Chapter 1

Hermione Granger smoothed out her plaid skirt, pulled her shirt down and draped her plum coloured robes over her shoulders. She went to fix her somewhat more tamed but still unruly, honey-brown tresses into a knot at the back of her head. As the youngest Deputy Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department, she had a certain decorum to match. But her hair was really testing her today. It didn't help her son's downright refusal to put a shirt on this morning had prevented her from perfecting her hair before arriving at the office. Sighing a frustrated sigh, she let the hair fall out of its bun and picked up her wand. Casting a straightening charm, she then slicked her hair back into a ponytail and looked at herself in the mirror. It would have to do. She simply didn't have any more time to deal with superficial things. Grabbing her case files, she slipped out of her office and down the hall towards the elevator, greeting her assistant along the way.

'Morning Hermione.' She heard a male call her, just as she reached the elevator. 'You're looking quite stressed. Everything alright?' She smiled at her elevator companion who also happened to be her best friend.

'Morning Harry. Yes, I am fine. Leo was just driving me insane this morning so I didn't have much time to prepare.' She replied.

'Is he still going through the 'I don't want to wear my shoes phase'?' Harry smirked.

'He's moved on. Now he never wants to wear a shirt.' She replied. 'I love him to bits but he does love to push my buttons.'

'Don't worry so much Hermione. James never wants to bath either. Our kids are just at that age. They'll grow out of it soon enough.' Harry replied.

'So, whose case are we trialling this morning?' Hermione changed the subject. She didn't want to talk about the terror of a child she happened to be raising anymore. It was that kind of stressful situation that made her forget where she was this morning. Hopefully her mind would catch up soon.

'Ah, the Yaxley Co-Operative. Not that they'll have a solid case, we have an excellent witness.' Harry had been promoted to the Head of the Auror Department almost as soon as he had completed his Auror program training. Kingsley Shacklebolt had been promoted to Minister of Magic so it had left the spot wide open. No one had even dared try and take the position after the war. Most aurors had wanted to go into retirement. To go and live peaceful lives with their families. So, Harry had been the only legitimate candidate. Well him and Ron.

Oh Ron. When Harry had taken the role of head auror, Ron had decided that he wanted to travel the world. He had needed the break from it all. He broke off their short relationship, stating that he was just not ready to settle down and set off for Australia. She didn't even have the heart to tell him she was pregnant. He had a dream. She wasn't going to let him spoil his dream just so that they could raise a family together. It wasn't fair on him. It was just as well she hadn't told him in the end anyway because when Leo Granger had been born, he was most certainly not a Weasley. She had told him and Harry outright that he was the product of a one-night stand and they had left it at that. Ron had since returned to England and had surprisingly taken over from Madam Hooch at Hogwarts when she retired.

'Who is the witness, Harry?' She asked, the curiosity getting the better of her.

'You're not going to believe this.' He sounded psyched. She wondered who it could be.

'Last night, he came to the auror office after hours. He explained everything that the co-operative had been doing, who was involved, where they had stashed everything.'

'Who, Harry. Who?'

'Draco Malfoy.' He replied. Hermione could've fainted right there and then.

'Draco Malfoy? But he's been missing for nearly three years.' She didn't even try to hide how shocked she was by this news.

'I know. It was incredible. I was just so shocked when he came into the office. He was a changed man. Apparently, he had been hiding undercover for years, collecting information from the inside. It was like he wanted to redeem himself. Well redeem himself he will…' Harry continued to ramble on as the elevator reached level ten and as they continued down the hall to courtroom number six. 'Are you ok, Hermione? You sure you want to do this? You look quite sick.'

Of course, she still wanted to do this. It was a huge case for her resume. Not that she was looking for a better job. She was just feeling nervous. That was all. It definitely had nothing to do with the sudden re-emergence of a certain blonde ferret who drove her crazy. She was just underprepared because her son had taken up so much of her time. But she could do this. Yes, she could. She smiled and nodded at Harry and made her way to her seat. The Chief of the Wizengamot and Minister For Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt stood up and began to address the council.

