That Swedish Thing
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Draco/Hermione
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
7
Views:
5,105
Reviews:
22
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Draco/Hermione
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
7
Views:
5,105
Reviews:
22
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Turning
That Swedish Thing
The library floor was hard and cold beneath her when she woke up from the exhausted slumber she'd fallen into after their romp against the wall. Hermione quickly assessed the situation and was relieved when she noted that her blond companion was still out for the count.
She couldn’t believe she’d actually let him have his way with her like that. It was one thing when she let him affect her from afar, but an entirely different one when they were thrown together by force. She wasn’t sorry about what had happened, not really, even though she knew she should be, but she was upset at the way it had happened.
Maybe this house was just getting to her. It was, after all, practically a relic and it was anybody’s guess how long it had been in the Black family. It was beautiful though, in a gothic sort of way. It was the type of house she’d dreamed about when she was a little girl reading magical tales and ghost stories, and it was the kind she imagined herself living in one day.
Taking a deep breath and clearing her mind of such foolishness, she gently pushed his arm, removing it from where it was wrapped tightly around her waist, and slowly stood from her prone position, rearranging her clothes in some semblance of order as she did. She studied the area around her where they'd made quite a mess of books and papers, and as she glanced down at the sleeping countenance of Draco Malfoy, she wondered if he would even remember what had happened between them when he awoke.
After all, he had been heavily intoxicated the night before, and if her own experiences with alcohol were any indication, she knew memory loss was a common occurrence. Hermione didn't envy the hangover he would have when he did wake up.
Not wanting to actually think about what happened, it did change things quite a bit at the very least, so she set to tidying up the library. Gathering up the papers that had been scattered from the desk Draco used to go through the Ministry files, Hermione was surprised to find her name printed on more than one of the official forms.
It seemed he'd been checking up on her and the statements she'd given to the Ministry when they'd ask for her version of the war and every battle she'd been involved in. Rather than be offended, she was actually impressed by his thoroughness in trying to uncover the truth about who had actually framed him. She saw where he’d added his own notes about his war experience compared to hers on a notepad resting haphazardly on top of another stack of files.
Malfoy hadn’t exactly forbidden her to look through the files, but he hadn’t encouraged it either, and before she took a seat behind the desk, she glanced over at the blond to make sure he was still deep in the land of sleep. Satisfied that he was, she pulled the first stack of files towards her and began skimming through the loads of Ministry paperwork.
Seeing her own name had sparked her curiosity, and Hermione wanted to see who else’s account of the war he’d thought would be helpful. She skipped over Harry and Ron’s statements, having been there when they were given and knew they contained very little, if anything, about Malfoy, and was startled to come across Snape’s statement and saw the note printed in the margin of the first page: possible inconsistency.
Malfoy thought his godfather had betrayed him?
That didn’t sound like Snape at all. Hermione loathed the man, especially after his part in Dumbledore’s death even though it was on the old wizard’s orders, but she knew he was loyal to his favorite student and godson. If she could admit no other good qualities about the former professor, she could freely recognize this one.
Taking the papers out of Snape’s file, she set the ones marked for discrepancy side-by-side across the surface of the desk and set her statement of the same events directly beneath it. Then, she started to read.
“Let it be known to all forthwith, this statement of events, given by Severus Prince Snape, former Death Eater, former Potions Master of Hogwarts, and member of the Order of the Phoenix, was taken down on May sixteenth, in the year of Minister of Magic, Mr. Thomas A. Garner, two-thousand. This record was kept by the Wizengamot court reporter, Mrs. Jackie Beckett, and was witnessed by Mr. Stanley Mackenzie, head of Magical Law Enforcement, and Ms. Clara Defoe, captain of the Aurors.
“We will begin from where we last left off at the battle outside Dover.”
Snape: “We’d gotten word of an attack planned on Dover. It was sent through the back-channels of the Death Eaters and one of the Aurors who was assigned to spy happened to come across the encoded letter that organized the attack.”
Defoe: “What was done then?”
Snape: “After the letter was decoded, we had a meeting about possible approaches to the information it contained. Lupin was wary of it being a trap since it seemed such a fortuitous chance of it nearly falling into our lap. Potter, however, was adamant about facing the enemy head-on.”
