Wicked Deception

Wicked Deception

Chapter Seven

Even though Harry was a little drunk he looked at Draco incredulously. "That's your plan? I can't do that to her. What makes you think that the pain of my death now will be any less than learning of it later? And a lie as big as that would only make her hate me more!"

Draco calmly explained, "Potter, if she thought you were dead then she wouldn't do anything foolish like follow you when you have to leave."

Harry started to contradict this but shut his mouth and followed Draco's reasoning. He hit his palm against his forehead. Of course, she would follow him into any danger he happened into. Throughout school Hermione and Ron had plunged headlong after him into any adventure. However, Ron was now an Auror and he knew that what Harry was destined to do, he had to do it alone. Only Hermione would never understand that she couldn't go with him. And if he made her his wife that was all the more reason she would take it upon herself to follow him.

But not if she thought he was dead.

He hated the thought of Hermione believing he was dead but she wouldn't be any worse off if he didn't return from his battle with Voldemort. In addition, part of Draco's plan was his promise to care for Hermione himself so that if Harry was victorious and survived the ordeal, then Hermione would be there for him when he returned.

It all made sense. Draco had plenty of space to accommodate Hermione at the Manor and she would be wealthy beyond words, inheriting from Harry with Malfoy agreeing to supplement Harry's small fortune. Draco had also pointed out that the wards available at the Manor to protect Hermione were second to none. They would only need Dumbledore's approval to go ahead.

"Harry, are you down there?" a voice called from the top of the stairs.

***

Hermione was feeling a little better, having just woken up from several hours of deep sleep, void of any dreams or Draco's face dancing in her head. She had fallen asleep at eleven the previous morning and it was now three in the morning.

She was feeling very hungry. As she made her way to the kitchen to fix herself something to eat she heard voices drifting up from the den. She called down to see if Harry was doing some work from home.

Hermione was overjoyed to see Harry turn the corner and come up to her on the stairs. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed as if he would never let her go. At first it was almost suffocating, then she returned the hug tightly and buried her face into his shoulder. She hadn't felt this safe in a while. They stayed in this embrace for a time before Harry pulled back and looked down at Hermione's face. She felt warm under his gaze and realized just how much she missed him. Tears started to well up in her eyes and Harry pulled her close again.

He whispered into her hair, "Please don't cry. Are you feeling better?" Again he pulled away but took her hand and led her to the couch. "I've been home all afternoon and night so that I would be here when you woke up. Ginny gave me a bit of a fright when her owl delivered me her note."

Hermione looked aghast at this news but Harry continued, "She said you looked terribly ill and had cancelled your visit for the third time in a row. When I saw you in bed I realized that I've been neglecting you." His fingers brushed the hair from her face and lifted her chin so he could look full upon her face. "You look tired and thin. Please tell me what's been bothering you."

Hermione looked into his eyes and everything she and Draco had done in the past three months faded from her mind as she thought only of Harry. She snuggled against him and buried her head into his chest. Her arms wrapped around behind him and she sat there for several minutes before she said, "Harry, I've just really missed you."

Deep concern set across Harry's face as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Hermione, I've missed you too." He turned his head and glanced down the stairs and saw Draco staring at the two of them. From the foot of the stairs, Malfoy cocked an eyebrow at him. Harry nodded slightly then saw him walk back towards the den. He barely heard the soft pop as Draco Disapparated. Harry knew that he was off to get Dumbledore's approval for the plan.

***

As Minister for Magic, Albus Dumbledore was able to model his Ministry office exactly like the office he had kept when he was Headmaster at Hogwarts. The same books lined the shelves around the circular walls and all the instruments from his old office sat in the same places here. Only the portraits that graced the walls and the view from his windows were different. Fawkes' perch stood close to his desk and the phoenix, resplendent in his colours of crimson and gold, sat quietly on it.

Upon becoming the High Minister, his very first duty had been to incorporate the members of the Order of the Phoenix into the Auror Department at the Ministry. There was no longer any reason for the Order to remain secretive as no one could deny that Voldemort had risen to power again. Dumbledore himself now supervised the training of the Aurors to repair the damage caused by Voldemort and his minions and to help bring about the demise of the Dark Lord.

It was one of these Aurors that brought Dumbledore to his office so early in the morning. Upon his desk was a message he had received late last night requesting a meeting between himself and Draco Malfoy as early as Dumbledore could arrange it. So he waited for him at the break of day, curious as to the nature of Draco's request.

