, definitely, but at least i tried. from, hermione granger."

draco clicked his tongue, finally glancing up at shacklebolt. draco held up the letter then sat it on the table next to him. "now you know," he muttered, crossing his arms.

shacklebolt nodded. "now i know," he repeated softly. "sit down, draco. we have much to talk about."

draco shrugged, biting his lip. "what's to talk about?"

shacklebolt pointed at the settee. "your sentence. this changes everything, draco. so sit down."

___
draco stormed back into the dorms. when he spotted granger sitting at the settee with her a book in her hand, his anger boiled up. draco stalked over, snatched the book out of her hands and threw it halfway across the room.

"hey!" she exclaimed, standing up. "what was that for—?"

"i told you not to tell him!" draco shouted. "i fucking told you, granger, and there you go fucking blurting everything!"

granger faltered, mouth opening and closing like a fish. "you know," she whispered, sitting back down.

draco glared at her harshly. "yes, i fucking know. how could you?"

"what did kingsley say?" she asked. "what did he say?"

"doesn't fucking matter!" draco shouted, feeling the air around him go static with his magic. "i trusted you, granger."

"what did kingsley say?"

draco huffed out a laugh, stepping away from her. "you want to know? huh? you want to know what the ickle minister chose?"

granger nodded. "yes, i do."

draco laughed hysterically. "i guess killing people for the ministry is a good enough punishment."

hermione knotted her forehead in confusion. "w-what?"

draco laughed even more. he'd rather be crazy than angry otherwise he'll end up hurting granger and god-fucking-damnit, he still cares about her. "you're looking at the ministry's new hitman," draco sang smugly, a cruel smirk on his face.

"no," hermione whispered. "please be joking."

draco shook his head. "nuh-uh. fat lot of good that did, right?"

draco grinned coldly at granger before stalking up to his room, where another bottle of firewhiskey will sure be waiting for him. at least he has one constant in his life, right?

——————————

well shit. that happened. holy fuck.

lmao any of you expect that? of course i did as, well, i came up with the sequel first (ik, how crazy) but is that what you thought kingsley would suggest? the ministry is still as fucked as it's always been.

anywayyyyyy, and i can't believe it's here, but one more chapter left. holy shit. wow. okay. [cries in the corner]

-bee.