What Binds Us Chapter 1, a harry potter fanfic

Title: What Binds Us [Chapter １/??]
Author: Rorania
Rating: R
Warnings: Language, sexual references
Word Count: 2,511
Summary: Starts after HBPーBefore DH came out. Draco's under protection of the Order, much to the Golden Trio's dismay.
A/N: Hey, this is something I wrote a long time ago and only posted on Coloured Grey and my livejournal. I still haven't finished it unfortunately, but I have the first ten chapters. Also, extra apologies for parts explaining logic that makes no sense. I wasn't up to fixing it but someone brought to my attention that I hadn't posted past chapter six on my livejournal so I thought I'd just post what I have here.

Chapter 一

一一一一一

"Hermione, dear, can you bring this up to Draco?"

Hermione looked over as she was heading by the kitchen in Grimmauld Place Number 12 to see Molly gesture to a made up tray of food. Hermione hesitated with a grimace before slumping and accepting the tray.

Trudging up the steps, she wondered how she could've been dumb enough to ask how it could get worse than Dumbledore dying. Well, of course besides the obvious. Thinking Malfoy would ever have asked the Order for help simply had not occurred to her. She thought he'd had too much pride and would die before accepting the help of "Muggle-lovers".

But no, she sighed. Here she was, bringing Draco food because he was too much of a twat to dine with the family, not that anyone wanted to be reminded of his presence. According to Remus, he was a hurt, scared little boy who'd rather attack a friendly hand then accept comfort. So if she thought he was unpleasant in school, he was ten times worse now, living in such close quarters.

Reaching Malfoy's room, Hermione carefully balanced the tray as she knocked on the door and rolled her eyes impatiently, in anticipation of his terse regard. She heard footsteps right before the door was yanked open. She immediately thrust the tray out to him, her eyes lowered dully, as if bored.

"Molly says 'eat'." When he didn't take it, she shook the tray slightly at him in annoyance. "Here."

Instead, he stepped back deliberately and gestured to the desk. "Put it over there, Mudblood."

Hermione finally looked up at him, her head cocked slightly, to see him challenging her with his gaze. Then she smirked. She suddenly removed her hands from the tray folding them across her chest, the tray levitating in front of her.

"You know the day you perfect the talent of pulling your lip over your head and swallowing is a day you can finally consider yourself having done something worth while."

With that she turned to stroll away.

Suddenly she heard the tray crash against the wall and some invisible force was pulling her back into the room. She let out a cry as she crashed into Draco's chest, before being pushed back abruptly against the wall next to the door of his room. Draco held her pinned by her upper arms.

"How dare you show me anything but deference, Mudblood." Draco railed at her.

Hermione met his glare head on as her knee came up swiftly between his legs. Draco immediately crumpled, his face contorting in pain, as he sank to the floor. Hermione gave him an extra push and stared down at him.

"How dare you put your hands on me, Malferret? Huh? How dare you come into this house seeking our care and protection, then treat us like servants? How dare you expect anything when you spent all last year trying to kill Dumbledore, the late head of the very Order you sought refuge from? Where I come from, hypocrites and bigots are abhorred, no matter what blood they carry."

"You think I care?" Draco groaned, rolling to his feet.

"No, of course not. Your hate-crimes are just that. An emotion. Emotions aren't rational, they don't have to have any reasonable logic behind them, they just are. And it's Voldemort's hate for what he is, that led to you being here. Why your father is in Prison. Why he killed your mother. Why, in your eyes, your life is ruined because you had to take pity from some muggle-borns and other people you hate."

Draco nailed her with a glare of contempt. "Are we going to sing songs and hold hands now, Granger?"

She narrowed her gaze at him. "I've simply had enough of your ungrateful, free-loading ways, you arse. Tell me, for all the wealth and prestige of the Malfoy line, where does that leave you?"

"Far better off then you," Draco bit back. "For even if I am in hiding and at the mercy of muggle-loving fools, I'll always be far better than you."

"Oh, really?" Hermione stepped up to him.

Draco nodded vigorously. "Merde, yeah!"