Mackenzie: “What was decided?”
Snape: “We would apparate to Dover and attempt to surprise the Death Eaters who would be coming to attack the half-blood and Muggleborn families who lived in the area.”
Defoe: “And did you succeed?”
Snape: “No, it seemed we miscalculated their objective. Instead of attacking the ones we thought they would, it seemed their target was an old pureblood family, the Heathcliffs, who lived outside of Dover and refused to support Voldemort. One of the families he considered to be blood-traitors.”
Mackenzie: “And this was after you were expended from Voldemort’s inner circle, correct?”
Snape: “Yes, and after my name had been cleared from the events surrounding Albus Dumbledore’s death.”
Mackenzie: “Tell us about the battle.”
Snape: “When we were aware of their ultimate goal, we had to regroup and apparate to the outskirts of the community. The Death Eaters were already in position when we arrived and they began to attack from all sides, the majority out front and a small group of four or five from behind.”
Hermione’s brow creased in perplexity. She didn’t remember anyone coming up from behind in that particular attack. In fact, when they’d fallen back, there had been nothing but a row of small buildings behind them. She read on.
Snape: “Lupin went down after a particularly nasty Cruciatus from Bellatrix Lestrange and Potter and his two companions had found a barrier to shield themselves with as they tried to pick off the Death Eaters one-by-one. McDougal fell beside me and by then, it was complete chaos, but as I turned to shoot a curse at Greyback, I saw Draco Malfoy appear from one of the small buildings behind us and direct a curse towards Ernie Macmillan. The boy went down and never got back up.”
Defoe: “Did you try to pursue Malfoy?”
Snape: “Yes, but when I looked back to see which direction he’d gone, there was no sign of him anywhere. Not too long after that, the battle concluded and the Order fell back to headquarters, taking our dead and injured back with us. It was there that we learned Macmillan’s family had been hit earlier that day.”
Mackenzie: “And is it your belief that Malfoy is responsible?”
Snape: “Yes.”
Undeterred, Hermione tried to conjure up the memories of that day in her mind. She clearly remembered the chaos of the battle and ducking behind the barrier with Harry and Ron, but later on, she’d been pulled out in the middle of the conflict when she’d went after Lestrange, and she’d been facing in the direction of the buildings Snape had mentioned. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to remember if she had seen Draco Malfoy, but there hadn’t been anything in that direction.
Maybe she should invest in a penseive.
Frustrated by her lack of progress, she collected the papers and put them back in their respective files as she thought about Snape’s account. Was he lying about seeing Malfoy there? What would he have to gain by lying about Malfoy’s involvement in the war? Maybe he had seen Malfoy, but it was actually somebody who had been impersonating him.
This was all, of course, taking the standpoint of Malfoy having told her the truth, which she actually believed he had, because in her experience, most people didn’t go to this much trouble to prove their innocence when they were guilty.
There was something there, though. Something that was on the tip of her tongue that she knew would explain everything if she could just put the half-formed thought into words. Maybe glancing over the rest of the files would help. She knew she could crack this puzzle if she had all the facts.
Hermione settled into the chair cushion with the next person’s account when a sudden groaning shattered the silence in the room and made her jump in her seat. She would admit she was scared of how he would react this morning, but she wouldn’t let him intimidate her before he explained himself. What happened between them could make things very awkward if they didn’t discuss it, and after all, she had to live with him until he decided to let her go.
Spotting her at his desk, Malfoy started shifting on the ground and slowly started to sit up before thinking better of it and staying where he was.
“Ugh, how long was I asleep?” he asked, hand over his eyes to block out the light in the room and his voice scratchy from the alcohol.
“Um,” she quickly glanced at the clock on the desk and noted how long it’d been since she first sat down, “I got up at about eight and it’s past eleven now.”
“I feel like I was run over by a herd of dragons.”
Hermione sighed. “Well, that’s what happens when you have too much to drink.” She placed the file she’d started back on the desk and stood. “If you get yourself situated, I’ll make you a cup of tea. I haven’t had anything to eat yet myself this morning.”
