New Beginnings

Truth & Lies

Draco was lazing on the sofa after work. Hermione banged the Sneakoscope onto the coffee table. He jumped, spilling noodles down himself.

'Dammit, woman! What was that for?!'

'Proudest achievement,' she grinned, throwing him a cloth.

'Is that a question or a statement?' He magicked the mess away, frowning at the now-empty cup.

'Question. Proudest achievement, what is it?'

'I taught myself to use the TV,' Draco smirked.

'Seriously?'

'Well, it's not the TV, is it? It's what it represents,' Draco leaned forward, intently. 'It's indicative of my openness to new experiences and ideas. To the muggle world, which I previously scorned. I learned to do it for myself, because I wanted to, not because someone told me I had to. Right here, in a new country, in my first ever apartment, I taught myself how to do that. The old me would have had a field day. The people I grew up with would have lost their minds over me using a muggle contraption. It's so much more than just learning how to change a channel, it's part of me changing my life.'

'...wow...that was...deep. And eloquent. Who knew you were such a philosopher?!'

'And muggles say these things are bad for you,' Draco grinned, gesturing with the remote. 'What's your biggest regret? Other than your moment of madness when you thought you might actually win this game, of course.'

'Of course,' Hermione pulled a face at him. 'Well...you know me, Harry and Ron didn't come back for our seventh year? We went hunting horcruxes?'

Draco nodded, his sharp eyes catching the emotion flash across her face at Ron's name.

'Before I left to go with them, I...' her lip quivered as she paused to take a breath. 'I obliviated my parents.'

The words came out in a rush, and it took Draco a moment to realise what she had said.

'Why?' His tone was gentle, no hint of the usual mockery.

'To keep them safe,' she shrugged. 'Not only am I a mudblood,' she spat the word, 'I'm Harry Potter's best friend. The brains of the operation. I was a target on every count, which meant so were they. With me gone, they were vulnerable to being taken as leverage. So I removed all knowledge of our world, of me, and I sent them to Australia.'

'You sent them to Australia? Wait...you erased yourself?!'

'I had to,' Hermione said, staring distantly. 'I had no choice...did I?'

Draco reached out and squeezed her hand. Hermione jumped, having momentarily forgotten him.

'You did what you thought was best, to protect the people you loved,' Draco said softly, as much to himself as to Hermione.

'But I did it too well,' Hermione sighed, a tear trickling down her cheek.

'You couldn't undo it?'

'Anyway!' Hermione sniffed, wiping her eyes briskly. 'I'm going to make a cup of tea, want one?'

'Um, sure? Milk, two sugars, please.'

Draco ducked into his room and rummaged through his trunk. He found the half-empty packet of biscuits he'd been saving.

'Here,' he shoved the packet at Hermione. 'Can't have tea without biscuits. Just not proper!'

'Thanks,' she smiled, weakly. 'These are my favourite.'

'Perfect for dipping,' Draco nodded, dunking the biscuit into his tea. 'So, how do we know the Sneakoscope actually works?'

'Try lying and see what happens.'

'Ok. Hmm. Your tea tastes like crap compared to mine.'

'Hey!' Hermione started to protest, but the Sneakoscope began spinning and whistling shrilly. 'Oh. Ok, my turn. Ummm....I'm really sorry about scaring you earlier.'

Draco swatted her with a pillow as the Sneakoscope spun and whistled. Hermione giggled.

'The food you're making smells awful,' Draco pointed at the slow-cooker, simmering in the corner.

'I know, it smells amazing. I made plenty, do you want some?'

'...no...'

'Liar,' Hermione laughed as Draco's stomach rumbled louder than the frantic whistling and spinning. 'I swear I only ever see you eating sandwiches, fruit, or pot noodles!'

Hermione paused, searching Draco's face as he frowned at the floor.

'Time for my next question,' she said, slowly. 'When was the last time you ate a proper meal?'

'The night before I left,' he muttered. 'Mother made all my favourite foods. I tried making a pizza, about a month ago, but it didn't work out so well.'

'What happened?'

'No follow-up questions!' Draco snarled.

'Sorry,' Hermione scowled. 'Well, if you like, you could watch next time I'm cooking? Plus I always make extra then freeze the leftovers, so you could eat some too, if you wanted?'

'I don't need your pity food,' Draco snapped. The Sneakoscope whistled. He knocked it off the table and slammed into his room.

*****

When Draco came out later, he found a plate of spaghetti and meatballs on the kitchen counter. A warming spell had been cast over it. The Sneakoscope sat next to it.

'Bloody do-goody Gryffindors,' he grumbled. 'Mmph, this is amazing! Damn, that witch can cook!'