Hermione laughed derisively. "Your standards on which you base yourself must be terribly low, Malfoy. What do they call cowards in your world? Because here they'd call it trying to pull off a most horrendous deed and then not even able to follow through with it, to save their own mother from certain death. That's right, Draco. You killed your mother. While she was waiting in misery for you to carry out your little task, you failed and then ran off with Snape to save your own hide. So tell me," she paused. "What makes a coward in your world because I am dying to figure out how you still see yourself as above all of us."

Draco had paled when she mentioned his mother. She could see his jaw working as his lips trembled. She turned her head in disgust then, which was a mistake. Draco gripped her hair at the base of her neck and pulled her head back hard. Hermione's mouth opened in pain.

"You…" he started out in a dangerously low tone. "You foul…loathsome…evil little bitch. Stay, the fuck," he yanked hard on her hair then, making her gasp, "away from me. You filthy little whore." Just as abruptly, he released her shoving her away from him and out the door. The door slammed in her face.

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After he shoved her out the door, Draco went on a terrible rampage, throwing anything he could get his hands on. What gave her the right?! How dare she speak to him at all let alone such wrongfull things?! She was nothing but Potty and Weasel's whore! A Mudblood not deserving to be taught magic!

After tirading about cheeky, upstart Mudbloods in his head a while, he finally calmed and sank against the wall, laughing. Perfect Head Gryffindor just gave it to him like a Slytherin. Like he didn't know it was his fault his mother was dead. That she was probably tortured before she died, knowing her son was a failure and she would have to pay the price for it. Who needed Lucius when Mudblood Granger could remind him what a failure he was; and right when he felt he couldn't feel any lower. Draco's eyes narrowed then. But what right did the mudblood have to remind him of anything? None. She had no right. He didn't ask for this. Snape told him it was this or watch his mother be tortured and killed before he met the same fate, and decided for him, before leaving him to make appearances for Voldemort. That was a month and a half ago. Since then, his days had been filled with hostile glares, silences, or avoiding his gaze, while the mother of the overwhelming amount of red-headed spawn continuously pushed food onto him. Draco swore she wished to make him as fat as she was, annoying cow. She always smelled of some sort of sugary substance like cinnamon or apples. His mother had always smelt of the finest cologne. However he'd noticed Mrs. Weasley reminded him of how stern his mother could be, yet with one large difference. There was a warmth missing in his mother that was prominent in Weasley's. His mother never rose her voice and her manner was cool. Weasley was quick to temper and yelled all the time. Ronald, get your lazy arse out of bed right now! Fred, don't curse in front of your sister! Ginerva, stop sulking or you can clean out the basement!

They took his wand, so he couldn't even cast a sound-proofing spell around his room to block out the constant yelling. At Malfoy Manor, it was always quiet. Not even the house-elves cleaning made any noise. His father was always away on business and his mother was either shopping or out visitng friends. Which was why it was odd that he'd gotten used to the pounding floorboards outside his room so quick. He hardly noticed the sound anymore.

He did notice when the Golden Trio of Gits returned from somewhere, when they received their Hogwarts letters last week, when Granger found out she was Head Girl, whenever her and Romeo Weaslebee had a fight. Why Potter didn't just hex them silent actually made sense to Draco since that would be the smart thing to do, and when had Potter ever been known to be the smart one of the lot.

Finally calm, Draco stood. Thinking derisively of the Golden Trio of Gits was always comforting. He'd spent years doing it, and it was the only outlet that provided any relief for his bottled up tension and aggression.

Though they took his wand and he was not able to retrieve any of his personal effects, the room they gave him was stocked with a large bookcase of mostly legit wizarding books, some muggle literature, and only a few Dark Art tomes. Considering the house's history of Dark Wizards, Draco knew they probably missed those few tomes in preparing it for him to use. Don't want encourage the young Death Eater in training to act out his wicked ways. Draco smirked, thinking this. But despite his wish to contradict their wishes, he found himself drawn to the muggle novels. He tried reading The DaVinci Code at first but the entire thing was under the assumption that Jesus Christ wasn't a Wizard and persecuted by Muggles. Or at least there was no mention of Muggles and Wizards and so he tried another. Ten minutes after picking up a paperback called Ender's Game he was entranced. That was what he was reading before Granger was sent up by Satan to force him into gluttony once again. So he laid back with his book and let himself forget for a while.