As he waited, Dumbledore thought back upon the histories of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. Every one of his Aurors had studied at Hogwarts during his term as Headmaster but it was only Harry and Draco that had given him cause for concern during their tenure at the school. Dumbledore had known from the beginning that both would grow to be powerful wizards and he had worried about their futures upon graduation.

With the proper support, supervision and the assistance of Professor Snape, Dumbledore could only have hoped to keep Draco from the same path his father, Lucius, had tread. When it happened that only hatred tied Harry and Draco to each other from the very first day they met, the young Malfoy seemed destined to follow his father's footsteps, playing villain to Harry's hero. As the years wore on and every effort had been expended to steer both their futures, it wasn't until the boys' seventh year that Lucius was sent to Azkaban permanently.

Both Dumbledore and Severus were overjoyed that Draco had not been initiated and marked as a Death Eater before this occurred. Draco was then able to make his own decisions regarding his future and Dumbledore did everything he could to welcome him into their fold, relying on Professor Snape to be his liaison. In the short course of the year, Draco made important choices that brought honour to the Malfoy name without resorting to the evil and wickedness that Lucius had lived by.

To Dumbledore, Harry's future had been as equally uncertain as Draco's future. Without a doubt, Harry was destined for great things. The prophecy that was made before he was born and his survival when he was only a baby had surely set him on that path. Yet whether Harry was destined to rid the world forever of the evil that Voldemort personified or whether he was destined to become the Dark Lord himself should he defeat Voldemort was not so evident.

Since Harry was left in the care of his Muggle relatives he was subjected to negative influences every year of his life. His family life was void of any love or respect and Harry could at any time have easily been swayed to evil, making him an easy target to become a devotee of the Dark Lord. Dumbledore's decision to leave Harry with the Dursleys was a hard one to make, but he believed the choice he made ensured Harry's safety. His only regret was that he could not know how the Dursley family dynamic would affect Harry.

Dumbledore's concern for Harry's fate increased exponentially in his fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts. Harry's attitude and the choices he made in these tumultuous years were worrisome, and he was often angry and volatile as he struggled with his teenage emotions and came to terms with who he was and the inevitability of his part in the final battle.

The biggest blow to Harry's self-confidence came with the death of his godfather Sirius Black. Dumbledore struggled handling Harry's situation, as he wanted to protect him from what was to come, but at the same time keep his distance to allow Harry the freedom to make his own decisions. It was with intense anxiety that he waited to see the wizard Harry would become and if he would even survive to his graduation. Were it not for Harry's innate goodness and the guidance of his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Dumbledore wondered what the world would be like now.

A knock at the large oak door disrupted Dumbledore's musings and when Draco Malfoy entered the office he wasted no time with pleasantries. "Master Dumbledore, I've come to discuss a proposal Potter and I have devised to append to your current plan against the Dark Lord."

Dumbledore nodded and listened intently while Draco reported on the steps of their plan. He even provided a parchment for Dumbledore to peruse as Malfoy outlined their idea.

When Draco finished and sat expectantly, Dumbledore contemplated the benefits and risks of their plan. Out of Mr. Potter's tight-knit trio, Mister Weasley would not present a problem to the plan because he was a trained Auror and could be relied upon to allow Harry to carry out his dangerous tasks without interference. It was Miss Granger that posed the weak link in Dumbledore's entire plan and she was Harry's weak link as well. Not only was she untrained but she had also been kept clueless about the plans that were already set in motion.

Albus blamed himself for her ignorance and thus her safety. Thinking back again, Dumbledore remembered Harry's pleas that Hermione be kept from becoming an Auror upon their graduation. He had decided to defer to Harry and grant his request.

It had then become an ongoing concern that Hermione be protected and so the Aurors did everything in their power to provide protections and wards to surround her, her place of work and the house in which she and Harry lived. In spite of these protections however, she would always be in danger and in Harry's absence she was even more vulnerable.

Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter now brought to him a plan that might solve this entire problem for him. And yet, he felt he was being asked again to approve something against his better judgment and which again pertained to the future of Miss Granger.

Their plan held merit, but it also carried its own risks.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you how Miss Granger will feel about this deception when she discovers the truth. Mr. Potter understands this as well?" Dumbledore eyed the young man before him over his half-moon spectacles.

