16. All Families Are Psychotic

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter...

Note: Chapter title borrowed from a book, Douglas Coupland. I haven't read the book, though, I just know the title. :) And of note: new review record for chapters 14 and 15: 33 each! I'm shooting for 40 on this one. LOL. Anyway, enjoy! And a reminder: I want to post the next five chapters over the next two weeks, with the aim of posting the Christmas chapter on Christmas.

ooo

Chapter 16 – All Families Are Psychotic

Hermione smiled as she woke, the cool November breeze brushing her cheeks. She loved waking up on the porch, and so far, not one night passed that Draco didn't check on her when she slept outside. Not even last night, when she'd waited in her room until she saw his light go out. Yet there she was, resting comfortably on the large swing under his warm cloak.

She sighed and sat up, wrapping the cloak tightly around her to keep the cold air away. Hermione allowed herself a brief smile over Draco's 'hi' from the night before. But she knew the tenuous mood wouldn't last. It was clear to her he was trying very hard to keep himself distanced from her, and she didn't know why, but she wasn't ready to be bothered by it, either.

It occurred to Hermione then that the man who'd made her smile that morning was the man who'd killed her parents. That realization always seemed to strike her at the oddest times, usually in the morning when she was almost awake, but not asleep, as though the truth were clearer then, before other things happened to confuse it. Draco Malfoy had killed her parents. And it felt like a dishonor to their memory to smile over him. So she stopped.

Even though it was a weekend, Hermione went in to work. She had a few projects to finish, and she wanted an uninterrupted day to attend to her Malfoy task, as she came to call it. She was just settling in at her desk for a long, quiet day, when she heard the door to the Auror Headquarters open. She looked up and was surprised to see Seamus, and two other Aurors, and she knew none of them were scheduled to work that weekend.

They made a good deal of noise, talking in clipped tones and rushing about the office. Hermione's curiosity overcame her desire for diligence at that moment, and she went to Seamus' desk where he was gathering files.

"What's going on?" she asked.

He jumped, so deep had been his concentration. "You surprised me, Hermione. What are you doing here?"

"Working. And I'm sorry I startled you."

"It's okay." He sighed and frowned. "We've brought in Andromeda Tonks."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Seamus gave her a look that clearly said he was not happy. "Taylor, you know him? He's head over the prisoner division. Well, he wanted to do something. He heard that she's been visiting the Malfoy home and thinks she will be a good source of information."

"Oh, that's awful. So, has she actually done something worthy of detainment?"

Seamus scowled. "Of course not. She's as squeaky clean as you are."

"What reason do they give for holding her?"

"Association. But really, they want her to give us information on Narcissa, since she only goes there when Lucius is out. Which is why I got called in on a weekend. I have to go, Hermione. I'm sorry. They're holding her here until she's questioned."

"Then what?" Hermione asked, getting angry at the tactics of the Ministry.

He shrugged. "Depending on how well she cooperates? Release at best, Azkaban at worst."

"I highly doubt that she's involved in anything underhanded, much less Dark, but I also doubt she'd sell out her sister. No matter what."

"I honestly don't know. Andromeda Tonks has always been in the very low-risk group, but she's labeled because of her family ties. I really have to go, though I'd be happy to tell you all about it over lunch, if you're interested."

"May I come?" Hermione asked, not missing his attempt at asking her out again.

"Oh. Uh, sure. Let's go then." They walked quickly to the interrogation room. Taylor was waiting for Seamus outside.

"Finnigan. You know what we want," he said roughly, ignoring Hermione.

"And what if she doesn't have any information?"

"She's got something we can use. Just get me that something."

Seamus nodded grimly and opened the door for Hermione to enter before him. She was a little excited. She'd barely heard anything about this member of the Black family, who had against the traditional pureblood norms. Hermione already respected the woman.

Andromeda Tonks was sitting at the table in pure black robes, arms crossed, and smirking slightly. Her hair was bright red and shoulder length, her eyes green, like Narcissa's. The tendency toward brightly colored hair must have been something Tonks picked up from her mother. She looked up at them and rolled her eyes.

