We didn't apologize for anything that morning. Our passion filled screams of ecstasy were heard throughout the Manor. Merlin, I hope Rosie and Scorpius didn't put two and two together and come up with their parents having sex.
"You do realize that you two weren't the only ones here last night?" Harry doesn't really question, rather interrogates me with the tone in his voice.
"Yes I do Harry Potter. So does Draco." Draco had set up a makeshift office for me and Harry in the library of the Manor and we had more than adequate space for both of us, yet he decided to sit on the desk I was utilizing.
"Some of us like our sleep." I look up to see the bags under his eyes. "And there are teenagers in the house, who really don't need any ideas."
"The teenagers here, minus one, are all related. Please. And my daughter is dating the one that isn't related to anyone else."
"Technically he's related to Teddy. So that doesn't work. And there is Teddy and Victoire."
"Excuse me for my one mistake this month." He laughs. He says I am allowed one mistake a week, but I give myself one mistake a month. This is it; not the loud rumpus Draco and I had, but that I forget that Teddy isn't really related to the Weasleys, rather he's related to Draco. "So we have two couples that we have to watch. With all the adult eyes here, I think we can manage."
We receive a patronus charm, one that I recognize instantly as Kingsley's, "Attack. Leaky Cauldron hit. Come immediately. Bring Draco."
Harry and I look at each other. "I'll get Draco, you tell the family. Gather who we can. Message the teams," he nods as I go through the protocol that we set when we were still in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
"Meet in 10 at the Cauldron?"
I nod. I probably will be there in less time, since I am already out the door of the library and heading to Draco's office. I get to the ebony double doors catching my breath. Another attack. How can there be another attack? And the Leaky Cauldron? It is such a cornerstone for the Wizarding community here in England. The only thought that crossed my mind is not one that I want to think of - that they are preventing muggle-borns from getting their supplies for school. I sigh as I knock on the door before cracking it slightly.
"Scorpius, if that is you" he sounds distraught and tired already. I am not looking forward to telling him this.
"No sorry. It isn't your son." I open the door the rest of the way. His look goes from determined to concerned.
"Where?" All he said was that one word. He could tell what I was here to say without words.
"Leaky Cauldron."
His face twists in an unnatural, confused smirk. "Why in Merlin's name?"
"I have a theory. Merlin, I hope I'm wrong."
He nods. "Brightest bloody witch" he mumbles under his breath. "When are we going?"
"Now." I motion for him to hurry up.
He's grumbling as he puts the finishing notes on something he was working on. "Never keep a woman waiting, my mother always said. Women can keep a man waiting forever and a day; but never the other way around."
We rush to the floo, in silence, but I know there is something irking him. Just before reaching the hearth, I grab his arm. "Talk to me."
"Well work. Then this. And so many Weasley's here. I just want to get to the loft for a quiet, relaxing night. Wine, a nice dinner, you next to me. Some quiet. No matter how much I try, this just doesn't feel like home to me. That is the big thing."
"Soon." I try and calm him by pulling him into me. "Then we can start looking for our place." That brought a smile to him.
A moment later, his mood regresses to a cold exterior as he sighs, "You know I'm going to kill him."
"Harry is going to try and prevent that."
"If he gets near you, I will kill him. I don't care that he's my father."
"Harry and I know. We also know how you feel. We are going to try to prevent it. It isn't doing the right thing by the Ministry's standards. It's saving you. He is doing it as a favour to me."
"I am beyond saving love."
"Because you love, therefore you are worth saving. Even if it is a little bit of your soul." I poke him in his chest where his heart is.
"You bloody Gryffindors and your high morals." He leans over and kisses me tenderly on my lips. It was quick and innocent, but I treasured it nonetheless. "Let's escape tonight. Just the two of us. Run off. Just to the loft. Order Chinese pickup and watch a cheesy movie. We'll leave after everyone is asleep and be back before morning."
I have to admit the idea has merit. To not have someone knocking on our door at all hours telling us to 'keep it down'. "Let's see how today goes." I know he can read my expressions and I can read the twinkle in his eyes that says he knows how I feel.
When we reached the Leaky Cauldron there were multiple teams that were in place. Harry and Kingsley lead the aurors who were doing the investigation, Percy lead a team on the repairs and to ensure that the muggle-borns would be able to reach Diagon Alley, Headmistress McGonagall worked with her professors to owl all the muggle-born students on how to get to Diagon Alley to get their supplies, Draco went on his own investigation route, and I coordinated everything at one of the few rooms left.
Tom, the innkeeper of the Leaky Cauldron, came up to me once everyone had their assignments. "Minister, I hate to impose."
"Tom, please, come in and have a sit. I can't imagine what you went through today."
"Madam, you are too kind. Can I talk to you openly and honestly?"
"Of course Tom, we've known each other for a long time now. I hope you feel like you can tell me anything."
He sat down on one of the chairs I had transfigured from the bed. "Ma'am, I keep asking myself 'why here?' And I can't come up with an answer. Also I saw who I thought was Lucius Malfoy in the attack, but his son's here. I'm confused."
I pull up a chair next to him and sit. "We have an idea why the attack was here. It would prevent muggle born students from getting their supplies. It is why the headmistress is here. Now about Lucius, tell me about his role in the attack. Draco has been an integral part of trying to stop these attacks and he personally has assisted in the capture of a few of the Death Eaters already, so you can trust him."
"Thank you ma'am. I just didn't have much faith in the boy."
I snigger. 'The boy'. He is anything but a boy. It would be the equivalent of calling me a girl. "It's understandable Tom, there are many that feel the same as you do. Now could you tell me about Lucius's role in the attack?"
Tom relays all the information that he must have to the aurors, but I had him focus specifically on Lucius. Draco believes he is the head of the snake, and knowing the other death eaters involved I don't doubt it one bit. They are morons other than Lucius. They are just filled with an uncontrolled blood lust. Lucius is scheming, maniacal, he is the one that has the big plan, everyone else is just pawns. I personally have a large interest in what this plan is.
I ask if he said anything, specifically about his family. No, was what Tom said, but there was another Death Eater that did, specifically mentioning Rose and Scorpius. I take a mental note to tighten security at the Manor for them.
When we both feel that we have exhausted everything that Tom could relay, he finalized, "Ma'am, I worry about you. They have a look I haven't seen in years. They are more hungry. They are out to hurt as many as they can as quickly as they can. I don't want you hurt. I... I like you as Minister ma'am."
I stand up and give Tom a hug. It may have been a small statement he made, but it touched me and gave me strength that I needed right now. "Tom, you have no idea how much that means. Thank you."
As he exited the room, Draco was waiting on the other side of the door with Harry. "We need to talk," was mumbled as the two pushed their way in.
"What?" I think that both these two have lost their manners.
"We have a way to track them," Harry began. "Draco here knows some not Dark magic, but shall we say some magic in the grey zone that can help catch them. We just need your permission"
I don't let him finish that sentence. "My daughter is in danger, you have my permission to use an unspeakable on them."
Draco's eyes go dangerously dark as his smirk reminds me of when we were in school and he would bully me to no end. "As you wish. Consider them caught by nightfall." The two went to leave, not without his lips meeting my cheek and his warm breath meeting my ear. "Tonight we will be sleeping safely back at the loft darling."
I've been singing this today!!!