'Order. Order. We are here today to reside over case file number seven hundred and fifty-seven: The Yaxley Co-Operative. Is the defendant and their representative here?'

'Yes sir.' The sleezy looking lawyer said.

'Excellent. We shall begin.' He replied. 'Miss Granger, if you will.' Hermione looked up to the man and swallowed hard. Well here goes nothing. She took out her file and placed it on the stand in front of her, cleared her throat and began.

'Corban Yaxley, you have been charged with associations with Lord Voldemort, various murder charges, thievery, the use of all three Unforgivables, possession of illegal artefacts and avoidance of the law. How do you plead?'

'Not guilty.' He replied and a ruckus started around the council. Everyone knew that he was lying. She waited for the voices to die down before continuing.

'If that is so, I call on our first witness. Mr. Cormac McLaggen?' She raised her eyebrows as she read the name. She hadn't thought about that man since the debacle of trying to make Ron jealous during their sixth year. As debonair as he usually was, Cormac reached the witness chair.

She settled into her usual routine and surprisingly, Cormac gave them some pretty convincing evidence against Yaxley. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to convict him of all his crimes. She sent the man back to his seat and gulped. She knew she had to face the music now. She looked out and saw him staring right into her soul. Her insides went to jelly. The last time she had seen that look, it hadn't ended up so well. How could she forget their post-war rendezvous in the middle of the night? Things had been so intense that she had lost herself. She had lost her parents in that war and she had no family left. Harry had turned to support Ginny and Ron had been so inconsolable over his brother's death that she nearly was forgotten in the aftermath. She had felt so vulnerable that she had gone out to drown her sorrows. Finding the most secluded and unheard pub she could, where she wouldn't have been bombarded by newspaper reporters or people who would even give a damn about her, she had settled herself down at the bar. The last thing she had been expecting was to run into him.

'Uh. Hermione. Are you going to continue?' Kingsley whispered to her from behind.

'Oh. Sorry. I need to organise my notes. Court will resume after a brief recess.' She announced and stepped off the podium. Everyone went about their discussions but she was too inwardly focused that she didn't seem to notice. She began fiddling with her perfectly organised folder, whilst she relived the past.

How was she meant to know that he would've chosen the same pub to drink at? He certainly wasn't the kind of gut to hang around low profile pubs. But she certainly wasn't the kind of girl who would go out and drink either. She distinctly remembered that she had ordered a fire-whiskey. Not her usual poison of choice. But when the bartender placed it in front of her, she couldn't have downed it fast enough and before a minute was through, she had ordered another one. She could almost sense the vileness of the liquid as she remembered how it burned her tongue. It was horrible but had done the trick in washing away the pain. In her haste to drown her sorrows, she hadn't noticed him sidle up beside her. She remembered the conversation like it was yesterday.

'Hey Granger.' He said almost too politely.

'What do you want, Malfoy?' She asked. 'I'm not in the mood for a fight so you had better leave me alone.'

'Alright. I'll leave you alone. But I was just ordering a drink.' He had said calmly. She observed him. Here stood Draco Malfoy, but he wasn't the same guy. The Malfoy she knew would have fought her. The Malfoy she knew would have said something nasty. But instead, he seemed indifferent. What the heck was that about? Perhaps the war had changed everyone. His hair was dishevelled, his face was a wreck, his life nearly thrown down the gurgler but yet he seemed so calm. It was so strange to her. But by that time, she had downed the second fire-whiskey (in record time) and ordered a third. As he picked up his drink and was about to walk away, something stirred inside her and it made her stop him.

'Sit and drink with me, will you?' She replied. He froze and swivelled in utter disbelief.

'You want me to what?' He quirked an eyebrow.

'Sit. Drink. With me. Come on Malfoy, you're even slower than I remember.' She gave him his trademark smirk. Maybe it was the fire-whiskey talking, but she just didn't feel like drinking alone anymore. Maybe she wanted to see if the war could change a person. Maybe they could get along. For once. He stood there like a stunned mullet for a moment before taking a seat at the bar next to her. They didn't speak for a while. They just drank their drinks. It must have been half an hour of silence later when he said something that surprised her.

