The Seduction Game

Disclaimer: All of the Harry Potter characters and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling/Warnerbros. I am making no money.

Back again - though I don\'t know for how much longer I\'ll continue this fic, its popularity seems to be - er - descending... Oh well. :) Here\'s one last shot though, giving a few hints at whatever may come in the future...:

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: CORRESPONDENCE


Dear Hermione,

How are you? I hope your Muggle way of travelling back to London agreed with you.

There are a few matters I feel we need to discuss – but before I go into them, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for our time spent together at the IMG, I found it most enjoyable. I hope you have no regrets. I know I don’t.

Now for the more disturbing matter. I am certain you recall what I did to Lucius during our second last day at the IMG? His Obliviation was, as you probably know by now, a success. Lucius has no recollection of his former self, which indeed was my intention. He was sent to St Mungo’s Hospital the moment they found him.

You are probably wondering – and concerning, I expect – why this is at all relevant. Well, as it pains me to inform you of this, Lucius somehow managed to escape from his room at St Mungo’s. While this really shouldn’t be any problem, as he can no longer remember you, I ask you to take extra care, Hermione. If there is one thing I have learned about Lucius Malfoy during the (quite awful) decades I’ve known him, it is that one should always expect the most unexpected.

Hope your find the piles of paper work filling up your desk manageable.

Regards,
Severus


He spent about three minutes contemplating on how to sign the letter. “Love, Severus” was something he would never in his life be caught writing, and simply putting his name was impersonal. At last, he’d settled for “Regards”, seeing as how he really didn’t know what a few days back into routine at her office in London could have done to Hermione’s state of mind.

For all Severus knew, she could be banging her head against the table, cursing herself and regretting every single second spent with him.

--

Hermione was not regretting every single second spent with him, she was relishing it. Although, sadly, she kind of wished she wasn’t. It made her feel all sappy, and what’s more it delayed her work.

Her desk was more than just filled with paper work – it was buried in it. Being away for the conference had claimed its price, as she’d stated on her last day there, and now she had to pay. That, topped with all her studying, took up pretty much all she had of time.

Which was why her reply to Severus took half a week to get around to.


Dear Severus,

Thank you for writing to me – I am well, thank you. I hope you can say the same.

I, too, very much appreciated the time we spent together at the conference. Glad to hear I’m not the only one! I’ll have you know I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever.


That should ease his mind, Hermione thought with a slight grin.


However, this matter with Lucius does concern me ever so slightly. If he has no recollection of who he is, why would he be breaking out of a hospital? That doesn’t quite make sense. Although, I suppose it’s not entirely impossible that someone decided to come ‘round and take him out of there themselves, once they learned of his current predicament... Do you know if Draco Malfoy has been informed of what happened to his father?
Believe me; I am not going to go wandering off down any dark alleyways in the nearest future. I have no desire to run into Lucius again – Obliviated or not.

In answer to your question, I got twice the load of work I had expected. I shall, if you could oblige me, take comfort in hearing that you have just as much catching up to do at Hogwarts as I do here at the office.

Love,
Hermione


--

She’d written love. Love Hermione.

Severus read those two words over and over again, as if they were his source of life. Never in his life could he recall anyone ever writing those words to him – well, save for his mother, but he hadn’t really ever corresponded with her all that much... Only his first six years at Hogwarts, while she was still alive –

No, he wasn’t going to think about that now. Why on earth would he? He’d just received a letter from Hermione (albeit a bit late), and wasn’t about to go burying himself in self-pity.

It took him a few days to respond to her letter. Not because he had a lot to do, or because he forgot about it – no, it was because she’d taken three days to respond him. He wasn’t about to come off as some desperate old sod, replying to her on the very same day. Besides, he wasn’t some desperate old sod. Sure, he really (REALLY) liked Hermione, and would curse himself forever if he somehow mucked it all up now, but he wasn’t desperate. Satan would be ice-skating before Severus ever chose to willingly describe himself with the D-word.


Dear Hermione,

I am well, thank you for your concern.

I do not know if Draco could have been in touch with Lucius at all, but I seriously doubt it. Did you not learn at the end of your seventh year that Draco was disowned? Lucius learned of his homosexuality and he held no mercy. As far as I know, they have not spoken in three years. Lucius would never even mention him.

There are some preparations to do here concerning the approaching term, though I suspect not as much as the horror you describe from your office. Let’s hope your mind won’t be overloaded and have a rather unpleasant breakdown.

Be sure to let me know when you get a spare moment in your schedule again.

Love,
Severus

P.S. They did state at St Mungo’s that they were attempting to locate Draco, in the hopes that he would be willing to look after his Obliviated father. Whether they succeeded or not, I do not know.