"Ron, how can you be so thick?!" Hermione yelled.

Ron threw up his hands. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must have fell asleep the day they taught how to read a girl's mind!"

"It's called having common sense and human decency, you twat!" she shouted back. "What if I told you I had no idea who I'd be going to our graduation ball with because I didn't know if we'd still be together or not?! Does that sound just peachy to you?!!"

"I didn't say that!"

"Oh no, just that you haven't given a thought to our future! What, did you assume I'd follow you around with whatever you did and everything would just work itself out?!"

"I—"

"Will you two give it a rest already!"

Hermione and Ron looked over to see Draco standing in the doorway, a book in his hand.

"This is none of your business, snake!" Ron yelled.

"My point exactly. If you don't want it to be anybody's bloody business but your own, don't shout it for the whole damn house to hear, Weasel! Either that or give me back my wand so I can cast a proper silencing charm around you so I can read in peace!"

"Right." Ron snorted. "So you can kill us all in our sleep."

"Ron—" Hermione started.

"Why would I? It's obvious you two will kill each other eventually if you don't give it up now!" Draco retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron frowned.

Draco sighed. "It means, you two are the worst match ever conceived. All you do is fight and neither of you have any regard for each other's feelings."

Hermione was staring at him open-mouthed. Draco noticed and frowned at her.

"What?"

Hermione snapped her mouth closed. "Nothing. Just--, that was the most unMalfoy-like thing I've ever heard you say."

Draco lifted a brow. "It's classic psychology 101. A five year old could see you do not match. Now go commiserate in opposite corners, so I don't have to listen to you kiddies' inane bickering," Draco added as he turned and left.

Hermione was looking down. Ron was looking anywhere but her.

"So…"

"So…what if he's right?" Hermione asked finally.

Ron held up his hand as if trying for patience. "Don't. Don't even go there."

"But Ron, what if he is?" Hermione persisted. "What if we just don't match and are too stupid to see that. I mean, it took us so long to get together. Me with Viktor, you with Lavender…both of us hurting each other, and now all we do is fight…" Hermione sank down onto her bed. After a moment, Ron sighed and sat down next to her.

"So what are you saying," he asked.

She looked over at him. "Do you love me?"

Ron's eyebrows worked as he tried to figure out which way she meant.

"I mean, as a girlfriend. I know you love me as a friend, but…do you love me as a woman?" she asked.

Ron thought. Finally, "I don't know. I couldn't imagine being without you, but I'm not sure…"

"…whether as friends or more." Hermione finished for him and he nodded.

"Could you imagine," she started again. "being with another girl? I mean, now that we've been together, could you picture any other girl in your future?"

Ron looked trapped for a moment. "Is…is this a trick question?"

Hermione shook her head impatiently. "No. I'm just wondering because I'm unsure of what we have and if it were to go any farther and then not work out, we could possibly lose our friendship. And I don't want that."

"So what are you saying we do?" Ron frowned.

"I'm saying…maybe we should see other people." Hermione say carefully.

Ron's eyes widened.

"You mean break up?"

"Ron, what we have right now is not working. If we're meant to be, then we'll realize that while we're apart." Hermione waited and when he didn't say anything she prompted him.

Finally, he looked at her. "You know, if we're even able to have this conversation, you bringing it up and me not blowing up over it," Ron took a deep breath, "And me actually considering the idea." He looked over at her.

She understood and patted his hand. "…Then maybe we shouldn't be together."

Ron nodded.

Draco pulled on his black boxers and rested a towel around his neck as he stepped out of the loo into the hallway. Immediately, he noticed Granger talking in hushed tones to the Weaselette. When they noticed him, they quickly finished their hushed convo and took off in opposite directions, Weaselette heading downstairs, Granger towards him. She didn't look at him, but he watched her until she disappeared into a room, before continuing to his room. But what he heard and saw next stopped him short again.

"…Harry…leave me…No." before Ginny continued down the stairs.

"…Gin." And then Harry sighed, before turning and noticing Draco. He stopped short as well, but continued after a moment. "Find anything interesting, Malfoy?" Harry ground out, not in a good mood.

Draco strolled forward. "Oh, just wondering why you don't just stick with Granger. She still worships the ground you spit on," he drawled.

