As Good As Mine
Chapter 1
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After the events of her 4th year, Hermione had strongly considered not returning to Hogwarts. So much had happened. Too much.
The Triwizard Tournament had brought about many crazy things. Her best friend was obviously being set up to fail, the papers were painting her as some kind of fame chaser, and Ronald bloody Weasley was perpetually one snarky comment away from finding himself on the wrong end of her wand. The silver lining in the otherwise hellish turn of events came in the form of a rather reserved quidditch superstar who had wanted nothing more than to learn her name and what made her smile.
Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger were not in love, but neither were they emotionless. Their feelings toward one another could best be described as keeping company with a like minded soul as long as circumstances would allow. They cared for one other of course, and neither was thrilled about the prospect of separation come the end of the tournament, but it wasn't forever.
It wasn't love.
Which isn't to say they didn't take advantage of the situation they found themselves in. There was trust and attraction in spades between them, and a desire to know one another in every way they could. Hermione would never regret the loss of her innocence on Christmas Eve to her soft eyed Bulgarian. Nor did she regret the many times afterward that they'd explored one another. It was what they needed. Both were trying to survive this tournament, though in admittedly different ways. The reprieve and release they found in each other was something she'd always hold dear to her heart.
But like all good things she had found in the wizarding world, it had an abrupt, violent ending. During the final task, a massive maze that the four contestants had to race through, darkness reared its head. Harry and Viktor, having helped each other through difficult parts of their task, had decided to split the victory. Their simultaneous touches had activated a portkey which took them not to the winner's circle, but to a graveyard filled with none other than what was left of Voldemort's inner circle.
Harry later explained that the Death Eaters were attempting to use a complex regeneration potion to ressurect their Dark Lord. The potion, meant to restore a non-corporeal wizards to their full form, required the blood of the foe, forcibly taken. Upon hearing this, Harry had willed his blood to flow freely from his wound for the purpose of the potion. Being given and not taken, Harry's blood caused a horrible reaction that knocked the entirely gathering to the ground. In the chaos that ensued, he and Viktor grabbed the portkey cup and made their escape.
That should have been the end of it. They should have been fine. When the pair appeared at the edge of the maze to thunderous applause, Hermione knew something was wrong. Death Eaters and talks of potions and the name of a graveyard had aurors rushing away. No one thought anything of a defense professor pulling his wand until an acid green spell shot out if it towards Harry.
It never hit it's mark.
In her heart, she would always remember Viktor for three thing. The nervous determination on his face when he asked her name for the first time. The gentle kisses he'd place below her ear when they lost themselves in each other. And the unflinching bravery in his eyes when he threw himself between her best friend and a killing curse.
That was almost 3 months ago, and a lot changed. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, after Lucius was captured at the graveyard, came forth with quite a tale to tell. No longer needing to fear his retribution, they told the Ministry of Magic everything they knew about any and all dark affairs Lucius had. Their statements led to the capture and imprisonment of over 40 death eaters and sympathizers, not to mention sussed out a great deal of corrupt ministry officials, and all for two stipulations. The first being that they saw no punishment for the senior Malfoy's misdeeds, and the second being something the ministry was all too happy to comply with.
On July 5th, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy was given the Dementors Kiss while his wife cried her relief at her new found freedom.
Three weeks later, Draco Malfoy showed up at the edge of the wards around the Burrow requesting a word with his three least favorite Gryffindors. To say they'd been shocked would be an understatement, but his purpose there was what really had them thrown. You see, Draco Malfoy had never wanted to be the person he'd played when he was in the public eye. It's true that he was arrogant and proud, but he wasn't the façade he portrayed these last four years. He'd simply had no other choice. His father had very strict standards for what a Malfoy should be and any deviation was met with, well, unpleasant consequences is one way to put it.
Harry was wary of the blonde but having had to hide his true self so long at the Dursleys, he understood in some ways and agreed to start fresh. Ron of course cared nothing for his apology and if she was being honest, made a bit of an arse of himself. But he'd never been stuck between a rock and a hard place as it were. Sure his family was always tight on funds, but that was the only true struggle he had ever known.
Hermione had recently discovered her own rock and hard place, and therefore was a bit more empathetic to Draco's situation. He'd apologized the most to her for the vile things he had called her - "Honestly Granger, I'd have to be thick as Weasle there to truly believe someone new to magic is below me despite them beating me at all subjects" - and she accepted it. Then she went a step farther and insisted they were going to be friends. There was no doubt in her mind they'd both be prefects next year, so they'd best get comfortable with each other now hadn't they?
In the month or so that followed, Draco and Hermione got together 7 times. Once or twice Harry came along, admitting afterwards that Malfoy was "still a git, but not so bad overall". Ron never came, and he wasn't missed. They talked about books and theory, explored the grounds of Malfoy Manor, had screaming matches over nothing at all though neither was truly upset. It was nice. She had needed the escape.
But now summer was gone and their fifth year was upon them. As predicted Hermione and Draco both recieved prefect badges with their Hogwarts letters, and neither were thrilled about their fellow house prefects. Draco had grumbled for nearly an hour straight about having to patrol with Pansy Parkinson, where as Hermione had silently fumed about being paired with Ron of everyone. What exactly had he ever done to earn the position? Fuck all, that's what.
Still, it wasn't as though she could change it. That was becoming her bloody life mantra. No changing things now. So she'd bite her tongue and deal with her annoying best friend a little more. At least Malfoy would be there too. Add that to the list of things she never thought she'd say.
Hermione pulled herself from her thoughts and steeled herself to board the Hogwarts Express with her trunk in one hand, Crookshanks in the other, and the baby of a dead man growing in her belly.
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A/N:Hi! I've been on a hiatus from writing for a bit. I went through some hard losses in in middle of writing my other WIP and it killed my muse entirely. That was nearly a year ago and while I've started writing a few different stories, I've been stuck associating my first story with that pain. I'm hoping that writing and sharing the new stuff I've been working on will reignite my drive for Shaken and give me what I need to finish it. As for this fic, I've got 3 chapters written out and the rest outlined but I'm going through a lot of medical treatment right now and can't guarentee any regularity for posting Sorry! But I do know exactly where I'm taking this so even if it takes a while, it will be finished. Let me know what you think!