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As it happened, they did succeed.


Mr Draco Malfoy,

I am writing to you in regards to your father, Mr Lucius Malfoy. As you have been rather well hidden these past years (we had some difficulties locating you), I suspect you have not heard of the unfortunate occurrence your father faced while attending the International Magic Conference.

Mr Malfoy received a Complete Obliviation, by whose wand we do not know, and was sent to our department here at St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for treatment. Sadly, we were unable to restore his memory, and in regards to this we attempted to locate you, his closest living relative.

Sadly, regardless of whether or not you would have been willing to accept your father into your care, such an option is no longer possible, as Mr Malfoy somehow escaped from his locked room just under a week ago. We have reasons to believe he may have had outside help, though nothing has been confirmed.

I should very much like to arrange a meeting with you, Mr Malfoy, so that we perhaps can discuss your father’s current situation. I am certain I needn’t tell you that as he is he is in no state to take care of himself in the magical world, and much less so in the Muggle.

I eagerly await your owl.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Rickspile
Head of the Board, Spell Damage
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries


--

“Get off, will you? It’s very hard to try and sound all educated and formal if I am to write this letter with you turning my neck purple.”

“Sorry. I’ll just go and sit in the corner, shall I?”

“Oh, don’t go all dramatic on me now, that’ll make this even the more difficult.”

“Fine, I’ll behave.”

“Ta muchly.”


Mr Jonathan Rickspile,

Thank you for bringing to my attention the current state of my Father, Mr Lucius Malfoy. As obligated as I felt, hearing about his unfortunate accident, I’m afraid I am going to have to decline your offer to my assisting his relocation.

If you do find my Father, however, you may tell the old sod from me that I am terribly sorry whoever Obliviated him didn’t do a proper job and finish him off altogether, thus sending him straight back down to hell from which he emerged.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this delicate matter to me. I appreciate it.

Regards,
Mr Draco Malfoy


“So, what do you think?”

“I think you’re insane, Draco. Are you actually going to mail that?”

“Why not?”

“I thought you said you were going for the educated, formal approach. This all sounds to me as the rather immature, bitter one.”

“Well, I am immature and bitter, what do you expect?”

“I suppose you’ve got a point.”

“Of course I do. Now haul arse and get out of that stupid corner, damn you.”

--

Mr Rickspile was nothing less than astounded. Here he’d been, thinking it would be a piece of cake to bring the young, eligible Mr Malfoy into his office. Oh, well, he wasn’t going to give up that easily.


Dear Mr Malfoy,

Perhaps you did not properly understand me. Your father may as I write this be in mortal danger! Whatever differences you may have had with him in the past, surely they cannot cause such bitterness that you wish him dead?

Again, I really insist you come by my office on convenience so we at least can discuss this over. Whether or not you like your father, Mr Malfoy, you are, as his closest living relative, obligated to act.

I await you in the nearest future,

Yours sincerely,

Mr Jonathan Rickspile,
Head of the Board, Spell Damage
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries


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Mr Rickspile,

As I assume you can read, seeing as how you gave an averagely sane response to my letter, I must wonder whether or not you need to commit yourself to your permanent Spell Damage department – it would seem you are not too well yourself, being unable to grasp such a simple concept as this: I. Do. Not. Give. A. SHIT. About. My. Father.

Apologies for the rather inappropriate language.

Mr Draco Malfoy

Oh, and by the way – my father disowned me when I was seventeen. I guess that kind of relieved me of my obligation to act in this matter, as he in fact no longer sees me as a son of his?


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Draco,

Letting your rather immature and bitter attitudes come forth in such a delicate matter as this is not recommended. I’m sure I needn’t remind you that the media will be all over this, and to at least make an appearance here to discuss the matter, if only for the public acknowledgement of it, would be wise. You wouldn’t want the Prophet to claim you an emotionless young sod, would you?

All you have to do is arrange a meeting. If all we are to do there is decide you will have nothing to do in this matter, so be it – but that, at least, is the formal, adult way of dealing with such a situation.

Yours sincerely,
Mr Jonathan Rickspile


--


Mr Jonathan Rickspile,

You have made your point. I will be going to London within a few days, and then I shall stop by your office.

And please, do not feel obligated to drop the formalities with me. Surely you cannot feel at all comfortable addressing me as “Draco” – which is convenient, seeing as how I don’ant ant you to. Remember the public opinion, Mr Rickspile; we should deal with this situation in the adult fashion.

Regards,
Mr Draco Malfoy


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There we are! If anyone\'s reading this fic at all any more, I\'d really LOVE to know! Otherwise I see no point in continuing it... :)