Chapter Twenty One: A New Day

The impossibly long night dragged until daybreak and a naive, summer sun rose over Malfoy Manor. How dare the world continue to spin as if Hermione's world had not collasped into ruin? For the remainder of the evening, Hermione did not venture far from Draco's side, but sleep remained elusive. Aside from checking on his well-being, she spent the rest of the night walking about his room, studying the framed pictures from his youth. She paused on a perfect family photo of her god-parents, and briefly wondered how Narcissa and Kingsley were faring now. She could only imagine their teaction in the fallout of what she'd recently done, but before she'd allowed herself to travel down a dark path, a knock at the bedroom door drew her attention.

Hermione opened the door wide enough to grant a small audience with Severus Snape.

"How is he faring?" their former Potions Professor inquired.

Hermione swallowed, hesitant to share more than necessary. She was no longer among friends. However, her Veela did not deem the wizard before her a threat and tentatively she used the newly-formed bond to check on her mate's health. Their bond was still tentative, but within the seat of her, she could feel his blood coursing through her veins. It did not bother her that his essence so easily mingled with her own, but she worried what physical changes she'd wrought upon him. She could feel Draco resting on the precipice of consciousness as his body recovered. She was unsure what their bond would fully entail upon maturity, but she could discern no harm to his physical state. Before her, Severus waited for a response.

Taking a breath for purchase, she replied, "He is fine." She gripped the doorknob in frustration. Of course, Draco would have been better had this entire situation hadn't taken place, but that was neither here nor there.

"Join me for a moment, then." It was not a question, but her Professor must have spotted the narrowing of her eyes. "Everyone knows he is fully mated to a Veela," he clipped as if it pained him to do so. "They will not risk your wrath by approaching him in such a state," he reminded her as he read the indecision in her eyes.

"I will not leave him," Hermione replied firmly, firmly ensconced in the doorway. "There is a balcony outside of this room. We'll speak out there."

And so, the Professor and student watched the sunrise from the grand portico outside of Draco's bedroom. They stood side by weary side until Severus broke the silence.

"You've made quite an impression. The Dark Lord is pleased." Neither mentioned the grizzly display they were forced to put on for the Dark Lord, nor its steep cost.

"Duly noted," Hermione remarked beside him, as she watched the morning birds call to each other. A shiver ran through her person as something shifted within. Was it Draco? She gathered her thoughts when she realized Severus was still talkin.

"You've succeeded where others have failed, Ms. Shacklebolt. It is not a position easily attained," her Professor stated. "Do not waste it."

Hermione sighed around the bitterness clogging her throat. "Then he got exactly what he wanted, yes?"

There was no need mention his name, for they knew whom they referenced. Severus stiffened beside her, before drawling, "As always."

They stood in silent memory of their fallen Headmaster, before Hermione abruptly asked, "Did you deliver my letters?" Her fingers drummed along the marble railing as it reflected the sun's rays. The summer sun had begun to paint the white marble a burnt orange and dully, she watched the sun bathe her hands in a warm light. Severus did not reply in the positive nor the negative, but something in her gut told her he had, so she offered quietly, "Thank you. Is .. is there any word from the Ministry?" she chose her words carefully and chanced a look at the man who managed to look dark even when bathed in sunlight.

"The Minister has openly declared open war upon the Dark. Wizards aged seventeen and older, who hav esuccessfully passed the required OWLs, have been granted permission to enlist within a junior Auror program. I imagine many will have enlisted after the skirmish on the Astronomy Tower."

Hermione briefly closed her eyes. How many of her friends would enlist to fight because of what she'd done last night? The unintended consequences of her actions were more than her former Headmaster could have ever known. And he had left her, Draco, and Severus to deal with its aftermath.

Severus continued, "That brings me to the reason I'm here."

"You mean, you haven't come to check on my well-being?" she joked sourly as she gripped the rail, enough so, that her nails began to chip. Draco's blood offering had increased her strength tremendously in a few short hours. She would need to be mindful of her anger as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"As I said earlier, the Dark Lord is impressed with you. So much so, he's inquired after your … talents."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, but gave no verbal response, as her eyes skimmed the meticulous landscape below.

Severus continued, "He believes such talents may be useful for a future venture of his."

She turned along the marble rail and faced her Professor. "And what future venture would that be?"

Severus did not mince words as he faced her fully. "Several of his followers are still being held within Azkaban. I have been tasked with leading an expedition to set them free."

"He can't be serious," Hermione swallowed, as her grip tightened on the rail. Nervous eyes could not help but flit towards her sleeping mate before returning to Severus' solemn stare.

"He will need every able-bodied wizard for the war to come, and that means returning those who've been captured."

Terse, she interrupted, "Like my godfather, you mean?" Hermione thought of the man she hadn't seen since the Battle at the Department of Mysteries. The man who would have fought against her and her friends.

"Yes, Lucius Malfoy is one of many who awaits justice within Azkaban."

"He wants them out, so they can fight against my father and the Light?" she tasted the words aloud as if saying them made it real. Sometimes, it felt like a dream. Like she could close her eyes, and the last day or so from her life would be erased and she could wake from this horrible nightmare.

"Will that be a problem?" Severus' question drew her back to the present.