Seamus ignored it and sat down across the table. "Andromeda Tonks. My name is Seamus Finnigan, and this is Hermione Granger." Andromeda's gaze darted to Hermione, and she cocked an eyebrow, obviously curious, but said nothing. "Do you know why you're here, Mrs. Tonks?"

"Sure do," she replied, confidently.

Seamus obviously hadn't expected that response. "And why is that?"

She shrugged. "Because the Ministry hasn't had any good news lately, and I guess I'm an easy target. You want someone in here so you can say you're doing something."

Hermione couldn't help but smile, her admiration growing.

"Erm, not exactly," said Seamus, unable to look Andromeda in the eye when he said it.

"I know what you want from me – something on my sister. Well, I've got nothing to say. But are you going to believe me? No. Are you going to let me go? No. So let's not waste each other's time, what do you say?"

"Mrs. Tonks. It doesn't have to be this way. All we want is something, anything; it can even be small."

Andromeda merely continued to stare at Seamus.

"Excuse us," said Hermione, standing. Seamus wordlessly followed her into the hall. "Seamus, let me try."

He frowned. "You think you can get her to talk?"

Hermione shrugged. "Can't hurt to try, and you weren't going to get anything."

Seamus sighed and nodded.

Hermione went into the room alone.

"For the record," she said, sitting. "We are not being observed." Andromeda made no response. "Whatever you tell me is at my discretion to relay."

"Why is your name familiar to me?"

"There are two possible reasons. I am friends with Harry Potter, and your daughter."

Andromeda smiled then. "How is she?"

"I haven't seen her recently, but she was doing well a few months ago. May I call you Andromeda?" The other woman hesitated, then nodded. "And please, call me Hermione. Andromeda, I happen to agree with you on why you're here. I think the Ministry is desperate for something positive to report. That being said, unfortunately, I do not think you're going to get out of here unless you give them something."

Andromeda's gaze was piercing, and Hermione felt like she was trying to read her brain. "Do you work here, Hermione?"

"Yes, I do."

"I find it curious that you so easily speak against your employer."

"I have not always seen eye to eye with Ministry tactics, and they are well aware of the fact. This job is a means to an end."

"Voldemort."

"Yes," was Hermione's reply.

"There's nothing to tell," Andromeda said, looking around the room.

"I know what a difficult position you are in. Narcissa is your sister, and I'm sure you hold strong ties of loyalty to her, despite your history. I also highly doubt that your visits with her have anything to do with Voldemort."

Andromeda blinked when Hermione said her sister's name. "I've never, in probably twenty-five years, heard anyone say her name without backing it with contempt or hatred. Until you said it, just now."

Hermione wasn't sure what to make of the comment, so she remained silent.

Andromeda continued. "I hadn't seen Narcissa since the birth of her son. I'd long been disowned by my family, but I desperately wanted to see her on such a momentous occasion. I snuck into her house one night when I knew Lucius was otherwise occupied. She cried when she saw me, but barely spoke to me. Bella was there too, and forced me to leave. I was there less than five minutes.

"A few months ago I received an owl her, inviting me, ever so cordially, to tea. But I knew my sister would not simply invite me to tea; there was something drastically wrong, and she needed something. I debated going, and my desire to see her finally overcame my doubts. She was quite a mess when she finally let down the perfect-Malfoy façade.

"She was worried about her son, about Draco. You know him, isn't that right?"

"Yes. We went to school together." Hermione couldn't shake the feeling that even though she was the one asking questions, Andromeda was the one getting the information.

"Apparently, no one knows where he is, not even Lucius. And all he tells her is that Draco is working for their Master, that he is fine, and not to worry. But Cissa does worry, and she doesn't believe Lucius."

"So you went to visit your sister and she told you she was upset about her son."

"Yes. I've been back several times, and all we do is have tea. I've never even been beyond the front room. Narcissa is a very intelligent witch, though few know it. She anticipated that at some point, this might happen, and she wanted to give me as little trouble as possible, considering the risk I took every time I visited, not only from the Ministry, but also from Bella. If she found out, things would not be pretty."

"You've had tea with Narcissa a few times over the last few months. What did you talk about?"