Draco nodded solemnly and answered, "Yes, sir, we understand the risks. Granger is Potter's main concern and he's willing to face any consequences resulting in our actions."

Albus knew at this point that the young men had already resolved themselves to carry out this plan, and there was nothing that he could do to dissuade them from it. He at least appreciated that they had brought their idea to him, if only to ensure that it would fit in with the rest of his plan.

"Voldemort will wreak havoc on both the Wizarding and Muggle communities at the news of Harry's death. The Aurors must be prepared to hold back any major attacks until Harry can accomplish his tasks," he instructed Draco.

"Sir, we will update the group and ensure they are prepared," Draco replied.

He slowly nodded and gave his approval to Draco to proceed with their arrangements and wondered, not for the first time, how this was all going to end.

***

Harry stayed with Hermione the entire day. He cooked for her and they sat together at the breakfast nook, eating and talking. He touched her as often as he could. He looked at each of her features carefully, thoroughly memorizing every detail about her.

Harry felt he owed her as much time as he could give her. She was going to go through a lot worse in a couple of months, the time that both he and Draco agreed to execute their plan. Malfoy had presented his plan to Dumbledore then sent an owl at once to let Harry know that they were permitted to proceed. Dumbledore was going to leave it to him and Draco to carry out the necessary steps that would ensure Hermione's safety.

The only part of the plan they did not agree upon was the timing of Harry's 'death'. Malfoy thought it should be before their wedding so she wasn't grieving for him as his widow so soon after being married. Though Harry was a little surprised at Draco's compassion, he selfishly pushed to make her his wife before he left. She was all that he had and he convinced himself that knowing she was his wife would make it easier for him to deal with departing and the pressure of what he was expected to do.

After more than a few owls had gone between them as they quibbled over the timing, Draco won out in the end and it was decided they would stage his death the week before the wedding. This would still give Harry as much time with Hermione as possible before his departure.

That night, Harry stayed awake to watch her sleep. When her breathing had slowed and Harry was sure she was asleep he whispered all the things he wanted for their future as if he were never leaving.

***

April and May passed by in a blur. Harry still had to work long hours but he checked in on Hermione often. He worried that she would make herself ill again, and he needed to spend as much time with her as he could. He also had Ginny and Ron, when he could get away from his full workload, spend time with Hermione to ensure sure she never felt lonely. The attention seemed to revive Hermione and she started to look and feel much better.

Hermione, on the other hand, was overjoyed at being able to see Harry so often, and was even more so because she had not had a single visit from Malfoy in the two months. She wondered what the Aurors were up to, since it obviously had Draco busy enough to distract him. She didn't press Harry for details and was just content to feel somewhat normal again. Hermione also had her wedding to plan.

May passed with daily outings as she and Ginny saw to flowers, photographers, cakes and caterers. It was going to be a small Muggle-traditional affair but there was much to do

When June arrived Ginny commented on how she was glad to see Hermione looking like her old self. Hermione did feel good. Dreams of Draco rarely interrupted her sleep and she was beginning to think that she had been foolish to make herself sick with worry. She was glad for Draco's absence so she could concentrate on what was going to be one of the happiest times in her life. Everything was coming together for the wedding and Harry was with her almost every day now. Harry was able to take days off at a time to help Hermione with wedding plans or just to spend time with her. Though she was pleased that Harry had so much free time from work, she worried that Malfoy would also have the time to check in on her as well. However he didn't appear and Hermione and Harry's wedding was in only two and a half weeks. She was feeling happier than she had ever been in her life.

With just over a week before the wedding Harry surprised Hermione with champagne when she entered their bedroom. He lit candles to brighten the room and then poured some of the bubbly liquid into flutes. Toasting her with a clink of the crystal, he lifted his glass and drank. Hermione followed suit, taking a small sip, but Harry gently lifted the bottom of her glass as he tipped his back and they continued to gulp down the entire contents of their glasses. She noted a slight acrid taste to her champagne and wondered briefly if it might be a little off. Looking at Harry she saw a sparkle in his eyes that brightened his already gleaming smile and Hermione was caught a little off-guard when he abruptly caught her up in his arms, bending his head to kiss her full on the mouth. He nipped at her lips playfully and when she parted them his tongue darted along her teeth and flicked at her tongue. She wasn't used to Harry being so aggressive and though she liked it, it reminded her of Draco.