It was very much a problem, she wanted to scream at him. But she had chosen this path and she would dutifully see it through. Hermione thought of her father, her friends, and those who fought for the Light, and closed her eyes for purchase. How could she ever live with herself after this? Her heart squeezed as her blood and Draco's blood sang within her veins. She gave the barest of nods and the only answer she could, "No. It will not."

Draco was drowning beneath the sea and no matter how hard he kicked, the black depths continued to keep him below the surface. Water-logged and weary, he kicked, fought, and raged until the unseen force had no choice but to let him go and slowly, he emerged to the surface. He wiggled a toe first, then next, his left fingers. He stretched until bright awareness filled his skin and new breath filled his lungs. A concern, not of his own making, wrapped him in a warm cocoon that made awaking difficult until a sweet sigh snatched him from the call to unconsciousness.

"Can you hear me?" His mate called to him and even if he wanted to remain asleep, his eyes opened and found Hermione, wrapped in a dressing robe, on the bed beside him.

Quickly, she took his hand into her own and squeezed. He swallowed before opening his mouth to reply, but he found the mechanics too difficult.

Hermione's eyes widened, and she turned around to grab something. When she faced him again, a small goblet of water appeared before him. She assisted him into a sitting position and by the third swallow, his strength had returned. As he drank, he took in the dark circles beneath her eyes, the firm set of her mouth, and her pinched brow.

"Hello." The salutation was awkward, but it was there before he could check it.

She gave the smallest of smiles in return, but it did not reach her eyes. "Hello."

"How long have I been out?"

She ducked her head, but he did not miss the blush staining her cheeks. "Almost ten hours. It's nearly noon."

He placed the goblet on the table beside the bed as he studied his mate. "Have you slept at all since…?" He thought it best not to bring up what happened last night. It was not the way he wanted to consummate their relationship, and gathering from her visible uncomfortableness, he thought it best not to broach the topic just yet.

Draco could feel her wrestling with the truth. At the same time her Veela fussed over him, she did not want him to worry about her, he could tell, but she could not lie. Not to him. She sighed and admitted, "A little. It was a difficult night all around. How are you feeling?" Her eyes focused on a spot on his neck, where she'd drawn his blood, as she searched for a sign of the pain that did not exist. Aside from a bit of tenderness around the area he felt fine; a bit sluggish from too much slumber, but fine.

"I should feel like I got hit with a bludger," Draco admitted, but the sensation was fleeting. "But honestly, it's far from the worst I've felt."

"I'm sorry." She lifted her eyes from the bite to meet his. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

He tugged on her hand until she climbed onto the bed and settled beneath his chin. "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault." Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close to him as silent tears dampened his shirt. "Because it's not. Do you hear me? It's not."

"It's just that, after everything … and now …"

"Bugger everything else," he replied, sharply, as he gathered her to him. "What matters is that we're here and unharmed. It's okay, sweetheart."

"This is the farthest from what I expected," she lamented into his shirt.

The two lay in silence as both absorbed the seriousness of the statement.

"Whatever comes, we will face it together. I'm sure our parents would've found solace in that, at least," Draco tried to quell their fears. For whatever soldiers they were pretending to be, they were still children playing at the game of war.

At that, Hermione sniffled and leaned back to study him. Wiping her eyes with the heel of her palm, she evenly informed him, "That's another thing. I wanted to tell you first before you heard it from the others …"

"What is it?"

"There's to be a mission soon. I'm not sure who all is involved, but Professor Snape told me the Dark Lord is seeking to break his followers out of Azkaban. He wants me to accompany the team." Her upper lip curled in disgust. "Seems I've impressed him after last night."

"It was the plan," he reminded her gently as he pulled her hand up to place a kiss to her knuckles.

"I'm sure your father will be one of those we release," she mentioned, her throat tight with emotion.

"Hmm, I'm sure." He studied the pinch between her brows. "Are you ready to face him?" He knew some of what had transpired at the Department of Mysteries last year. It had set the horrible events of his sixth year in motion, after all.

"I guess I have to be, but he may doubt my transition to the Dark. You know him better than anyone. What should we do?" she yawned and did not resist his attempt when he pulled her down and together, they lay on the bed intertwined with the other.

"My father has been in the Dementors' care for nearly a year now. Who knows what remains of his mind. We'll deal with him when the moment comes, but I won't tell him a thing if you must know."

"I know you wouldn't." Hermione sighed beneath him, "Everything's changed," she whispered into his chest as she held him to her. "I don't know what will come from this, but it will get worse before it gets better."

Draco drew lazy circles on her back as her breathing started to even out and slow. Through their bond, he could feel her guilt for causing him pain, her shame for the division she'd wrought upon the wizarding world, and her fear for the future. He could not offer her false promises because that wasn't who he was, but he could offer her his love and protection, as minuscule as it was in the scheme of things. That is, if she wanted it.

"Yes," she murmured hazily to his unspoken question.

He smiled, very much pleased with the Veela falling asleep on his chest. "Then, you have it," he kissed into her hair as she finally fell asleep. Outside of his bedroom, the Dark Lord's world would celebrate and plan, but in here, a boy and a girl fell asleep.

an: I am really sorry for the wait in between updates. The last half of 2018 was a bit of a challenge, and I took the time I needed to refocus and reenergize. This story holds a special place in my heart, and it will not leave me alone until I finish it. And I will. Thank you all for the sticking with me through it all. It truly means a lot! ~L