"Surely you are aware, even as an outsider, of the perfect image she is required to present. She feels she can only truly grieve and worry in my presence. Lucius would never allow her to cry, even over their son, but with me, she can cry and it's okay. She calls for me when she needs to cry. That is all, I swear it. Nothing Dark is ever discussed, not even Draco's affiliation with it. All she talks about is missing him, and worrying about him."

Before Hermione stopped to think, she said, "I wasn't aware that Narcissa cared very much for her son."

Andromeda looked surprised. "I see. And what would give you that impression?"

Hermione was squirming inside, not really sure of how to get out of this. Malfoy had mentioned his mother only in passing, and very dismissively, as if she wasn't worth even thinking about. "Just, from what I knew of Malfoy in school," she said, pleading with herself that her unease would not show.

"Were you friends with Draco?"

"Oh, not at all. We quite hated each other, actually."

"Interesting. Well, Hermione, are we done here?"

With a sigh of relief, Hermione said, "Yes, I think so. I will tell them you have no valuable information."

"Hermione, don't you think it's ironic that they can arrest me for associating with my sister, the wife of a known Death Eater, but they won't arrest her?"

Hermione frowned. "It certainly doesn't make sense."

"No, it doesn't. Thank you, and if you see Nymphadora, tell her I said hello, and that she needs to bring my grandson by very soon."

"I will," said Hermione with a smile. "And thank you, for talking to me."

Andromeda nodded regally, all the proper, pureblood upbringing evident in her every move.

ooo

At nearly dinnertime, Draco left the ledge, where he sometimes went to meditate or be alone with the sea, and returned to the house. He looked for either Harry or Hermione, and found the former in the drawing room. He continued through the house, looking for the latter, but with no success.

"Where's Granger?" he asked, joining Harry in the drawing room.

Harry looked up. "Still at work, I guess."

"She's been gone all day."

"I know."

"I think it's time for Hermione to quit the Ministry," said Draco, with a tone of finality.

Harry put down his book and looked at Malfoy skeptically. "Oh?"

"I think she spends too much time there. She could get more work done for us if she didn't have to do actual work too."

"I don't think she'll agree with you," said Harry.

"I am not concerned with that. I have decided it's for the best."

"Might this have something to do with a certain Irish bloke who fancies her?" Harry asked, not looking at him.

Draco's jaw tightened, and he glared at Harry. "Absolutely not," he growled, through clenched teeth. "I have noticed that her load at work has increased, and her research for me has dropped off."

"And that's all," Harry said, disbelieving.

"Yes, Potter. End of discussion."

"Still. Maybe you should wait to say anything to her. Give her a little time to sort out her work stuff. It could just be a busy time, that will slow down soon."

"Perhaps," said Draco. He was fine with giving her more time, especially if it helped remove Harry's ridiculous suspicions.

Draco was about to leave when Harry said, "You do that every night, don't you?"

"Do what?" Draco asked.

"Check on her."

Draco felt panic rise in him. His actions were not open for discussion, not now, not ever. He kept his composure visibly, and just shrugged. "Yes, when she sleeps outside." Harry nodded with a very smug expression on his face. "Watch it, Potter. I'm just used to watching out for her. I'm a little protective."

"Uh-huh," said Harry, still smug.

Draco was now getting angry, a little. Mostly, he was concerned at what Harry might be getting at. There was nothing to discuss, and Draco needed to make sure Harry was aware of that fact.

"Potter, you know about all of that. Now shut it before you say something you'll regret."

Harry stood and approached Draco, who was still standing. Harry was slightly taller than Draco, and even though he knew Draco would never be afraid of him, he tried his very best to be intimidating.

"Draco, Hermione doesn't need another brother."

Very cautiously, Draco said, "What do you mean?"

"She has me and Ron, and we're brother enough to her. She needs more than that."

Draco couldn't be sure, but it sounded an awful lot like Harry was telling him to be more to Hermione. Why he would suggest such a thing was beyond him. Nevertheless, despite his brain telling him that Harry was being absurd, Draco's heart start beating a little faster.

Always composed on the outside, Draco cocked an eyebrow and said, "I'm not sure I follow."