"Shove it up your arse, Malferret." Harry growled as he strode past.

Draco grinned and continued on into his room. His joy was small but worth it.

Draco had finished Ender's Game, Psych 101, The Three Musketeers, & was now on Pride & Prejudice, the least girly sounding of the remaining muggle books. Not that he cared for any of the occupants of the house's opinions, but he didn't want to be caught reading something called Little Women, muggle book or not.

In the middle of Mr. Darcy's assessment of eligible female company in the country, a dreaded knock on his door sounded. Growling in frustration, he pushed himself up off the bed. This Mr. Darcy sounded like a proper gentleman. He had exemplary standards, was rich, and was surrounded by idiots. Draco could identify completely.

Opening the door, he was presented with a letter. Looking up, he saw Granger urging him to take it.

Doing so, he asked, "What is this?"

Hermione folded her arms. "I don't know why, but Molly's designated me your bloody servant."

"I meant the letter, Granger." Draco ground out.

"Oh, McGonagall wants to meet with you at the start of term."

Draco frowned and scoffed. "Hogwarts couldn't possibly be reopening."

Hermione's eyes bored into him. "Well, since they removed the Death Eaters and your little last years' reject project from the Room of Requirement, it's much safer now."

"Much safer?" Draco questioned.

"Like a fortress." Hermione continued with no emotion in her tone. Draco didn't like it. She was treating him like a servant.

"What's gotten into your bonnet? Weaselbee not putting out?"

"Charming, Malfoy." Hermione grimaced, "It's no surprise how Pansy fell for you." She turned to go.

"Oo, do I sense repressed jealousy, Granger?" Draco taunted.

"You know what, Draco," Hermione sighed and turned, "How bout you take a nice long bath, conveniently slip your head under the water, and count to a million."

"Aren't you a little blood-thirsty," Draco leaned against the doorframe.

Hermione stopped once more and turned to him. She frowned. "Are you flirting with me?" she challenged him with her gaze.

Draco shifted. "Flattering ourselves, are we?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Moody says we leave in the morning." She turned to leave.

Draco frowned. "For where?"

"Read the letter," she called without turning.

Draco looked down at the letter in his hand. He gave Hermione a brief glance before turning back into his room and closing the door.

The letter was from McGonagall. She wanted to discuss his coming back to Hogwarts. A list of the basic texts he'd need was included and he was to meet her after the feast.

He was checking the mirror the next morning, when he heard a hoard of footsteps going by his room. Opening the door, he caught Hermione before she could head down the stairs.

"Hurry up. We're leaving." She urged.

"To where?" he asked.

"Diagon Alley." She turned to go but stopped and turned back to face him. "Here," she pulled a brown toque out of her pocket and held it out to him.

He took it and frowned. "Really, Granger? Offering fashion advice, you?"

She huffed impatiently. "Look with your hair, you'll be recognized instantly. So just put it on."

Draco shook his head. "I don't wear brown."

Hermione just stared at him. "You're serious?" Sighing, she pulled out her wand and muttered a spell. Suddenly the toque was black. "There, better? I don't care, let's go."

Draco looked at the now black cap, and shrugged as he pulled it on over his hair.

Draco was standing outside the Floo Network in Diagon Alley, dusting himself off in disgust when Granger came out in a cloud of soot.

Looking down, he laughed seeing her blackened face. Harry shoved him aside, glaring, to help her to her feet.

"Alright," started Moody. "Potter, you, Ron & Ginny will come with me, Molly and Kingsley. Remus and Tonks shall take Hermione, the twins, and the Malfoy whelp."

"Alastor hush!" Tonks shushed him. "We don't need an ambush over the whelp, so keep it down."

"Yeah, yeah. So, anyway, we'll meet back here in two hours. Remember the emergency rendevous point. Constant vigilance everybody."

Harry turned to Hermione. "You going to be okay with Malfoy?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I can take care of myself."

"Alright. See you soon."

Harry, Ron and Ginny head off, waving at her. While waving back, Draco passed her and she noticed a bright white blonde lock of hair peeking out of his cap.

"Oi, Dra--! I mean, you!" she called.

Draco confused, stopped and turned around. She caught up with him. "You have a bit showing." She reached up and tucked the wayward lock under his cap, while Draco watched consterned.