He nodded to indicate he agreed to her proposition and gently lifted himself from the ground, working the cricks out of his body as he went, and joined her in the kitchen where she was just starting to put on the teakettle.
Noticing his eyes shifting away from her, Hermione decided to take the bull by the horns since it looked like he was in full avoidance mode this morning. She was not the type to cry and moan about it anyway; she was stronger than that, and what was done, was done.
“Are we going to talk about it?”
Malfoy’s cheeks turned pink. “I’d rather we didn’t.”
Hermione dropped the teacups on the table with a loud clatter. “So, that’s it, then? You just decide to avoid the subject and it makes it all better? It makes it all go away? Well, you can think again. We are going to talk about it and you are going to explain your-”
He cut her ranting off with three words she never thought she’d hear from him.
“Granger, I’m sorry.” His eyes were solemn as he stared at her, letting her know exactly how serious he was, and his voice had the slightest tremor to it, full of remorse. “I never meant to ra-”
This time, she cut him off by placing her hand over his mouth before the word fell into the air. Her brown eyes were deadly serious as she speared him with her gaze. “That’s not what happened. I let you have your way.”
Their eyes stayed locked until Malfoy nodded that he understood what she was trying to convey. She wasn’t blaming him and she didn’t want him to wallow in guilt over it.
Her attention turned back to the kettle when it started to whistle and she went through the motions of preparing tea. Her words carried over her shoulder as continued to speak. “There’s no turning back, however, we can’t be enemies anymore. If you’re going to keep me locked up in here, you’re going to have to trust me.”
Listening to her words in contemplation, Malfoy watched her as she moved about the kitchen with ease.
“First off, I really think I can help you break down all the accounts of the war. I took a look at Snape’s statements this morning and I have to agree with what you wrote in your notes. There definitely seems to be some inconsistencies in his story.”
Malfoy simply nodded and took a sip from the teacup she handed him.
“Secondly,” she peered at him over the plate of eggs and toast she had just prepared as she set it on the table between them, “we’ll have to learn to get along if we’re going to work together.
“We’ll be friends first.”
Back in the present, Hermione felt the tears run down her cheeks and knew what she had to do.
tbc...
The library floor was hard and cold beneath her when she woke up from the exhausted slumber she'd fallen into after their romp against the wall. Hermione quickly assessed the situation and was relieved when she noted that her blond companion was still out for the count.
She couldn’t believe she’d actually let him have his way with her like that. It was one thing when she let him affect her from afar, but an entirely different one when they were thrown together by force. She wasn’t sorry about what had happened, not really, even though she knew she should be, but she was upset at the way it had happened.
Maybe this house was just getting to her. It was, after all, practically a relic and it was anybody’s guess how long it had been in the Black family. It was beautiful though, in a gothic sort of way. It was the type of house she’d dreamed about when she was a little girl reading magical tales and ghost stories, and it was the kind she imagined herself living in one day.
Taking a deep breath and clearing her mind of such foolishness, she gently pushed his arm, removing it from where it was wrapped tightly around her waist, and slowly stood from her prone position, rearranging her clothes in some semblance of order as she did. She studied the area around her where they'd made quite a mess of books and papers, and as she glanced down at the sleeping countenance of Draco Malfoy, she wondered if he would even remember what had happened between them when he awoke.
After all, he had been heavily intoxicated the night before, and if her own experiences with alcohol were any indication, she knew memory loss was a common occurrence. Hermione didn't envy the hangover he would have when he did wake up.
Not wanting to actually think about what happened, it did change things quite a bit at the very least, so she set to tidying up the library. Gathering up the papers that had been scattered from the desk Draco used to go through the Ministry files, Hermione was surprised to find her name printed on more than one of the official forms.
It seemed he'd been checking up on her and the statements she'd given to the Ministry when they'd ask for her version of the war and every battle she'd been involved in. Rather than be offended, she was actually impressed by his thoroughness in trying to uncover the truth about who had actually framed him. She saw where he’d added his own notes about his war experience compared to hers on a notepad resting haphazardly on top of another stack of files.