"She saved you, right? Her presence, even though she wasn't actually in your life, saved you." Draco nodded slowly. "Well, she needs saving too."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Harry got right in Draco's face, and looked him square in the eye. Not afraid of him at all. "If you hurt her, I will hunt you down and nearly kill you. Badly. And Ron and Ginny will be with me. Understand?"

Draco scowled at Harry, and made no response.

"Are. We. Clear?" Harry asked in staccato.

"There's nothing to be clear about."

"Just in case, then. Should there ever come a time when we need to be clear. Now. Tell me just how clear we are?"

"What is with you, anyway? You insinuate that you want something between her and me, and then you threaten me? Make up your mind; which is it? You're either okay with it, or you're not."

Harry glared at him. "I know you. I know what all of this is about. I think you need her, and I'm okay with that, but you are also very likely to do something monumentally stupid."

Draco scoffed, but stopped before he said anything. Harry was right; he probably would do something stupid. IF. And if was a pretty big word. "You're either okay with it, or you're not," he repeated.

"Part of me isn't ready to completely trust you with her."

"Well, I have good news, then. You don't have to worry about it."

Harry grabbed Draco's arm as he tried to walk past. "But, for the record."

Draco shoved Harry away with a growl. "Get off it, Potter."

"I mean it, Malfoy. You will answer me, this time. I'm not playing around."

"Fine!" Draco shouted. "We're clear. I get it. Don't hurt her, or you'll hurt me. We're crystal. But Potter, nothing is ever going to happen, so I assure you that you're being absurd for no reason."

"You're just as scared as she is!" Harry yelled back.

"No! I am not scared, especially not of Hermione. I'm just not stupid. Am I clear?" Draco didn't wait for an answer. He stormed out of the house, his thoughts spinning, his hunger completely forgotten.

ooo

Hermione returned to the Edge late that night, tired and hungry. She went into the kitchen and made herself a quick sandwich, intending to eat it and then go to bed. She was half-way through when Draco returned to the house.

He entered the kitchen, and saw her sitting at the table. He scowled, his emotions still in turmoil from his earlier confrontation with Harry.

She looked up, and gave him a smile, which only worsened his mood.

"You're awfully late," he said with as much meanness as he could.

"Things were – busy – today," she said simply.

"Oh," he said, and went to leave the room.

"They arrested your Aunt today," Hermione said as he was almost through the room.

Draco stopped and turned to her. "Which one?"

"Andromeda."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because she's been spending time with your mother."

Draco sat down, lost in thought. "Do you have any idea what they suspect her of?"

Hermione shook her head, and let some anger into her tone. "They just want to see results, and she just happens to be easily accessible. She hasn't done anything wrong."

He was surprised at her sudden change in tone. "You seem upset."

The sandwich was momentarily forgotten. "The Ministry hasn't been too successful lately, so they pull a Stan Shunpike and lock up someone who is completely innocent! Granted, she's been seeing you mother, but who is her sister. There is absolutely no crime in that! And after talking with her, they still want to hold her, because she won't tell them anything they might be able to use. But she doesn't have anything they might be able to use. She has tea with her sister. End of story. There are no Dark dealings, nothing even remotely close."

"You know, Granger. It is extremely odd that Andromeda would visit my mother. I know they're sisters, but in all my life, they've never interacted. So I can see why the Ministry would be suspicious."

Hermione shook her head. "Do you want her locked up for something she hasn't even done?"

"Of course not, but – "

"Then what's your problem? You're defending their actions!" She was yelling now, and it occurred to Draco that before his day was complete, he might have had a shouting match with each of his housemates.

"I am not defending them, Granger," he said, as calmly as possible. "I am simply telling you why they have good cause to be suspicious."

"Well I certainly didn't get the impression that she was hiding anything."

Draco blinked. "You talked to her?"

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

"She just told me why she's been visiting your mother. And her reason wasn't good enough for Taylor."

"Who's Taylor?"

"Seamus' boss. He was the one who wanted her brought in for questioning. Seamus wasn't having any success, so I tried."

Draco couldn't prevent the feeling of having a wriggling green monster deep in his gut. He was not jealous. He wasn't. "And? Why did she say they get together?"

"Apparently, your mum is quite upset over you. She is worried to no end about you, and she can't express her feelings around anyone, so she calls on Andromeda."

