Chapter Text
Unseen Bonds
Chapter 1
The floor was cold on Hermione’s bare feet as she walked across the tile in her kitchen. It was still dark outside, but the sun peaked above the horizon in the distance. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned one last time as she prepared a pot of tea to help her start her day.
Hermione had to run to the office that morning and make sure owls delivered some documents, and then she planned to go with Ginny to the Ministry of Magic lobby, where their respective husbands would meet them. Both had received letters stating that they’d return before noon, after arresting the dangerous wizard they were hunting for. A smuggler of magical artifacts, she heard.
When they reunited later, she’d welcome him home with a tight embrace and a deep but quick kiss, given how public it would be. No doubt the two would make up for it that night when alone, with far more passionate expressions of love. Before that could happen, a lunch with Harry and Ginny followed by picking up their children up from the train, back for summer break from Hogwarts. Tomorrow they would pack and travel to The Burrow for a visit. Hermione was already exhausted thinking about it, but she would put up with it for her entire family.
She reached for her wand, and with a few quick spells, her porridge prepared itself. The witch took a seat at her table and waited for the water to boil and her meal to be ready. She never enjoyed relying on magic for such simple tasks, but Hermione needed the extra help this morning. As usual, she’d stayed up far too late looking over documents in her office at the Ministry of Magic and only slept a little after she got home. That was her, Hermione Granger-Weasley, ever the workaholic.
The kettle whistled, and she rose with a tired sigh, but stopped when the sound of a knock from her front door caught her attention. Her eyes glanced at the clock, noticing the time was 6:04am. She could see Harry in the sidelight windows along the entrance. Hermione smiled. She wasn’t expecting them to be done so soon. Though they didn’t come in, and Hermione giggled, thinking that Ron must have forgotten his keys again. And of course, neither could use Alohomora against her anti-magic lock.
She unlocked the door and opened it with a welcoming expression, but paused when she realized it was only Harry standing on her front stoop. Hermione was about to greet him as well, still curious about where Ron went, but Harry’s face was stiff and flat. He appeared as if he were forcing every emotion back. And her mind recalled the work accident the year before.
“Did Ron get injured again?” she asked.
Harry stared down at his feet, silent. Hermione’s heart pounded, and she shook her head. “It’s okay if he did. I wasn’t serious when I said I would turn you into a toad if he hurt himself on the job under your watch.”
She thought Harry might chuckle, but she noticed he held something, his grip firm and the knuckles turning white. Hermione reached for it and forced it from his hands. She examined the two pieces of long and thin wood. From the center of the crafted willow, a single piece of unicorn hair hung out. She brought the sticks together and when they met, they became one… Hermione’s knees gave out, and she fell to the floor. Her body reacted as she tried to process the fact she was holding her husband’s broken wand. Still on the ground, her gaze shot up to Harry.
“Where is Ron?”
“Hermione, I’m so, sorry-”
“Where is my husband?!” Hermione cried.
“There was a second wizard and we-”
“WHERE IS RON!” Hermione screamed.
When she raised her voice, it shattered and fractured, causing Harry to step back as if someone had struck him. “He’s gone,” Harry replied.
“Where!” Hermione continued. “What hospital? Is it worse than last year? It must be if he broke his wand. This will be his third time breaking one. He has to take better care of it and…”
“You know what I mean,” Harry said. There was more force in his voice. It was not anger towards her, or how difficult she was being, but it was his own desperation to give her the information he needed to pass along to his best friend. “They’ve taken his remains to the Ministry of Magic for now. Ginny is already on her way to tell his parents and brothers.”
Hermione was shaking and shook her head from side to side as her tears fell from her face. Her entire body became heavy and a tightness in her chest gave her an immense pain she hadn’t known since the wizarding war, only it was far worse. “I feel like I’m being crushed.”
Harry stepped inside now and reached for her and helped Hermione to her feet. He brought her into a firm embrace, and Hermione griped him and squeezed him as she cried into his button-up shirt. Harry was silent. The only sound she could hear was the whistling of the forgotten kettle.