Malfoy hadn’t exactly forbidden her to look through the files, but he hadn’t encouraged it either, and before she took a seat behind the desk, she glanced over at the blond to make sure he was still deep in the land of sleep. Satisfied that he was, she pulled the first stack of files towards her and began skimming through the loads of Ministry paperwork.
Seeing her own name had sparked her curiosity, and Hermione wanted to see who else’s account of the war he’d thought would be helpful. She skipped over Harry and Ron’s statements, having been there when they were given and knew they contained very little, if anything, about Malfoy, and was startled to come across Snape’s statement and saw the note printed in the margin of the first page: possible inconsistency.
Malfoy thought his godfather had betrayed him?
That didn’t sound like Snape at all. Hermione loathed the man, especially after his part in Dumbledore’s death even though it was on the old wizard’s orders, but she knew he was loyal to his favorite student and godson. If she could admit no other good qualities about the former professor, she could freely recognize this one.
Taking the papers out of Snape’s file, she set the ones marked for discrepancy side-by-side across the surface of the desk and set her statement of the same events directly beneath it. Then, she started to read.
“Let it be known to all forthwith, this statement of events, given by Severus Prince Snape, former Death Eater, former Potions Master of Hogwarts, and member of the Order of the Phoenix, was taken down on May sixteenth, in the year of Minister of Magic, Mr. Thomas A. Garner, two-thousand. This record was kept by the Wizengamot court reporter, Mrs. Jackie Beckett, and was witnessed by Mr. Stanley Mackenzie, head of Magical Law Enforcement, and Ms. Clara Defoe, captain of the Aurors.
“We will begin from where we last left off at the battle outside Dover.”
Snape: “We’d gotten word of an attack planned on Dover. It was sent through the back-channels of the Death Eaters and one of the Aurors who was assigned to spy happened to come across the encoded letter that organized the attack.”
Defoe: “What was done then?”
Snape: “After the letter was decoded, we had a meeting about possible approaches to the information it contained. Lupin was wary of it being a trap since it seemed such a fortuitous chance of it nearly falling into our lap. Potter, however, was adamant about facing the enemy head-on.”
Mackenzie: “What was decided?”
Snape: “We would apparate to Dover and attempt to surprise the Death Eaters who would be coming to attack the half-blood and Muggleborn families who lived in the area.”
Defoe: “And did you succeed?”
Snape: “No, it seemed we miscalculated their objective. Instead of attacking the ones we thought they would, it seemed their target was an old pureblood family, the Heathcliffs, who lived outside of Dover and refused to support Voldemort. One of the families he considered to be blood-traitors.”
Mackenzie: “And this was after you were expended from Voldemort’s inner circle, correct?”
Snape: “Yes, and after my name had been cleared from the events surrounding Albus Dumbledore’s death.”
Mackenzie: “Tell us about the battle.”
Snape: “When we were aware of their ultimate goal, we had to regroup and apparate to the outskirts of the community. The Death Eaters were already in position when we arrived and they began to attack from all sides, the majority out front and a small group of four or five from behind.”
Hermione’s brow creased in perplexity. She didn’t remember anyone coming up from behind in that particular attack. In fact, when they’d fallen back, there had been nothing but a row of small buildings behind them. She read on.
Snape: “Lupin went down after a particularly nasty Cruciatus from Bellatrix Lestrange and Potter and his two companions had found a barrier to shield themselves with as they tried to pick off the Death Eaters one-by-one. McDougal fell beside me and by then, it was complete chaos, but as I turned to shoot a curse at Greyback, I saw Draco Malfoy appear from one of the small buildings behind us and direct a curse towards Ernie Macmillan. The boy went down and never got back up.”
Defoe: “Did you try to pursue Malfoy?”
Snape: “Yes, but when I looked back to see which direction he’d gone, there was no sign of him anywhere. Not too long after that, the battle concluded and the Order fell back to headquarters, taking our dead and injured back with us. It was there that we learned Macmillan’s family had been hit earlier that day.”
Mackenzie: “And is it your belief that Malfoy is responsible?”
Snape: “Yes.”
