©Soulmates | Dramione

59. Ministry of Magic

Thursday, April 21, 2004, 3.30 pm

Hermione stared at the note Harry delivered two days ago. She looked at the clock— 3.15 pm. She took a deep breath as she looked at the Muggles lurking around London streets. She decided to dress like a Muggle, no baggy witch's robe or pointed hat. She stepped into the public telephone hut and admitted her name as she dialled a specific number.

Hermione Malfoy, Visitor.
Guest of Auror Harry Potter.

A few seconds later, she reached the bottom level of the building of Ministry of Magic. She walked down the dark corridor and saw Harry in his deep brown robes. There was a cloak clutched tightly in front of his chest. Hermione quickened her steps as she paced towards Harry's direction. He jumped— almost knocking the statue behind him.

"How do I look?" Hermione asked.

She was wearing a white knitted sweater with beads decorating the sleeves with a leather black jeans. Harry observed her hair— no longer bushy. She put it into a long braid with her face being painted with thick makeup— Harry frowned.

"Brilliant Muggle" he replied.

"Hurry up"

Harry threw the Invisibility cloak over her and guided her steps towards the end of the corridor. It was not like they have any other choices. Hermione couldn't get her cover blown up— she ended up forcing herself to use the male lavatory entrance. She'd never liked the Ministry's entrance. Why did the even flush themselves in?

"Oi, are you there?" Harry whispered.

"I'm here" she replied swiftly.

Both of them headed to the elevator— Harry made sure he didn't lose the sight of Hermione under the Invisibility cloak. Few other Ministry workers started filling in the elevator, causing it to be so crowded. Hermione needed to squeeze herself beside Harry to make sure people noticed nothing. She could see the wizards and witches greeting Harry.

"Mr Potter, I heard that Mr Williamson is absent today"

"Oh, yes. He was sent by Minister Shacklebolt to Russia. Some business there, I suppose"

Hermione stepped on Harry's foot, warning him to pay attention. Harry flinched slightly as he tried to look at her— without making it obvious. Hermione felt like she wanted to remove the cloak because of the heat of people in the elevator. Level 2, level 3— she took a deep breath, preparing herself.

"Level 4, Department of Magical Law Enforcement"

The electric female voice announced. It was easy for them to get out because there was no one inside the elevator like before. Harry turned to look at her as he lead the way to Williamson's office— being careful enough to make sure no one noticed how odd he was being. He turned to look at the wall— trying to communicate with her.

"You know if we were ever caught, I'm gonna get sacked for this"

"Keep going, Harry"

"Just promise, if I'm ever getting sacked for this, you need to find me a new work"

"Yes, sure. Whatever. Keep going, idiot"

Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance as they continued to walk along the corridor. Hermione observed the Ministry workers who seemed very concentrated with their works— they looked really tired, really. Harry stopped abruptly, causing her to almost trip on the cloak. Hermione hissed angrily, warning Harry to not blow up their covers. Harry pointed to the person in black robes leaving Williamson's office— Hermione frowned.

The guy turned and approached Harry.

"Ah, Mr Potter"

"Mr Rogers, you look healthy again"

"Yes, yes. Are you here to meet Williamson? I'm afraid he's not here"

"I am very well informed about that, Mr Rogers. Well, I'm here to get a file from his office. He wanted me to look after a new case"

"Oh, I see. Well, see you then, Mr Potter"

Mr Rogers strode away without any suspicion. Harry drew a sharp breath as he opened the door for Hermione. As soon as making sure the room was locked, Hermione threw away the Invisibility cloak and Harry ran to the shelves containing all of the Death Eaters profiles. Hermione looked around as she flicked her wand, casting protection charms to make sure their covers were undetectable. Harry turned to Hermione with a file in his hands.

Harry handed Hermione a file with a picture of Draco and his name written below. She flipped it open and saw several convictions under his name— being a Death Eater, using Cruciatus and Imperius on human beings and— the murder of Pansy Parkinson. There was a stamp below his second picture— tracked.

Tracked.

The Ministry knew where had he gone to.

"A murder? Really?"

"It was an accident, Harry. He didn't mean it"

"The Killing Curse will only work if you mean it. Whatever the hell have Parkinson done to him?"

"Well, you didn't expect him to only watch Pansy kill me, right?"

"Oh. Wait— what?" Harry looked at her.

Hermione just shrugged his confusion off as she tried to think of a way to spare Draco from a life sentence in Azkaban. Almost all of his conviction when he was under 17— he used both Cruciatus and Imperius Curses when he was only 16. They can't send him to Azkaban for that. The only crime he got here is probably murdering Pansy Parkinson— it was the only thing as he done nothing during his days as the servant of Lord Voldemort.

"There was no way for him to escape Azkaban, Hermione"

"What do you mean?"

"He murdered Pansy Parkinson. I can excuse them to not use his old convictions, but not the Killing Curse one. He did it recently— by all means, that gives a 6 months ticket to live in Azkaban"

"6 months?"

"Well, yeah. Just like Lucius Malfoy when he was caught years ago"

"Lucius's sentence will finish in a year, right?"

"Yeah. Well, maybe you want to speak to your father in law now?"

"No, it's okay. I'll be just fine"

Harry nodded shortly as he turned around to rearrange everything back to it's place. Hermione sat on the couch— her eyes were still focused on the criminal record. She was in denial. She didn't think Draco would've done all this— she felt like 6 months is going to be too long. Scorpius hasn't seen him since he was born— it was so unfair. She could feel Harry's arms on her shoulder.

"If you really want him to be free, you should use the memory charm"

"I—" she hesitated— "I can't"

Harry took the seat next to her and hugged her shoulder. She didn't think memory charm will be a good thing. She felt it was wrong to do. She lost everything because of the memory charm she put on her own parents— causing them to have no memories of her as well as dying in a car crash without having a clue about her. She was afraid if she made another mistake and wiped off all of the Ministry workers memories.

"Hermione, are you okay?"

"Yes, I—"

Crack!

Kreacher appeared in front of her and Harry, causing her to jump. Kreacher turned to look at Harry and whispered something. Harry's eyes turned wide— he was shocked about something. He whispered back to Kreacher and the house-elf Apparated away from the office. Harry looked at Hermione.

"Malfoy's at Grimmauld Place"

"What?"

**********
This book is coming to an end! I will try to update as soon as possible!

PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME!

Hope all of you are fine! Stay safe, everyone!