“He’s gone,” she wailed, though it was muffled in Harry’s chest. She had to accept it. Her hands shook as she gripped Harry and she held on, scared that if she let go, she’d fall. And keep falling.
***
Draco enjoyed going to King’s Crossing as an adult. It brought him joy in the summer, only because it meant one thing: Scorpius was coming home.
For all his flaws, the man liked fatherhood. After being controlled by Lucius Malfoy his entire life, the choice to become a parent was something he didn’t take likely, but had made with his wife, Astoria. He swore he’d be a better father than Lucius, and as far as he knew, he kept that promise. It seemed, unfortunately, Draco failed at being a better husband.
He snuck into the hidden wall to platform 9 and ¾, and looked around at the several families that arrived before him. Draco spotted Astoria, standing in their usual pick up spot, and he hurried through the crowds to her. “I thought I’d be running late, but I got out of my meeting far sooner than expected,” he told her, offering her a smile.
She glanced at Draco with a stone face, then turned away, not showing him any interest. His heart sank. They separated in January, and she had barely spoken to him since. He had tried, of course, but she already decided, and it seemed she planned to spend the six months of trial separation they had agreed upon in near perfect silence.
He licked his lips. “I have the rest of the day off. Why don’t we go to The Enchanted Cauldron for lunch with Scorpius? I made a reservation. It would be good for him to see that we are still a united co-parenting team.”
She looked at him again, her eyes narrowed into a glare. “I’d rather eat a meal served by Dementors than be around you.”
He sighed in defeat. Draco cared about Astoria, of course. He married her out of his social need for an heir, but he had formed a friendship with her, and Astoria seemed to have done the same. They once talked about him wanting to subtract himself from the Malfoy Legacy, how he wanted to be a better person. She stood by his side through it all. All the changes and investments he’d made in various ventures, all with the goal of preventing any other future Voldemorts from coming to power. Or at least make it easier to fight back. Draco was determined that his son would never be a pawn like he had been.
“Can I give you coins to go enjoy lunch without me?” He tried to counter the offer, wanting Scorpius to have some sort of warm welcome home.
“You forget, I inherited my fortune too,” she sneered. “I need nothing from you.”
He took in a deep breath, trying to control his temper. The curse of having someone know him so well meant they also knew how to push his buttons. She was accusing him of attempting to buy affection, but he wasn’t doing that. He just wanted to ensure that Scorpius was cared for. “Fine.”
He noticed her smirk, and he regretted offering lunch to his family. “Then, this weekend, I’ll get him myself.”
“Send a servant,” she demanded. He was aware she didn’t want him anywhere near her new home, but he held no desire to comply with such an unnecessary command. Scorpius shouldn’t feel like he was not important enough to be picked up in person.
“I will wait outside your place.” Their fifteen-year-old child could make that choice himself. He could travel by himself, but Draco wanted to spend every moment possible with him, to let him know that even if divorce was on the horizon, both his parents would remain present.
“Fine,” she agreed. Her mouth was a straight line, but he could see the emotion behind her eyes. He annoyed her, but also showed a lot of exhaustion. She said sometimes dealing with him was worse than the newborn stages, though Draco didn’t always understand what she meant by that. And when he asked once, she told him he was impossible. Draco understood she wanted to speak to him as little as possible, and with nothing else to talk about, he accepted her giving in to his small request.
Just in time, the Hogwarts Express arrived at the platform. The steam echoed, bringing Draco back to the times when he would arrive home in the summer. His mother always waited, with a House elf or two, ready to carry the trunks for the family. His father had been too busy to even show up.
The staff helped the children off, and he watched as a sea of young witches and wizards descended out to their waiting parents. It took a while before Draco saw his son leave the train. He looked around, and when he made eye contact with Draco, who then raised his hand and waved with a smile. Scorpius hurried to his father’s arms, embracing him.
“I’ve missed you,” Draco whispered. Though his fifteen-year-old child, in some people’s eyes, may be too big to desire physical affection, Draco was glad Scorpius grew up still wanting that from them. He hoped that meant Scorpius was growing up happy.
“I missed you too,” he replied. When the two parted, the young wizard turned to his mother and gave her a loving hug.