As the thought of Malfoy popped into her head Harry quickly pulled away from her. She worried that she might have said Draco's name out loud but Harry looked down at her with a mischievous smile. She breathed a small sigh of relief that she hadn't done anything foolish.

"What's with you tonight, Harry?" She poked him in the ribs. He lifted her in his arms and carried her over to the bed. Laying her down, Harry fell gently beside her. "I love you, Hermione," he said to her.

She brushed the hair off his forehead to expose his lightning-bolt scar and smiled at his words. She fingered the scar lightly and had the impulse to reach up and kiss it.

Harry moved tighter to her and pressed up against the length of her body. He propped his elbow beside her head and rested his head in his hand. With his free hand he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. Staring into his eyes, she felt herself drowning in the bottomless green when Harry lowered his head and kissed her gently. An unmistakable smile played over his lips.

"Tell me you'll love me always." His lips grazed softly over hers as he spoke.

"Always..." she replied breathlessly.

As Harry pulled her to him Hermione closed her eyes and lost herself in his arms and in his kiss.

***

The next evening around six o'clock Hermione was humming to herself in the kitchen preparing dinner for her and Harry. He would be home soon and she wanted everything to be ready when he arrived.

Hermione paused in her bustling and thought back to the night before. She and Harry had stayed awake almost all night; exploring each other's bodies like it was the first time they had been together. They whispered together softly in each other's arms when they were sated until they both fell asleep. It had been an incredible night.

She felt herself warm all over thinking back on it and continued making dinner until she heard a familiar pop in the living room.

Hermione froze to the ground when she heard it. Draco had not come to her since the end of March and she assumed that he had simply lost interest in his little game. She waited a few seconds and thought she may have imagined it. Then she heard a faint rustling of robes in the living room and soft steps on the carpet.

Fear gripped her as she heard the footsteps. She looked around frantically for some sort of weapon she could threaten Malfoy with. If he thought he could touch her again she honestly might not hesitate to hurt him. She looked briefly at the knives on the counter and thought better of grabbing one since she didn't actually want to physically hurt Draco, even if he did deserve to have a little bit of his blood spilt. She thought of her wand but it was on the table beside the front door. In the time it would take to cast a Summoning spell the intruder would be upon her. A fleeting thought passed through her mind as she wondered why she had never tried to hex Malfoy to leave her alone.

She paused to listen and frowned because the person in the adjoining room was no longer moving. Usually Draco was upon her pretty quickly and she realized she'd never had the time to hex him before his lips and hands were on her at which point she didn't want him to stop. It was not Draco who had Apparated into her house.

In the next instant she heard more pops come from the living room. Her heart beat faster and she wished again for her wand. No one would ever Apparate directly into the house; Draco had been the only one rude enough to do it. Hermione then thought perhaps Harry was in some kind of danger and had no other choice but to come home that way. She started to creep towards the doorway and then realized that if Harry had Apparated into the living room he would already have called out to her.

Cold fear ran through her at her final thought of who might be in her house. There had always been the concern that Death Eaters would discover where Harry Potter lived and how to get past the wards that guarded his home. Yet Harry had assured her when they moved in together that the possibility was very remote and that Dumbledore and the Aurors had put so many spells on the house for their safety. No Death Eater would have been able to find the place much less be able to Apparate within it. Nonetheless, there were strangers in her house.

She reached for a knife but upon hearing several more pops in the living room knew that she was completely outnumbered.

Then she heard another sound that gripped her heart. She felt both relieved and utterly terrified at the same time. Harry's key was in the lock at the front door and he was walking right into a trap.

"Hermione, I'm home!" she heard him call up to her.

"No, Harry!" she screamed as she ran through the kitchen door brandishing her knife and she heard Harry bound up the steps.

In the room stood a group of about ten Death Eaters, all of them hooded, wands in hand. At the landing, Harry stood defensively, already holding his wand at the ready. His face was set in concentration and she could see that he was running through his possible options in his head.

Suddenly Hermione heard another pop behind her in the kitchen and she twirled quickly, pointing her knife in front of her. She was shocked to see it was Malfoy.

"Get her out of here!" Harry yelled to him from the living room.

Looking up at Draco's face she saw him give Harry a brief nod. He pushed aside the knife she still held pointed at him, clutched her arm and Disapparated, taking Hermione away with him.

"No!" she yelled as a bright light flashed in her peripheral vision and she heard Harry shout a curse before her kitchen faded around her.

***