Something shifted in Draco's mind. His mother was worried about him? "That sounds incredibly suspicious to me," he said finally.

Hermione's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"You don't know my mother. If you did, you would be concerned. She isn't the type of person to worry, especially about me."

"She's your mother, though. All mothers worry about their children."

"She may have given birth to me, but she's never exactly been the motherly type. I can't help but wonder what they're really doing."

"I can't believe this. You actually think Andromeda was lying."

"You just met her, I assume. What you do not know is that she is an extremely special witch. She has the ability to see behind the words people say, to see what they're saying without all the cloaks they put around their words. She's highly intuitive, and brilliant. There's absolutely no fooling her. She can manipulate her own words to say the exact truth, but still be hiding the truth completely." He paused, and looked at Hermione. "She probably knows you've been around me."

"But – how could she? I was careful to avoid exactly that."

He shrugged, as if it didn't matter. "Like I said. She's gifted. Did you mention me?"

"You were part of the entire conversation."

"Did you mention me, though?"

"Well, yes."

"It's likely she heard something in your tone."

"How would you know? Do you know her?"

He paused, considering whether he should answer honestly. He decided the truth could cause no harm. "Yes, I do."

"How?"

"That is not something I am willing to discuss. She is my Aunt, you know."

"Yes, but if your mother hadn't seen her since you were born, why have you?"

"Again, I am not going to answer. I would ask only that you not assume she was being completely truthful."

"Do you find it so hard to believe that your own mother would worry about you? What about that Vow she took with Snape? Doesn't that prove that she cares about you?"

That question made him uneasy. He'd never been able to reconcile the woman he'd grown up with and her action in making the Vow; seemingly for the sole purpose of protecting him. He never wanted to entertain the thought that she was anything other than what she'd been his whole life – absent, distant, and cold. If she made any action that indicated otherwise, he was automatically suspicious.

"No, it doesn't prove anything. I have no idea why she did that. And I don't know why they're meeting now, but it is not because she is concerned about me. Surely Lucius has told her enough to keep her content."

"Andromeda said that Lucius wasn't very forthcoming in his information."

"I'm telling you, Granger, that my mother worrying about me cannot be the reason for their visits," he said, frustrated.

"And I'm telling you, Malfoy, that I believed her. You weren't there! She talked to me when she wouldn't talk to Seamus because I said your mother's name, and she said it was without malice. So she opened up with me. I believe her."

Draco narrowed his eyes. As he knew Andromeda to be very perceptive, this new piece of information was not surprising. "I'm sorry, but I cannot help but doubt."

"It's terrible that you find it so impossible to believe something good about your mother. She loves you. She might not show it, she might not have ever said it, but it's true. No mother can hate her own child."

He frowned, and stood. "This conversation is over. You don't know what you're talking about, and you shouldn't presume to know anything about my family." Then he stalked out of the room.

Hermione groaned in frustration and tried to finish her sandwich, but she was so worked up that she could only manage a few more bites. She went to the sink to wash her dishes, and after a few minutes, heard someone enter the room.

"Granger."

She turned and looked at him.

"I don't want anything to happen to my mother. I don't want her sent to Azkaban."

"You said yourself, she is worthy of it."

"I know. But – I don't want her to be sent there. I want you to ensure that it does not happen, once this is all over."

"Malfoy, what do you think I can do about it?"

"I don't know, but I know you can." His forehead creased into lines of worry, and his eyes betrayed worry of their own. "Please – Hermione," he said in a soft, almost pleading voice. "Will you try?"

Something happened inside of her when he said her name. She thought she might just do anything he asked if he only said it like that, and it scared her terribly to realize it.

He must have thought she would say no, because he said, "She's my mother, like you said. And – I want her to be safe."

"I'll try," she said, her heart pounding over what she'd felt a moment earlier. His face relaxed, and he almost smiled at her. Then it changed, and it looked as if he was thinking hard about something. He frowned, and looked at her with so much intensity she thought he'd bore holes through her eyes. She cocked her head, and realized what he was trying to say, without saying it.

"You're welcome," she said, and he reddened, nodded, and walked out of the room.

ooo

A/N: What did you think? Thanks for reading! Help me get to 40:)