Taking Over Me

Chapter five - Mystery...almost...revealed

Back at the Ministry, things were as hectic as ever. The search for two missing Aurors did not go unnoticed, especially if one of the two Aurors was Harry Potter.

Hermione was busy trying to detect Ron or Harry. It was late at night, and she hadn't slept a wink since the two left to the Death Eater party. She felt that she had every reason to fret then. She was afraid Harry and Ron would get captured, and she was right.

Hermione was just about to give up when Affinity came running into the lobby, her face flushed, her hair frayed in every which way. She ran up to the desk, and threw a paper onto Hermione's desk, collapsing.

Hermione looked down at Affinity, and, once she confirmed Affinity was all right, she looked at the paper Affinity threw at her. It was a picture of Malfoy; only it wasn't Draco or Lucius, or the usual Malfoy you'd see as part of the Malfoy Death Eater files. Her sad eyes looked up at Hermione, as if the picture had a true life of her own. She mouthed Hermione's name, and then, she mouthed that she was sorry for everything she had done.

Affinity grabbed the edge of the desk and hoisted herself up.

"Where did you get this?" Hermione asked, hypnotized by the sad, guilty eyes that seemed to glisten as if the picture were to cry.

"I found it in Harry's desk," Affinity said. "Her name matches this." Affinity gave Hermione the letter that Melly gave to Ron.

Hermione read the letter, and looked down at the file. The file said Melly Avalon. Hermione shook her head.

"Harry told me she was dead," Hermione whispered. "Said Ron told him. This can't be her."

Hermione, however, knew Melly was alive. Harry had also told her Melly was alive and well, although she had changed greatly.

"Well, where do you suggest we look?" Affinity sounded desperate. "I have no further ideas here!"

Hermione looked from the letter, and then back to Melly, who was smiling at her. Seeing that smile, Hermione's brain sparked a memory. She shook her arm out of her coat sleeve and looked at what she held round her wrist.

Affinity smiled sympathetically at it. She figured the reason why Hermione was staring sadly at the bracelet was the fact that Harry had given it to her, and she missed Harry.

The real reason, however, was that this bracelet was a chain of crosses, all in different colors. The bracelet was in no way connected with Harry. Well, it would be if you count that the whole reason Hermione had it was because Harry told on Melly. If he hadn't, then the bracelet would still Melly's.

"Harry told me-" Hermione begun, but couldn't finish. She choked back sobs as she stared at her bracelet. "He told me that he and Ron were going to a Death Eater party to capture two of the Death Eaters there. He didn't tell me whom. He just said that the person he mostly wanted was going to pay for the damage she had done to our lives."

Affinity took full notice of a silent tear running down Hermione's cheek. "Who is this person?" Affinity whispered.

Hermione looked up at her. She then looked down at the file. Then, without thinking, she dashed out from behind the counter and to the fireplaces that were lined up against the wall, Affinity close behind her. Hermione took a pinch of floo powder and stepped into one of the fireplaces.

"Potter Flat!" she said.

Puzzled, Affinity did the same.

Affinity stepped out of the fireplace once she arrived to, what looked like, Hermione and Harry's flat. Hermione was rushing to her closet, and grabbed two long coats.

Affinity looked at the coats as Hermione thrust them into Affinity's arms.

"Why do we need these? It's the middle of summer," she questioned.

"They are only proper. Besides, where we're going, it'll probably be cold as hell, Hermione said, grabbing one of the coats.

"But, Hell isn't cold," Affinity commented. Hermione gave her one of those looks that told Affinity that she just said something beyond stupid. Affinity nodded. "Right." She pulled the coat on, and, after instructions to where they were going from Hermione, disapparated.

---

"You may do what you like with him, just don't kill him. The girl is mine."

Draco grinned from ear to ear. "You just made my day, Mel!" he said as he stepped into Ron's cell.

"Glad to be of service," Melly replied, looking down upon Mala. Mala backed all the way to the back of the cell, tears streaming down her face.

"Let's just get this over with," Draco said. He pointed his wand at Ron. "You don't know how long I waited to do this. Crucio!"

Mala cringed as she heard Ron's cries. She looked at Melly. Melly was trying with every nerve in her body not to show how much Ron's cries hurt her.

She will pay dearly for talking to Ron, Melly thought.

She's just a girl! Faith said.

She's a little meddlesome muggle. I told her once not to go talking whenever, whatever, and to whomever she pleases.

And what do you plan on doing to this little meddlesome muggle girl?

Anything I see fit.

I miss Severus.

I do, too.

"You're lucky," Melly said once Ron's screaming stopped, and Draco laughed. Mala looked at her puzzled. "You might die quickly."

She raised her wand to Mala.

