Secrets

Chapter 28

J.K. Rowling owns everything.

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Hermione's head pounded when she opened her eyes. She waited several seconds for her eyes to come into focus and blinked at the brightness of the space she appeared to be in. She couldn't quite describe it as a room as there didn't appear to be any walls, but then she clearly wasn't outside either. It just seemed to be a never-ending expanse of white. Groaning, she rolled over so that she lay on her back and was greeted by the sight of a hand reaching down to her. Tipping her head to the side, she looked past the hand and gasped. Grabbing the offered hand immediately, she stood up and threw herself into the embrace of one Tom Marvolo Riddle.

"Hermione." He breathed softly into her hair.

"You're here." She whispered. "You're actually here." Tears started to roll down her face and she started to laugh. Extricating herself from her father, she wiped away the tears. "You're here and you don't look like a noseless, snake-like thing." She chuckled, taking in his nose, hair, skin – everything that was so different from the Lord Voldemort she and the others had fought at Hogwarts.

"Yes, I'm here." He smiled ruefully. "Hermione wh-"

Hermione's brow furrowed as she spotted someone over her father's shoulder. Someone who was getting closer. Someone with brown hair just like Hermione's. Someone with big brown eyes, just like Hermione.

Hermione stumbled back from her father and turned around in slow, uncoordinated steps. "Where's Draco?" She rasped out, feeling like she'd been kicked in the chest.

"He can't join us here." Her father replied sadly, seeing the questions flit behind his daughter's eyes.

"Why not?" She gasped as everything fell into place. She felt a hand settle on her shoulder.

"Because you're dead." Her mother replied.

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Draco spluttered as he woke up, water cascading onto his face. When it stopped, he turned onto his side and gasped for breath.

"Oh good, you're awake," Harry said, putting the bucket down and leaning against a far wall.

"What the hell, Potter?" He gritted his teeth, everything ached. Looking down he was surprised to see that he was covered in bandages and casts. "What happened?"

"Hermione's dead."

"What?" He asked in disbelief.

"Two months ago, the Aurors stormed a Church after receiving a report of a large magical surge in a muggle area. Within five seconds of entering the church, there was a large explosion that left several Aurors deaf and injured for weeks, left you severely injured and unconscious for two months, and killed Hermione Riddle. The explosion originated from a cauldron that she appeared to be tending to. The running theory is that, in her surprise, Hermione dropped either too much of an ingredient into the cauldron or dropped the right amount of an ingredient in the cauldron at the wrong time – causing the explosion."

"She's dead?"

Harry ignored the question. "What were you and Hermione Riddle doing?"

Draco didn't answer for several minutes, his mind racing at the news he'd been given. Eventually, he sorted out his mind and replied. "Bringing back her father."

Harry inhaled sharply. "Why?"

"If you had the opportunity to bring back your parents, wouldn't you?" Draco shot back.

"Why were you helping?" Harry asked, not understanding why Draco Malfoy would want to bring back the man who had branded him, held his mother hostage and tormented his father.

Draco looked away at this, tears pooling in his eyes.

After ten minutes of silence, Harry sighed. "You've been sentenced to life in Azkaban for being an accomplice, participating in the attacks over the last couple of months and helping Hermione Riddle escape – evidence of the invisibility potion you used has been found." He paused. "Welcome to your new home, Malfoy." And with that, he left the small Azkaban cell.

Draco just closed his eyes and cried.

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Done