Amid the Falling Snow

Chapter 10: Once a Death Eater, Always a Death Eater

"Shit!" Ginny cried from the kitchen. "I hate this oven! Everything always burns!"

"Do you need help, Gin?" Hermione offered as she walked into the smoke filled room.

"No, thanks though. Let's just get Harry to go out and get something to eat." She tottered into the living room. She was now eight months pregnant, and she was starting to look like a penguin as she walked. "Harry! Where the hell are you?"

"Coming, love!" he yelled from upstairs. When he came downstairs, he quickly went into husband mode. "Do you need anything? Chocolate? Fish? Chocolate covered fish?"

Hermione cringed at the thought, disgusted that anyone would eat that.

"That does sound delicious, but no. Can you go and get us some food? I'm starving and I just burnt the remaining of that casserole Mum sent us."

"Yeah. What do you want?" he asked.

As Ginny listed off everything she wanted, yelling at him to not forget the fish again, Hermione's thoughts wandered. It had been four and a half months since she had seen Draco, four and a half lonely months. She missed him dreadfully, but she couldn't bring herself to talk to him. She moved in with Harry and Ginny to avoid him at all costs. He hadn't tried to find her, which, deep inside, made her kind of disappointed. She half-hoped that he would just show up at Harry's doorstep, but no Draco never appeared. She wanted him to ask her what she had meant by being sorry. Truth be told, she didn't think that she could be what he wanted. Ever since her parents died, she hadn't been able to love anyone. It just wasn't fair to him if she couldn't give him the love he was asking for.

"Hermione, is that alright with you?" Ginny asked impatiently.

"Yes, that's fine," she replied airily, not sure what exactly she agreed to.

Harry left hurriedly before Ginny could tell him to get anything else. The two women went into the sitting room, the spring sun pouring through the windows.

"So, what happened with you and Draco anyway?" Ginny questioned. "You two are perfect for each other."

"Why do you say that?" Hermione demanded, ignoring her question.

"The way you two would look at each other when you thought no one was looking, for one. Everyone was looking, let me tell you. Another was the way you two could talk to each other, the way you react to each other. It all fits. You were in love."

"Well, it's all in the past now. He's probably forgotten about me."

Ginny looked surprised. "I don't think he ever could or will. He loves you, Hermione. You were the only who couldn't see it."

Hermione merely nodded, but inside she was just putting the pieces together. "Well, after Ron's wedding, I'll be off to America."

"I still don't know why you'd want to go there. It's full of idiots, if you ask me," Ginny stated.

"I get to teach, and that's all that matters. I've been waiting all my life for an opportunity like this." An opportunity to run away from her problems was more like it.

"Alright, alright. I can't believe my prick of a brother is getting married tomorrow. I thought he'd be alone forever," Ginny commented, giggling.

"Ginny! That's horrible!"

"I know, but honestly. He's such a pig; it's a wonder you even used to like him."

"I don't know what I was thinking," Hermione said, laughing.

The two friends chatted for a bit longer until the food, and Harry, arrived. When Ginny left the room to go to the loo for about the tenth time that day (she was pregnant, after all), Harry took an opportunity to talk to Hermione.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm alright, I suppose. I'm just glad I get to leave this place the day after tomorrow!"

"I'm going to miss you, 'Mione. We all are. You'll always have a place here if you want it."

"Thanks Harry. That means a lot. I'm going to miss all of you so much!" She gave him a giant hug.

"Honestly, Hermione. You don't want to see me cry," Ginny informed her as she entered the room.

***

"I'd like to make a toast," a drunken friend of Helena's slurred as she tried to steady herself on a table.

"Honey, please, get down and drink some coffee," Helena insisted, trying to get her on solid ground.

They were at Helena's bachelorette party, and Hermione was bored out of her mind. All of Helena's friends were either really stuck up and sober or really stuck up and drunk. Most of them were drunk. She wasn't really enjoying herself either. All she could think about was leaving; leaving everything and everyone behind.

"I could go for a drink right about now," Ginny commented as she walked over to Hermione. "These girls are driving me mad!"

"I'll get you some tea," Hermione told her, hurrying to the table. She bumped into Pansy, surprising her and herself.

"Pansy?" Hermione questioned.

"Uh, yeah. Do I know you?" Pansy asked, giving Hermione a puzzled look.

