I Fell Into Your Arms

Chapter 11: Inquiries

When Draco arrived in Sirius' office, he quickly disilluminated himself. He didnt want the Minister to think a stranger had broken into her home.

Sirius just finished a long day in court. He came home to an empty house and went straight to his office. When he sat down, he knew someone was there.

"Hello?" Sirius raised his wand. Only a handful of people are allowed inside the extensive wards guarding Bones Estate.

Draco sighed as he revealed himself to Sirius. "Why didnt you warn me?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"The strong headed Gryffindor!" Draco raged.

"My daughter needed a new start, surely you know that feeling." Sirius grey eyes narrowed.

"Ugh! Why you let me in the secret is beyond me." Draco groaned.

"Like you let me in your secret Dr. Swann?" Sirius smirked.

"Touchè."

"Whats this meeting for?" Sirius crossed his arms.

"Hermione Grang- oh hell Black." Draco scowled.

"I only let you in the secret because your mother asked me to look after you when she was gone. What do you want to know about Hermione?" Sirius smiled slightly.

"What happened to her? Why has she lost her confidence? Her spark? Surely you've noticed that she changed. Tell me!" Draco demanded.

Sirius smirked, "that my young friend, you will have to work for. Just be nice to her is all the advise I can give right now."

Draco growled. "Is the Minister home yet?"

"No, you are lucky. You had better leave though, Lia wouldnt like to see a stranger in her house. Although Draco Malfoy has been cleared of all Death Eater crimes, I dont want Dr. Swann to have breaking and entering on his record." Sirius suggested.

Draco released a long sigh, "fine. But Im not finished with you, not by a long run." The younger man twisted away.

Sirius smirked, "Merlin does he have it bad for my daughter."

* 

Hermione just returned home to her cottage when an alarm sounded. Hermione tensed up, she knew her dad put several protective wards up around the cottage.

"Angie!"

The elf appeared at once. "Yes Miss Herminny?"

"Please go see who has breeched the wards and bring them to me."

The elf disappeared and was back in an instant holding the hand of a guilty looking Molly Weasley.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Molly, how did you find me?" Her voice was icy. How she had wished that Molly could have helped her on her wedding day, but the woman ignored the silent pleas Hermione sent out.

The redheaded woman bowed her head. She deserved her first nane, no more Mum. "Im here to apologize. Im sorry I never saw the signs. Look, I still consider you my daughter, and I want you to be happy."

Hermione sighed, "Molly, I don't blame you. I should have walked away, a long time ago. I was nieve to believe our relationship would get better. I didnt tell you because I thought it would destroy your family. With Fred gone, I thought it would literally be the nail in the coffin. Sorry to use that comparison, but I couldnt let my first wizarding family fall apart because of me. Ginny and Harry are so busy being wrapped around each other, I couldnt make myself break their peace with my problems. Ginny would never forgive her older brother, and Harry would never talk ro his best friend again.  All because of me. There wasnt anyone to turn to, so I turned in and hid away." She wiped some tears away.

Mollys face turned from shame to sad. "That was way too much pressure to put on yourself. I should have supported you in my sons trial, not him. Im sorry, I had the evidence in front of me, and I refused to aknowledge the abusive monster my once innocent son became."

"You were in shock. I understand. Come in, lets have some tea together ok?" Hermione smiled.

"Id like that." Molly grinned.

*

Draco was outside in the pouring rain trying to catch his best friend before he went home. "Oi Blaise!"

The dark skinned wizard turned to find his best friend approching him.

"What are you doing out here without an umbrella?!" Blaise demanded. He waved his wand as an umbrella appeared above Dracos head.

"I needed to talk to you about something important." Draco sighed.

"A patient?" Blaises eyebrow went up.

"No! Granger!"

Blaise's smirk appeared. "What about the Gryffindor Princess?"

"Tell me what happened to her!" Draco demanded.

"Hmm, ever heard of the magic word?" Blaise tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Now?" Draco chuckled.

Blaise frowned, "i never took you for being thick."

"Im only joking. Please can you tell me?"

Blaise regarded his friend closely. "Think back about what I said. Or better yet, read the paper."

"Im not reading that rubbish!" Draco growled.

"Shane, all of your answers about the Gryffindor Princess are in there. I gotta get home to Luna. You know how she gets when Im home late." Blaise then continued to walk down the street.

"Oh Merlin!" Draco groaned spinning on the spot to go home.

He arrived in the hallway of Malfoy Manor. "Elsa! Im home, your babysitting duties are over!"

At once a young female house elf with ocean blue eyes appeared.

"Master, please take off that disguise, your own son wont recognise you!" Elsa squeaked.

Draco chuckled waving his wand. Dr. Swanns black hair and blue eyes disappeared as Dracos natural platinum blonde hair and silver eyes returned.

"Has he been a good boy for you?" Draco asked walking to the dinning room.

"An angel as always sir." Elsa smiled.

"Could you get a newspaper, please?" Draco asked sitting down.

"Daddy!" Scorpius came running in to hug his father.

"Hello Scorp, how are you?"

"Hungry!" Scorpius replied.

"Demi!"

Another elf appeared, male this time. "Yes Master?"

"We'd like dinner now please." Draco gestured to him and his son.     

Demi nodded and vanished.

Elsa returned with a folded Prophet in her hands. She held it out to Draco.

"Thanks Elsa, thats all for now. You can go on break until tommow at 7 am." Draco replied.

"Thanks Master!" Elsa squeaked excitedly before leaving.

Draco unrolled the newspaper, but never got to read it because Demi returned with dinner.