Draco looked away to give them their moment, and his eyes watched over the crowds. It was now that he would see some of his old classmates there for their own offspring. He noticed the Potter kids next to their cousins, the Granger-Weasley siblings. They were standing together, but still alone.
Draco thought that was strange, as their parents were always there before him. Every drop off or pick up, Harry and Draco shared an understanding nod. It’d become a silent tradition. Draco looked around, but didn’t see them, then he heard a voice call out. “Mum! We’re here!”
When Draco turned back, he noticed it was the middle Potter child, Albus, who was waving towards his mother. Ginny. Draco searched, sure that Harry would be in tow, but to his surprise, she was by herself and looked flushed and in a hurry.
“We need to go,” she stated when she reached the students. She turned to niece and nephew. “You have to come too. We’re going to the burrow, now.”
The kids seemed confused, but they were grabbing their trunks. Ginny grabbed what she could as they all left the platform. Draco was surprised, but he returned to his own family, assuming that they were just too busy to be here in person.
Astoria was attempting to leave with Scorpius, and it caught Draco off guard. “I’m coming to get you this weekend,” he tried to assure his child. The teenager faced his father, taken aback by his mother’s actions as well.
“Alright, thanks dad,” Scorpius added.
Draco was defeated, knowing that his soon-to-be ex-wife wouldn’t be swayed. He sighed, and when they were gone from his sight, he apparated to his office. Earlier, Draco had every intention of spending time with his family. Now that they were gone, he had nothing else to do.
Draco’s assistant was surprised when Draco entered. “Did you forget something?”
Michael had been his second in command for almost two years, and had become a great help with him, and was casual with him, but Draco could still always sense Michael’s nervousness around him.
“Astoria wanted to avoid being in the same space as me. I decided to come back and work more,” Draco explained, collapsing in his chair and loosening his tie.
Michael picked a copy of The Daily Prophet that was on his desk and brought it over to Draco. “Draco, this came late today, but I think you should see today’s front page.”
Draco didn’t feel like reading anything right now, but if Michael was bringing it to him, he knew it must pertain to him somehow. He unfolded the paper and read the headline.
Tragic End to Auror during pursuit of Dark Wizard
Draco’s eyes widened as he scanned the article.
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the wizarding community mourns the loss of one of its bravest defenders, as renowned Auror Ronald Weasley fell in battle against two dark wizards. The incident unfolded during a hunt for Errol Underwood, whom Weasley was hunting with his famous partner, Harry Potter. In the years since the second wizarding war, the world has had a slow resurgence of dark forces. Many believe that Underwood is the source of this growing trend.
Weasley, known for his unwavering bravery, faced off with Underwood. An unidentified wizard joined, striking down Weasley. Weasley, like most Aurors, wore a Wardbreaker Amulet. It is unknown if it was in working order, or faulty. The company Guard Enchantments did not return posts by owl to comment on this matter.
Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt expressed his condolences, saying, “Ronald Weasley was a genuine hero who risked his life defending our world against the forces of darkness. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”
As the magical community grapples with the news of Weasley’s tragic death, the surviving Auror’s vow to continue their fight against the rise of dark magic among us.
Draco dropped the paper and ran his hand through his platinum hair and sat all the way back in his chair. Michael inched closer and took the newspaper again.
“The Ministry of Magic has already come by, and they want a meeting after the Department of Magical Maintenance and Magical Law Enforcement investigates our Wardbreaker Amulets. Someone came for the latest data on it. I handed it over after I saw their ID, of course.”
Draco groaned. “First Astoria and now this. No wonder I didn’t see them at the train station.”
Michael raised his eyebrow. “Did you know Ronald?”
Draco chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, I did. We went to Hogwarts together.”
Michael showed him a sad expression. “Friend?”
Draco shook his head. “Enemy.”
“... Oh…” Michael stated, surprised and confused by Draco’s honest response.
“Get the dates for the wake and funeral, and fit it into my schedule. I wish to pay my respects at the very least.”
Michael agreed and returned to his own desk, leaving Draco with his thoughts, worrying about the coming days.