'I did it to protect you, you know.' He said.

'You did what to protect me?' She asked.

'When you came to the manor. I lied to Bellatrix. I lied to my parents. It was all to protect you.' He trailed off. She didn't know what to say. He was opening up to her. They had never gotten along before. Why was he suddenly bearing his emotions out on her? Was it the alcohol? But why would he lie to his parents, to Bellatrix. For her? What the hell did that mean?

'Why?' She queried. He began to chuckle. A really hearty chuckle. Nothing that she had ever heard from him before. There was no ice. No malice. Just laughter. As much as it creeped her out, the sound was actually comforting to hear. Draco Malfoy actually had a soul. 'What's so funny?'

'Come on Granger. Do you honestly believe I would've wanted to see you get murdered by my aunt in my own home?' He replied. 'Believe it or not, I'm not as heartless as you and your friends seem to think.'

'Oh.' She said, unsure of what to say to that.

'I never wanted to be a death eater. I never wanted to do what my father did. I was dragged into it.' He replied. 'I would've died otherwise. You would've too if I hadn't lied. I wanted to help. Your screams tormented me. Still do.' He admitted. Hermione was gobsmacked. Did he really just confess all that to her? She needed to know more.

'So. All the bullying. All the tormenting. Was that a farce too?' The words came out before she knew they had. She took a large sip of her drink.

'Don't go crazy. You're still Gryffindors. I still didn't like yous.' He slurred the sentence.

'But you didn't even try to get to know us.' She argued.

'Ah yes. But tradition, you see.' He booped her on the nose.

'Screw tradition. If that tradition hadn't been in place, you would've realised we aren't that bad. You know what my parents used to say. Traditions are security. If the mind is secure, it starts to decay.'

'Well we can't have that now, can we?' He smirked. She had no idea how many fire-whiskeys deep she was now. Four, Five, Six. She didn't know but she honestly didn't care anymore. She was actually having a conversation with Draco Malfoy and she kind of liked it.

'Absolutely not.' She purred seductively. She definitely knew she hadn't been thinking by then. Because she had begun to see just how attractive the man in front of her was, even with his hollowed, post-war self. But apparently, he hadn't been thinking either.

'What do you say we go and break a tradition right now?' He winked at her.

'What did you have in mind?' She giggled cheekily.

'Oh, you know what I have in mind.' He replied. They had disapparated to his London apartment and had the best sex of her life. Not that she would admit that to anyone. They had ravished each other until they wore thin and fell asleep in each other's arms. Then she had woken up at 5am with a splitting headache and a heavy sense of regret. Carefully rolling out of his bed, she gathered her clothes and left him a note apologising for what they had done before disapparating to her own apartment. She had cried herself dry of tears but then told herself to man up. There were people out there that had it worse than her.

Draco had disappeared later that day and hadn't been seen since. A month later, she had found out she was pregnant and had been overjoyed to have a family of her own again. But she had seriously hoped it had been Ron's child. She must've known karma would've had it in for her because from the moment Leo was born, he was a miniature Draco. Luckily, no one thus far had even guessed that Leo was not Ron's child other than those who she had told. She was just thankful that he had gotten her hair colour and not Draco's. That would have been a catastrophe. But as he continued to grow up, he became more and more like his father every day. She had thought that she might get away with it since he apparently was no longer around. But now that he was back, she wasn't so sure.

'Hermione. Are you absolutely sure I can't do this for you?' Harry asked and sat down next to her. She was sorting through the file, making sure she had everything in order. Of course, she did have everything organised, but just being in the same room as that man, made her just so bloody nervous. 'Maybe you should see a healer?'

'No. I'm fine Harry. Just needed to organise myself. All good to go now.' She could feel Draco's eyes on her and she couldn't help but feel a little pressured. Standing up, she went to the lectern again. Taking a big deep breath, she was going to face this head on. She wasn't going to back down now.