"I'm Hermione. I used to go to Hogwarts with you, but you probably don't remember me."

"I remember you, I just didn't recognise you," Pansy explained. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I didn't know you knew Helena..."

"I don't. A friend of mine dragged me along. Helena's a prude," Pansy commented, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Oh, God, I know!" Finally someone agreed with her!

"Well, it was--er--nice talking to you. We should do something sometime, alright?"

"I'm actually moving to America the day after tomorrow," Hermione told her.

"Are you? Well, good luck, then." After giving her a small hug, she whispered, "The men there are idiots. Our lot are geniuses compared to them."

It was strange how people Hermione knew years ago, people who hated her and her house, could change so drastically. She never knew Pansy to be a friendly person, let alone one who would talk to a Gryffindor. But, she supposed, it was in the past, and as she noticed so often these days, people change.

"What was that all about? Do I need to go hex her for you?" Ginny asked when she came back.

"No, no. Everything's just fine. We were just having a friendly chat."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Um, alright, then. How about we go. I'm getting bored."

***

Draco awoke from a deep sleep. The spring sun was peeking through the shades, shining in his eyes. Grumbling, he staggered from his bed and through the door. He started the water for coffee and grabbed an orange. He started to peel it, but heard a knock on the door and set it down.

"What could you possibly want at six in the morning?" he asked rudely as he opened the door. It was his father.

"Hello, Draco," he greeted just as coldly.

Draco slammed the door in Lucius' face, frowning. He had a lot of nerve to show up at his door. There was another knock, this time it was louder. Draco ignored it, merely sitting on the sofa and flipping through the Daily Prophet. Soon, the door flew open and his father approached.

"You know, it's very rude to slam doors on your guests," he told Draco icily as he invited himself to sit on the sofa.

"Is that so? I wasn't aware you were invited, so therefore you couldn't possibly be a guest," Draco replied smoothly, smirking.

"Grudges aside, Draco, I need to speak with you. It's urgent." For the first time, Draco saw a flicker of vulnerability in his father's eyes.

"What is it?" Draco asked lazily.

"It's Greyback. He wants your help. He says that if you refuse, he'll make sure you pay," his father told him worriedly.

"Why do you care? I can handle things on my own," Draco demanded.

"Whether I like it or not, you are my son, and I have to make sure you are alright," Lucius answered quietly.

"Well, you certainly haven't thought about me all these years, so your help isn't welcome. Don't let the door hit you on the way out," he replied coldly, motioning to the door.

Lucius stood and nodded. "I see. Just keep a careful eye on things. They may not be what they appear." He walked swiftly out the door, closing it tightly behind him.

"They may not be what they appear," Draco mumbled to himself. "What is that supposed to mean?"

What did it mean? Did his father know something he didn't? It was probably just Lucius' way to try and get him to join his stupid Death Eater revolt.

When evening came around, Draco decided to take a stroll about the city. The air was cool, but not cold enough to wear a jumper. He took a seat on a bench in front of the lake, staring into space. He had been doing that for several minutes when someone sat next to him.

"Hello, Draco. It's been a while since I've seen you," the voice growled.

Draco turned to face the man; it was Greyback. "What do you want?" Draco asked icily.

"I think you know what I want, Malfoy," he sneered.

"I refuse to join you," Draco stated flatly. "Find someone else."

"I know your father went to see you. He told you what would happen if you refuse. You don't want that, do you?"

"I honestly don't know what you could possibly do that could sway me," Draco answered coldly.

Greyback laughed; a cold, heartless laugh that sent chills up Draco's spine. "I think you're mistaken. Does the name Hermione mean anything to you?"

Draco stiffened, colour fading from his face. Greyback seemed to sense the fear in his eyes and used this to his advantage.

Greyback laughed again. "Yes, very good."

"You will leave her alone," Draco demanded, trying to stay calm.

"And you will join us," Greyback told him, smirking with satisfaction.

Draco felt torn between two worlds. The world he once was a part of and the world he wanted. "Fine," he agreed feebly.

"Good, I'll be in touch," Greyback hissed. He stood and disappeared into the shadows.

Draco knew at that moment that things were going as wrong as they could. He knew he had no choice if he wanted to keep Hermione safe . His own life could have been spared, but now he was in for the worst. He was forever bound to the Death Eater way.