Transfixed: A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 42

I thought I must have been going crazy. How in the world did this woman sound exactly like Hermione? I could feel myself staring at her, and she nervously avoided eye contact with me, as did the other two men in the elevator. They were all in their 40s or 50s, and I was positive I had never seen any of them before. But their demeanors were off, and they all seemed very uncomfortable. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I looked back at the woman.

"Lovely weather outside," I said casually. The woman smiled and nodded but it was forced, strained. I turned back towards the front of the elevator and shot a confused look at Draco. I couldn't tell if he thought the three of them were weird or not.

We reached our floor and the door opened to reveal none other than Delores Umbridge waiting to enter. When she saw Draco, she beamed.

"Mr. Malfoy! Lovely to see you."

"Very nice to see you too," he said politely. We exited the elevator but I turned to look back at the three still inside, to see if they would follow us. They all stood still as statues, like deer in headlights. Could that lady have been Hermione in some sort of disguise? I supposed these days, anything was possible...

Umbridge entered the elevator and gave the dark-haired man a confused glance.

"Albert, aren't you getting out?" she asked. The man looked at her, and then shuffled out of the elevator. Draco and I just stared at him as he swiveled his head to look around, then turned on his heel and headed down a hallway. As he walked away, the elevator doors closed, and Draco and I were alone. When we looked at each other, we couldn't help but laugh at the bizarreness of it all.

"C'mon," he said. "Thicknesse's office is this way."

"Wait!" I said. "That was odd. Those wizards were acting so strange.

"Yes, they were."

"Draco, I know this sounds crazy, but I could swear that woman sounded just like Hermione Granger."

He stopped and gave me a curious look. "What?"

"Again, I know it sounds crazy but she had the exact same voice as Hermione. I'd recognize her voice anywhere."

Draco shook his head in confusion, but I could tell that he was considering it. "Do you think she was using Polyjuice Potion?"

"I have no idea why she would want to come here, but yes, it is possible. Maybe there's something here they need."

"What could they possibly need here?"

"No idea. But I think we should go back down and try to find them."

"Audrey, we don't have time for that. The Minister is expecting us right now," Draco said firmly. "Besides, that witch only said two words to us. How could you be positive it was Hermione if she only said two words?"

I frowned, but I supposed he was right. I was so nervous, I could have exaggerated the similarity between the voices. I followed him down the hallway and tried to redirect my thoughts towards the meeting.

We stopped at a large black door with a gold plaque that read "Pious Thicknesse- Minister of Magic." Draco knocked on the door. A man answered. He was tall with long dark hair that was slicked back. I recognized him immediately. He was at the Death Eaters meeting at Malfoy Manor the night I arrived. He had been silent during the time I was in the room, and I had not known who he was. But he was a Death Eater all the same, and now he was running the government. A chill ran up my spine as I looked at him.

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss. Cliffton. I have been expecting you. Please do come in." He stepped out of the doorway and extended his arm as we entered. The office was very large with wood paneled walls and a thick purple carpet. A simple mahogany desk sat in the back of the room, surrounded by large windows that showed the busy street down below. In front of the desk sat two emerald green armchairs, and he gestured for us to have a seat. He walked behind the desk but remained standing.