Secrets, Secrets Are No Fun...
"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest wizard who ever lived."
"Hermione? Hermione, love, please come out."
Draco followed the sounds of her sobs to a back section of the library, and when she refused to look at him, she placed his two fingers under her chin and pulled her tear-stained face up to meet his gaze.
"How did you know I was in here?" She whispered.
"I know you well enough to know where you go when you are upset. Normally, it would be to me, but seeing as how I'm the one who upset you, I figured this would be the next best place to look."
"I'm sorry for running out, Draco. I just got scared, I suppose. It's not every day my life is threatened," she said, smiling ever so slightly. "Although... being friends with Harry, it does happen quite a bit."
Draco smiled wanly, but soon became serious again. "I will understand if you want to, as my father put it, 'sever all ties' with me."
"If you don't want to, I'm yours forever."
"I would rather be disowned than lose you. But we have to find a way to keep you safe," Draco said, more muttering the last part.
"I've got it. Let's go see Professor Dumbledore, he'll know exactly what to do."
"Alright," Draco groaned, slightly exasperated.
"What? You don't think Dumbledore will help us?"
"No... it's just that Dumbledore is a bit of a fool, no?"
Hermione's eyes were ablaze as she said dangerously, "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest wizard who ever lived."
Draco put his hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright, got it, never insult Dumbledore," he said jokingly. "But I don't know where his office is, so lead the way."
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"So you see, Professor, what we're really asking for is a bit of... erm... protection, I suppose."
The aging wizard stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You are very quiet, Mr. Malfoy. Do you want the same thing Ms. Granger wants?"
Draco nodded his head fervidly. "Yes, of course. I would never want Hermione harmed because of me, but I want to be with her. I just don't know what to do," he said miserably.
"I do have an idea," Dumbledore said. "But... It's quite drastic, and could have severe consequences if done incorrectly."
"What is it?" Draco asked, obviously desperate for information.
"Well... we could wipe your family's minds. You would no longer be Draco Malfoy, the last name would have to be changed, seeing as how you are the only Malfoys... basically, your family will have no recollection of ever having a son. The problem is, though, you are not of age, and I can not turn an underage wizard out to the streets with no family and nowhere to go."
"He can stay with me, Professor!" Hermione chirped, obviously excited about the idea.
"We have yet to ask Mr. Malfoy what he thinks of this plan."
Draco was sitting in a seat, hunched over, head in his hands. Hermione lay a reassuring hand on his back. "I would completely understand if you chose not to do this, Draco. I would never ask you to give up your home and family for me. Don't worry."
Draco didn't answer, he was still in deep thought. "Ms. Granger, why don't we leave Mr. Malfoy for a moment to make up his mind. Just remember, you don't have to decide this now. There is no need to take immediate action."
As Hemione and Dumbledore were leaving the room, Draco's head shot up. "I would like to decide tomorrow, Professor, if that's alright with you."
"Of course, that's fine. I'll see you both tomorrow. Now go on, back to classes with both of you."
They both thanked him and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. As they walked, hands interlocked, they unknowingly passed Pansy Parkinson, who then turned on her heel, headed to her room, and wrote an urgent letter to Lucius Malfoy.
Draco followed the sounds of her sobs to a back section of the library, and when she refused to look at him, she placed his two fingers under her chin and pulled her tear-stained face up to meet his gaze.
"How did you know I was in here?" She whispered.
"I know you well enough to know where you go when you are upset. Normally, it would be to me, but seeing as how I'm the one who upset you, I figured this would be the next best place to look."
"I'm sorry for running out, Draco. I just got scared, I suppose. It's not every day my life is threatened," she said, smiling ever so slightly. "Although... being friends with Harry, it does happen quite a bit."
Draco smiled wanly, but soon became serious again. "I will understand if you want to, as my father put it, 'sever all ties' with me."
"If you don't want to, I'm yours forever."
"I would rather be disowned than lose you. But we have to find a way to keep you safe," Draco said, more muttering the last part.
"I've got it. Let's go see Professor Dumbledore, he'll know exactly what to do."
"Alright," Draco groaned, slightly exasperated.
"What? You don't think Dumbledore will help us?"
"No... it's just that Dumbledore is a bit of a fool, no?"
Hermione's eyes were ablaze as she said dangerously, "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest wizard who ever lived."
Draco put his hands up in defeat. "Alright, alright, got it, never insult Dumbledore," he said jokingly. "But I don't know where his office is, so lead the way."
*************************************************************************************************************************
"So you see, Professor, what we're really asking for is a bit of... erm... protection, I suppose."
The aging wizard stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You are very quiet, Mr. Malfoy. Do you want the same thing Ms. Granger wants?"
Draco nodded his head fervidly. "Yes, of course. I would never want Hermione harmed because of me, but I want to be with her. I just don't know what to do," he said miserably.
"I do have an idea," Dumbledore said. "But... It's quite drastic, and could have severe consequences if done incorrectly."
"What is it?" Draco asked, obviously desperate for information.
"Well... we could wipe your family's minds. You would no longer be Draco Malfoy, the last name would have to be changed, seeing as how you are the only Malfoys... basically, your family will have no recollection of ever having a son. The problem is, though, you are not of age, and I can not turn an underage wizard out to the streets with no family and nowhere to go."
"He can stay with me, Professor!" Hermione chirped, obviously excited about the idea.
"We have yet to ask Mr. Malfoy what he thinks of this plan."
Draco was sitting in a seat, hunched over, head in his hands. Hermione lay a reassuring hand on his back. "I would completely understand if you chose not to do this, Draco. I would never ask you to give up your home and family for me. Don't worry."
Draco didn't answer, he was still in deep thought. "Ms. Granger, why don't we leave Mr. Malfoy for a moment to make up his mind. Just remember, you don't have to decide this now. There is no need to take immediate action."
As Hemione and Dumbledore were leaving the room, Draco's head shot up. "I would like to decide tomorrow, Professor, if that's alright with you."
"Of course, that's fine. I'll see you both tomorrow. Now go on, back to classes with both of you."
They both thanked him and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. As they walked, hands interlocked, they unknowingly passed Pansy Parkinson, who then turned on her heel, headed to her room, and wrote an urgent letter to Lucius Malfoy.