Not What They Were- a Drinny fanfiction

Chapter 17

**** ATTENTION - - - I edited the last chapter slightly to reflect Draco's new assignment. Might want to read from the Ministry on to get up to speed with this Chapter. THANKS!!! ENJOY!!!!****

It was the middle of the night when Draco stepped out fo the flames and into the courtyard of the floo terminal. The rain had begun falling from the skies and darkening the concrete walkway that connected each of the fireplaces. In London, an outdoor floo network would be impossible, but here, the rain was a rarity and the sand that surrounded the path started to muddle, sloshing against his boots as he made his way to a rickety stand sporting rental brooms. Although he had changed so many of his ways in recent years, Draco still turned his nose up at the thought of riding on an old tottering rented broom, he enjoyed the finer things in life. But, he was no longer Draco Malfoy, and Drudgen Morgana would have no problems with riding a used broom.

"I need a broom." he huffed out at the attendant, trying his best to mask his voice.

"Identification." the small elderly witch croaked in her thick accent. Draco handed over his wand or Drudgen's wand. Giving his wand to Nymphadora and taking this lumpy, knotted mass of driftwood was extremely difficult, his hawthorn wand was an extension of him, it was loyal to him. Harry may have won it from him at one point, but the wand knew its true master, and he felt empty without it. Although he could perform just fine with the driftwood wand, it wasn't the same. The witch handed the wand back to him and unlocked the small gate next to her.

"Nimbus' here. Firebolts in the back. Cleansweeps towards the middle, cheapest price. There might be a Moontrimmer somewhere, anyways, take a look around. I'll be up front when you're ready to pay." The witch left him to wander around the gated space, rain now pouring over him.

Where is this guy, Draco thought, he's late.

Draco was left waiting for another fifteen minutes after he had chosen a cheap Cleansweep to rent. It would look odd for him to have sat in the rain, so he made his way inside a small bodega and ordered a cup of tea while he waited. Just as he was about to send a message to Nymphadora, in walked the last person in the world he wanted to see, Harry Potter.

This couldn't be my handler! he thought No way Nymphadora would allow this!

Draco was lived. Of all the Aurors in the world, they had to send Potter! Tea sloshed over the edge of his cup and burned his shaking hand as Potter spotted him from the entrance.

"You must be Drudgen?" Potter offered his hand. Draco ignored it and grunted.

"Well then," he sat down and ordered a cup of coffee, "I thought I was supposed to meet you by the broom rental?"

"You were, you're late," Draco grunted again, he could barely control his anger. The only thing keeping him from jumping across the table and throttling him for what he did to Ginny was the fact that Potter had no clue it was Draco. Nymphadora had promised him his identity would remain a secret to the Auror department he would be infiltrating, he had a cover within a cover. Someone within the Auror office was dirty, it had become Draco's job to determine who that might be.

"Oh, sorry about that. Must have gotten my times crossed." Potter picked up the paper cup and stood, waiting for Draco to follow him, "So, you obviously know the drill, sure Tonks has briefed you. But, the only men in our office who know you're actually investigating us is me and Director Rahal. Everyone else thinks you've been kicked out of the Bulgarian office for some kind of dodgy shit." Potter stopped and turned around to face Draco full-on, "Given your appearance that shouldn't be too hard to convince them of. HA!" he laughed aloud and continued walking to a spot outside of the Floo Terminal, Draco following with his broom slung over his shoulder right next to his chip. He always knew Potter was arrogant and an ass, but he had gotten worse in the few days since he had been in Egypt. "Anyways, they think you're the problem child, so it should entice the mole to seek you out."

Harry led him to a broom locker outside the terminal where he withdrew a brand new Nimbus, instantly triggering old envy of the boy who lived. It wasn't just the fact that Harry had a new broom and Draco was left with an old rental that bothered him, it was the engraving at the end of the broom.

Good Luck, Kingsley.

Even after leaving his department, abandoning his friends and family, destroying Ginny, and completely cutting communication with his peers, he was still loved. Still cared for.

Harry led the way by broom to a small two bedroom stone house in a muggle neighborhood. Old and new cars lined the streets and the houses ranged from small, like Draco's safe house, to massive, like Malfoy Manor. Harry opened the front door with a key to reveal a modest interior with bare furnishings and a large trunk that the Ministry had shipped before Draco's arrival.

"Fridge is stocked, there's a TV in the bedroom if you watch it," he did not, "and here's the key. I know you've had a long night, but you still need to report to headquarters at 9 am sharp."

Draco nodded his understanding and walked passed Harry to his trunk, turning when he realized he had not heard the door close.

"What?" he barked at Harry.

"Nothing, just...nothing nevermind." Harry walked out the door calling his goodbye as he left Draco alone in the barren home.

Pulling a small gold key from his robes, Draco opened his Trunk and descended down the spiral staircase into a large room, an identical copy of his study at the Manor, with one small change. On the desk, in a dark mahogany frame, Ginny was smiling back at him, red hair waving in the wind. He had taken the photo from Ginny's room the night she forced him to stay, and now, here in this unfamiliar place, in a home, he wouldn't be comfortable, he was happy to see her beautiful smile.