Undeterred, Hermione tried to conjure up the memories of that day in her mind. She clearly remembered the chaos of the battle and ducking behind the barrier with Harry and Ron, but later on, she’d been pulled out in the middle of the conflict when she’d went after Lestrange, and she’d been facing in the direction of the buildings Snape had mentioned. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to remember if she had seen Draco Malfoy, but there hadn’t been anything in that direction.
Maybe she should invest in a penseive.
Frustrated by her lack of progress, she collected the papers and put them back in their respective files as she thought about Snape’s account. Was he lying about seeing Malfoy there? What would he have to gain by lying about Malfoy’s involvement in the war? Maybe he had seen Malfoy, but it was actually somebody who had been impersonating him.
This was all, of course, taking the standpoint of Malfoy having told her the truth, which she actually believed he had, because in her experience, most people didn’t go to this much trouble to prove their innocence when they were guilty.
There was something there, though. Something that was on the tip of her tongue that she knew would explain everything if she could just put the half-formed thought into words. Maybe glancing over the rest of the files would help. She knew she could crack this puzzle if she had all the facts.
Hermione settled into the chair cushion with the next person’s account when a sudden groaning shattered the silence in the room and made her jump in her seat. She would admit she was scared of how he would react this morning, but she wouldn’t let him intimidate her before he explained himself. What happened between them could make things very awkward if they didn’t discuss it, and after all, she had to live with him until he decided to let her go.
Spotting her at his desk, Malfoy started shifting on the ground and slowly started to sit up before thinking better of it and staying where he was.
“Ugh, how long was I asleep?” he asked, hand over his eyes to block out the light in the room and his voice scratchy from the alcohol.
“Um,” she quickly glanced at the clock on the desk and noted how long it’d been since she first sat down, “I got up at about eight and it’s past eleven now.”
“I feel like I was run over by a herd of dragons.”
Hermione sighed. “Well, that’s what happens when you have too much to drink.” She placed the file she’d started back on the desk and stood. “If you get yourself situated, I’ll make you a cup of tea. I haven’t had anything to eat yet myself this morning.”
He nodded to indicate he agreed to her proposition and gently lifted himself from the ground, working the cricks out of his body as he went, and joined her in the kitchen where she was just starting to put on the teakettle.
Noticing his eyes shifting away from her, Hermione decided to take the bull by the horns since it looked like he was in full avoidance mode this morning. She was not the type to cry and moan about it anyway; she was stronger than that, and what was done, was done.
“Are we going to talk about it?”
Malfoy’s cheeks turned pink. “I’d rather we didn’t.”
Hermione dropped the teacups on the table with a loud clatter. “So, that’s it, then? You just decide to avoid the subject and it makes it all better? It makes it all go away? Well, you can think again. We are going to talk about it and you are going to explain your-”
He cut her ranting off with three words she never thought she’d hear from him.
“Granger, I’m sorry.” His eyes were solemn as he stared at her, letting her know exactly how serious he was, and his voice had the slightest tremor to it, full of remorse. “I never meant to ra-”
This time, she cut him off by placing her hand over his mouth before the word fell into the air. Her brown eyes were deadly serious as she speared him with her gaze. “That’s not what happened. I let you have your way.”
Their eyes stayed locked until Malfoy nodded that he understood what she was trying to convey. She wasn’t blaming him and she didn’t want him to wallow in guilt over it.
Her attention turned back to the kettle when it started to whistle and she went through the motions of preparing tea. Her words carried over her shoulder as continued to speak. “There’s no turning back, however, we can’t be enemies anymore. If you’re going to keep me locked up in here, you’re going to have to trust me.”
Listening to her words in contemplation, Malfoy watched her as she moved about the kitchen with ease.
“First off, I really think I can help you break down all the accounts of the war. I took a look at Snape’s statements this morning and I have to agree with what you wrote in your notes. There definitely seems to be some inconsistencies in his story.”
Malfoy simply nodded and took a sip from the teacup she handed him.
“Secondly,” she peered at him over the plate of eggs and toast she had just prepared as she set it on the table between them, “we’ll have to learn to get along if we’re going to work together.
“We’ll be friends first.”
Back in the present, Hermione felt the tears run down her cheeks and knew what she had to do.
tbc...