'Order. Order. We shall recommence our trial now if you would please settle down.' She said. 'Alright. I will now call upon our second witness. Mr. Draco Malfoy.'

A few shocked gasps erupted around the room as he came down to the witness chair.

'You bloody traitor.' Yaxley called out much to his lawyer's protests. An auror administered the Veritaserum and he sat down.

'Draco Malfoy...what do you know of the Yaxley Co-Operative?' She asked. He relaxed in the seat and began to explain in a cool tone.

'Well, Miss Granger, I have been working from the inside. They are a specialised corporation created by Corban Yaxley to continue to distribute the misdeeds of you know who. I myself did not partake in any of these said misdeeds but I have paid great attention to everything that the co-operative has done.'

'Go on.' She encouraged him when he looked up at her.

'I have seen Yaxley and his associates stealing various objects from various shops which I can assure you, Mr. Potter has all the references needed for that.' He nodded to her compatriot. 'I have seen them carry out raids and the murders of muggles. A list that I did provide to Mr. Potter again last night and have been confirmed.' Harry confirmed such a notion and then Draco continued. 'Also, everyone in attendance at the Battle of Hogwarts, saw the use of the unforgivables by the hand of this man, as Mr. McLaggen has already described. He has been on the run from aurors for the past three years.' He finished.

'Bring in the associates.' She ordered the aurors and they brought in a bunch of ex-death eaters and radicals all of which, she knew by name for some reason or another. They were administered Veritaserum as well.

'Associates of Yaxley, can you confirm what Mr. Malfoy said to be true?' She asked.

'Yes.' They all said unwillingly. Mutterings began around the courtroom. She already knew what the verdict was going to be but the trial had to be fair. Yaxley just sat and rubbed his hands over his eyes. He was getting the Dementor's Kiss and he knew it.

'Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. We have all we need. You may now resume your seat. Mr. Yaxley, do you have any final pieces in your defence?'

'No.' Yaxley resigned. It was too late for him.

'The Wizengamot will now convene to discuss the course of action.' She announced. Phew! She got through the confrontation with Malfoy unscathed. She stepped off the podium and went to talk to the all the members present. She could sense the piercing stare at the back of her head all the while. But she didn't dare look. She just needed to deliver the results and then she could deal with the fact Malfoy was back. Once you had collected all the votes, she returned to the podium.

'The Wizengamot have voted. Mr. Corban Yaxley, you are hereby convicted to the Demontor's Kiss effective immediately. Your associates will be called in for their own trials at a further date. Until then, you will be detained until further notice.'

Yaxley was screaming in protest but no one listened. He deserved every bit of that punishment. The aurors took him away and court was adjourned. Hermione got various rounds of congratulations from her colleagues but couldn't shake the feeling that he was still watching her. She was packing up her things when he approached. A few members still mingled around.

'Hey Granger.' She tried to remain calm but her nerves were shot. She couldn't deal with him right now. She only just realised he was still alive for goodness sake.

'Malfoy.' She replied, curtly.

'You look like you're doing well.' He said, politely.

'Cut the crap, Malfoy. What do you want? Can't you see I am busy?' She asked, turning to brush past him.

'Hermione please…' He grabbed her arm. 'I know about Leo. I know he is mine.' He said it a little louder than he probably should and they got various stares from people around them. Harry stood nearby in shock. Hermione stood there in shook. He had just used her first name. But that wasn't the most shocking thing.

He knew. Some of the Wizengamot knew and soon the whole world would know.

Leo Granger was Draco Malfoy's son.

She was getting hot in her robes and was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe. Focus. Her arm was burning from where he was still holding her. Come on, she could focus. All she had to do was breathe. Don't let him know that she was affected by his sudden confession. She pulled her arm out of his and sat down.

'No. He isn't.' She lied. She felt so flushed. She needed water. Or air. Just away from here. Her world was crashing down around her. She tried to stand but felt faint. She struggled to get her next sentence out. 'His name is Leo…Alexander…Granger…Malfoy?'

She saw the man before her smirk and then she passed out into his arms.

So here is chapter 1 of my new story :) Hope you enjoyed it.