Mudblood Granger is touching me, and voluntarily.

"There," she said, finished. "Come along now, Bob."

She started walking away and he followed.

"Bob?" he gave her an incredulous look.

"Well, I have to call you something," she responded. "Unless you'd prefer 'reviled pig', I could handle that."

"Oo, Granger that one would've hurt if I actually cared about a mudblood's opinion."

Her foot shot out, catching him at a balancing moment in his step and sent him tumbling to the ground. Kicking him onto his back, she placed her sneaker on his chest.

"Next time you call me Mudblood, you be lucky if you can get your whores with child." Hermione spoke in a deadly, dangerous tone.

Shoving away from him, she left him lying in the dirt. Draco rolled to his knees, glaring at her back as he stood.

"I'd take heed, Mr. Bob," said Tonks, who stood behind him. Draco glared in her direction. "When provoked, she can whip out a curse that packs a hell of a bigger punch than her slap."

Draco huffed and took off in the opposite direction of Hermione.

"I'll take him, my dear." Remus laid a hand on Tonks' arm. "You take Fred and find Hermione." Remus looked around. "Well, George let's go save young Bob from himself."

Tonks and Fred headed off towards the book store, because of course, this was Hermione after all. Tonks found Hermione at the back of the store in the dustiest of tomes. Hermione spun at the sound of Tonks sneeze, just in time to see her hair change from brown to magenta. Hermione covered her mouth.

Tonks eyes rolled up. "It's pink again, isn't it?"

Hermione nodded, holding back giggles.

"Ah, well. At least it got you out of your dark mood."

Hermione's hand fell away from her mouth as she turned back to the shelves.

"He's so infuriating. He asks for help and then bites the hand that shelters him." Hermione sighed. "He makes me so angry sometimes. I mean, I'm not a violent person, but he's the only one I've ever actually wanted to smack across the face and did."

"Oh yes, Remus told me how you walloped him one in your third year." Tonks smiled. "Do you think maybe now he needs a bit of understanding, maybe a bit of TLC?"

Hermione gave her a side glance as if she were nuts. "If so, I'm not going to give it to him. He probably wouldn't recognize it for what it was anyway."

"Why do you say that?" Tonks asked knowingly.

"Oh, his kind endearing nature tells me all I need to know. All he's ever known is disdain and hatred for me and my kind." Hermione glanced at her. "What about you? You are his cousin."

"Aye, and I will treat him as politely as my pride will afford unless he is otherwise, and then I shall have to turn his hair a dangerous shade of purple."

Hermione smiled at the image that produced. "You know that sounds like a great plan."

"Yes? I'm rather fond of it myself," Tonks winked at her as Fred joined them.

"Oi, Hermione. I know you love your books, but this is a public health hazard," he said waving away the dust.

"You're right, it's rather dusty back here. I'll just grab my texts so we can go."

Hermione started to follow Tonks, but Fred held her back with a hand on her arm.

"I heard your little talk and your fight with the ferret," he said in a confidential tone. "Here," he handed her some candy. "These will dissolve in any drink tasteless, and odd things will be sprouting from his form for weeks."

Hermione's eyebrows lifted. "Weeks?" she looked intrigued.

Fred grinned and nodded. "Oh yeah. Until he asks for the antidote and then you can make him promise what ever you want," Fred finished with a wink.

Hermione allowed a slow grin to spread across her face. "Thank you, Fred. Give my thanks to your brother as well."

They finished at the bookstore, Madame Malkin's and the potion shop, all without a word between Hermione and Draco. She ignored him completely, and he was content with glaring at her the whole time.

"Do you need to make a trip to Malfoy Manor?" Lupin asked Draco, when they were finished.

Draco frowned at him, a question in his eyes.

"Yes, it's not safe to stay there, but if you want to pick a few personal items, we have time," said Tonks.

Draco looked away and nodded.

"Alright then. We'll just find Moody and then Remus and I will take you."

Draco looked over at Hermione then. She had her back to him with her arms folded. Right then she saw her friends. He watched as her face lit up and she waved. She and Ginny immediately started chattering on about something, when Draco turned away. He halted seeing Tonks giving him a knowing wink. He jerked his gaze away from her frowning. What was she playing at?