Sins of the Father

Disclaimer: All characters presented in the fic are the property of J.K. Rowling. I just like to play with them on occasion

Author's Note: Written for elementaldeity for the dmhgficexchange on livejournal.

Special Thanks: Terri, Inell, Zephyr and especially nakhash_mekashefah for the wonderful feed back especially in the eleventh hour.

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Prologue
The Beginning of the End

Hermione
Granger poured out a serving of the potion as she eyed Draco lying in
his bed across the room. She sighed, biting her lip as she wracked her
brain again to find what could be the cause of his weakened state.


As
she crossed back over to his bed, sitting gently beside him, running a
dampened cloth across his forehead, she observed the translucence of
his skin. His face had thinned over the months to the point where he
looked malnourished and nearing…


No, she refused to consider
that possibility. Draco was a young man. He had always kept himself up
physically, playing Quidditch throughout his years at Hogwarts, and
later taking a job with the Ministry. Though they worked as
Unspeakables, Draco opted quite often to work on assignments alongside
the Aurors, enjoying the opportunity to work outside the warded off
section deep in the heart of the Ministry headquarters.


The
thought that he might fall victim to some curse or malady that neither
she nor Severus could cure was unthinkable. So she continued to do the
only thing left in her power. She would spend her days at the Ministry,
hurriedly finishing her assigned tasks, before burying herself in the
bowels of their library, seeking out every text referencing fatal
curses and diseases. Her nights were spent at his bedside, carefully
mopping his brow with a damp cloth, gently smoothing the damp hairs
that clung to his forehead.


Severus continued to brew new
potions in the hope that they might find one that would at least slow
the progression of whatever it was that was troubling Draco, but so far
none had worked. As Hermione lifted the potion to his lips, urging him
to swallow, while her other hand stroked his forehead offering him
comfort, a part of her reveled in the intimacy that his weakened state
afforded her.


She had watched him transform over the past
year, her feelings softening for the wizard that had once been her
enemy as his façade fell. “So once again I find myself at the mercy of
Nurse Granger,” Draco sneered ineffectively. His weakened state had
taken the zeal out of his every action.


Hermione simply
smiled as she looked down upon him, placing the cup that had held the
potion on the nightstand next to the bed. “As I recall, it wasn’t so
bad last time. I only saved your life, after all,” she continued,
sitting back in her chair, her hand still stroking his hair.