"Melly?"

Melly lowered her hand. Just the perfect time for Harry to interrupt.

---

The sky was gray, indicating the rains to start soon. Hermione clutched her coat around her. The wind was blowing hard, and it was a cold wind. Affinity was shivering next to her.

"Shouldn't we have asked permission first?" Affinity asked.

"She doesn't need permission, why should we?" Hermione said as she started walking towards the large house that was that of Malfoy Manor.

Affinity looked after Hermione, and looking uncertainly at the house.

The paint was gray, the door was white, and the roof was a dark gray. The grounds around the house were both weeded and beautiful. In other words: It's 100% wizard. Affinity walked nervously along the brick path that led to the front door. Hermione didn't seem to have any problem with the house. How could she do that?

Hermione reached the door, and turned to Affinity, watching her nervously and cautiously walk along the path. She kept looking this way and that, keeping full aware of what may be lurking in the garden.

"Hurry up!" Hermione hissed. Affinity jumped and took one giant step towards Hermione. Hermione, now satisfied that Affinity was standing by her, knocked on the door.

A tall man answered the door. He was wearing a suit that butlers wore.

"Yes?" he asked.

"We would like to see Melly Ava-Melly Malfoy. Yes, we would like to see Melly Malfoy," Hermione said, nervous that she might see Melly again after so many years.

The butler bowed. "Follow me," he said, turning around and walking towards a room. Hermione and Affinity followed, Affinity closing the door behind her.

The room the butler took them to was a large parlor. There was a huge fireplace, which wasn't lit. There were a few bookshelves, and many satin chairs scattered around the room. Affinity and Hermione sat on a chair that faced the non-lit fireplace.

The butler bowed. "I will inform her that you are here, and she will be down shortly." The butler turned around and left the room.

Hermione and Affinity were quiet.

"You!" they heard the butler bark. "Go get Miss Malfoy! She has guests."

"Yes, sir," a small house-elf said.

---

"That was fun," Draco said in the dungeon bathroom, wiping his hands free from blood. "You have no idea how happy that made me."

"You needed it," Melly said, smiling. It was all fun and games for her until Harry interrupted. She didn't want to do it, but she didn't want Draco to know that she still cared for Harry, even if Harry didn't care back. She stupefied him. "I'm sorry." She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not your fault," Draco said, throwing the rag into the sink. "It's Father's. I asked him if I could marry Sher. He said that he and Master Voldemort both decided on this."

Melly pulled him back, and placed her other hand on his other shoulder. She looked at him, and smiled at him. "If it makes you feel better, I don't have anyone to share my feelings with. You do." She pulled him into a hug.

"Not anymore," Draco whispered. He shrugged and pulled away. "It was bound to happen," he said as he grabbed the rag and started cleaning his already clean hands.

"Who ended it?" Melly asked, although she already knew the answer.

"She did. Said that it would be better for all of us. You and I wouldn't get tortured, and she wouldn't get killed."

Melly nodded as a 'POP' was heard. Melly looked around and saw a small house-elf standing behind her.

"Miss Malfoy has visitors," the house-elf said.

"Who?" Melly asked.

"Journey does not know," the house-elf (Journey) said. "They are in the parlor, Miss Malfoy."

"WHAT?" Melly yelled. "The parlor!"

Draco glared at Journey, who whimpered and nodded her head. "The parlor, Miss."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Melly asked. She kicked the elf. "Go get them out of there! I can't show up through the fireplace!" She paused as a thought came to her. Whoever was here was probably more Aurors asking to inspect the premises. If Harry Potter is what they wanted, then Harry Potter is what they'd get. "No," she said, stopping the elf from disappearing. "Tell them I'll be there shortly. Offer them some tea."

Journey nodded and disappeared.

Melly bit her lip. She hated mistreating the house-elves. They were always so nice to her. She didn't want the rest of the Malfoy family to know that though.

Draco threw his arm over her shoulders. "Visitors?" he asked, looking at her. "Expecting company?"

Melly shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"What's this you wanting them to stay in the parlor?" Draco asked, walking around her and into the corridor. "If they're Aurors, they'll be stunning you and looking in here. They'll find Potter and Weasel."

"Exactly," Melly said as she walked haughtily out of the bathroom and to the dungeons.

Draco sighed and started after her. "By the way," he said, "what did Potter want?"

Melly stopped in front of Mala's cell. "He didn't want me to kill her," she said, looking at Mala's sleeping form. "Said he kill himself if she died. Although I don't know why he would do such a stupid thing like that."

"Why don't you just kill himself?" Draco asked.

"Because, my father doesn't want him dead. Well, he doesn't want me to kill him, I know that much." Melly continued walking, Draco following her.